On July 2nd and 3rd, members of the American Association of Yemeni Scientists and Professionals (AAYSP) attended the 4th National Conference at the Double Tree Hotel in Dearborn, Michigan. The one and a half day conference entitled, “Self Empowerment for Educational & Community Advancement” had many interactive sessions, presentations, and a gala dinner. At the Gala dinner outstanding middle school, high school, and college students as well as active community members were awarded for their work in advancing the educational level of Yemeni Americans.
The conference started on Saturday, July 2nd with breakfast and welcoming remarks by Ms. Fattum Mutahr, current President of the Michigan Chapter and a National Board member. This was followed by many informative sessions focusing on improving the educational outlook of the Yemeni-American community. There were many distinguished speakers from various fields that came together on that memorable day to promote education. Several of the sessions were formatted as talk-shows which engaged the audience and provided them with some food for thought. Some of the topics that were covered include “Improving Retention of Yemeni-American Students in High School”, “New National Standards for American Education”, “Mentoring, Community Organizing, and Empowering”, “Parental, Youth and Community Engagement”, “Islam and the Quest for Education”, and “Career and Business Opportunities for Yemeni-Americans”. In-between these informative sessions there was a networking segment, and plenty of food provided throughout our breaks, and at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The Gala dinner was a wonderful event in which twenty scholarships were presented to high school and college students. The scholarships were donated by many generous Yemeni American professionals and businesses. The Keynote speaker was Debbi Almontaser who came from Brooklyn, New York. Ms. Almontaser is the founding principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy. She spoke on the struggles of Yemeni-American women as they have pushed towards education and the formation of careers. She also noted the progress of community organizations in elevating the Yemeni American communities in many states such as Michigan, California, and New York.
July 3rd, focused on uniting the organizational members nationally and providing leadership training for the attendees. There was a segment that provided us with an introduction and explanation of the restructuring of the National Board by Adel Mozip, the National Public Relations Officer of AAYSP. The history of AAYSP was traced from the beginning to the present. “AAYSP’s transformation over the past 7 years has been remarkable. The dedication of its members is what keeps AAYSP moving in the right direction” Mozip noted. There we other presentations regarding motivation, empowerment, and leadership. Events like these are what give the Yemeni American community a sense of unity, vision, and a reason to be proud of such a rich culture and community.
