AFGHAN ACTIVIST LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE (AALI)
Activating the Afghan diaspora for social change.
LATE May 2022 - Dates & LOCATION To Be Announced
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Our Afghan American community finds itself in yet another crisis moment.
In August 2021, we saw the shock of an institutional failure that was deeply harmful to the Afghan people. The American withdrawal from Afghanistan has caused a humanitarian crisis and another wave of refugees that have made it here stateside. While supposed superpowers and international organizations sat on the sidelines, our community rose to the occasion.
As Afghans, we witnessed up close how deeply institutional failures can cause harm to our friends, families, and communities. Aside from the crises that confront our own people, we are also witnessing the impending dangers of climate change, white supremacy, and capitalism. We believe that our collective liberation is linked and it requires strategy such as a grassroots, bottom-up approach.
We are faced with these realities on a daily basis but at ADEP, we believe that the only way to mitigate and face these realities is to deal with them head-on.
That is why ADEP is coming together to host a convening of young Afghan Americans change-makers who are interested in building a better tomorrow. In May 2022, we will host a three-day leadership training in order to build tomorrow’s leaders to deal with today’s issues. This convening will be a hybrid model, so both in-person and virtual attendance is possible. We do encourage in-person attendance.
At our AALI convening, we will have 3 goals:
- To give you the tools, resources, and framework to make social change in your community and to make that work impactful and sustainable
- How to think strategically about building a community that is not complicit in harmful structures (i.e. values-based coalition & partner building)
- To help you build a tangible network of support and guidance to take concrete action for marginalized communities
You should apply, if:
- You’re Afghan, between the ages of 18-35, interested in making social change
- Are looking to build a community with like-minded, forward-thinking young Afghan Americans
- Are looking for guidance, support, mentorship, and a weekend full of joy, bonding, and healing
Frequently Asked Questions
Afghans who are interested in being a leader in their respective community. Whether you want to make a positive impact for the newly arrived Afghan refugee community or care about climate change, we are putting together this convening to give you the framework, guidance, and tools for social change. We furthermore recognize and value that leadership can look a variety of different ways. We intend to help you develop that leadership and help you determine your role within the social change ecosystem.
As part of our effort to make this three-day weekend accessible for all, we have set aside funding for those who are unable to afford travel and lodging to AALI. When you are applying, there will be a section devoted to those who want to request financial assistance. We will not ask for evidentiary proof and you simply have to attest to your need. If you have other considerations that get in the way of in-person attendance, we encourage you to attend virtually.
Acceptance to AALI will be contingent upon the strength of your application. However, we recognize that our own Afghan communities are impacted by different hierarchies and inequitable structures that have not allowed individuals from marginalized communities within the Afghan diaspora to prosper. Therefore, we will be intentional and go out of our way to allow those who identify as marginalized Afghan individuals to attend AALI. If you’re an Afghan that identifies as LGBTQ, non-binary, ethnic & religious minorities, disability as well as those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, we highly encourage you to apply.
We fully understand that there is still a pandemic that is ongoing and that our health is at risk from various different variants. Health, safety, and security will be our top priority as we enter this three-day weekend. We are working in conjunction with our location (to be officially announced soon!) which has rigorous safety standards. You will be required to attest to your health and will vaccination will be required. Furthermore, we advise that you have taken a booster shot as well. The location will bar entry for anyone who is not vaccinated. Most public venues in the surrounding area will also require proof of vaccination as well for those who want to mingle.
While this program is intended to build capacity for those in the diaspora, we welcome Afghans who can dedicate and attend virtually. Please note that the entire weekend’s workshops and discussions will be held in English.
As part of our intentional capacity-building efforts, we aim to invest in Afghans under the age of 35. Our philosophy for the AALI weekend is that we are investing in one another for the long term and we aim to make said investment in our younger community members who show promise.
Our aim is to complement the work done by other community-based events. There are no prerequisites to attend AALI, aside from having an open mind and a willingness to learn and collaborate. Our intention is to collectively build capacity and to build a community of like-minded leaders within our community for the future.
I want to help newly arrived Afghan refugees as well as those still in Afghanistan. Should I attend?
Yes. We are encouraging our community to be more equipped for the long journey of welcoming our newly arrived community members or for advocacy in regards to Afghanistan. This convening will also be an opportunity to harness your energy into action which is why we have divided our weekend intro three days: bonding (Friday), envisioning tomorrow (Saturday), and moving into action (Sunday).