“Because of my upbringing, I related a lot to what the Syrians were going through. A lot of grace came my way so I wanted to do something similar.” Ghaida Zeini Neouchy immigrated to the Bay Area at the age of 19 from Lebanon, leaving a country still in the midst of a civil war….
“I just hustle, make money and give back,” is the motto for this 27 year old Syrian American. Chafik “The Chief” Zaideh is the Director of Business Development at Granada Islamic school, as well as a business consultant who helps define streams of revenue for nonprofits to continue providing their services. But when he isn’t…
As a community foundation, the safety and well-being of the communities we serve is always our top priority, and in the wake of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), that commitment does not waver. The most effective protection against infection is making sure that we are seeking responsible and factual information from certified sources and consistently practicing healthy hygiene….
“I learned generosity like I learned a lot of other significant life skills—from my parents and from the Ramallah community I grew up in. My Palestinian heritage was my greatest teacher. And I believe that to whom much is given, much is expected. So, I did what I could to give back to my Palestinian…
I remember my dad making contributions to the church, every Sunday, no matter what. Philanthropy, from a small scale, became a familial act and—to this day—my favorite philanthropic experiences are ones where I feel like family. My mother is Lebanese and my father is French Canadian but, like so many people of their generation, they…
When you’re fighting Islamophobia, when you’re debunking and correcting misconceptions, when you’re thinking outside of the box to promote inclusion and diversity locally, regionally, even nationally—you make bold decisions not made before because your gut tells you, ‘this is the right thing. Do the right thing.’ Truly, the best part is helping an idea develop…
My grandmother tells me the story of having to leave Palestine in a boat and going to Egypt. It was the 1940s. She thought it was only going to be for a few weeks, but they never went back to Palestine. My grandparents learned to make a home for themselves and for others in a…
The Center for Arab American Philanthropy would like to congratulate our 2019 Adawia Alousi Scholars! Representing colleges throughout the country, the women who make up this exceptional sisterhood are increasing the visibility of Muslim females in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. In addition to the jobs and extracurriculars these women are already…
After 9/11, Arab Americans were heavily targeted, feared and misrepresented. I made it a point to change the way people saw Arab Americans by attaching my identity to everything I do, even when giving to causes that are not affecting the Arab American community. My identity became my driving force, and the pride I grew…
I lost too many friends to AIDS and as a result I began volunteering in HIV and AIDS related projects. Volunteering was a gruesome experience, but also healing and fulfilling. I found a cause I was interested in supporting. This experience led me to another cause I was passionate about namely by birth, the Syrian…