In 2014, eight Afghan-Americans pioneered what the diaspora lacked for years - a safe space for candid discussions about the issues most pertinent to us. Historically, our community came together almost exclusively in social settings, including weddings, concerts, picnics, and sports tournaments. However, none of these gatherings have been conducive to serious discussions about the state of our community. Too often, taboo topics have been swept under the proverbial Afghan rug, never approached.
Given the impoverished state of Afghanistan, it is understandable that so much of our diaspora’s civic attention has focused on humanitarian relief for the Motherland. But in doing so, we have lost sight of our own community's struggles here in the United States.
In early 2015, we launched the Afghan-American Conference (AAC) at the University of California, Berkeley. AAC provided a forum for our community to address these difficult topics in a respectful, forward-thinking manner. It is a grassroots effort at shedding light on these pressing issues, inspiring action, sharing resources, and activating change from within the community. What was intended to be a one-time conference, turned into an annual event, with annual conferences being held from 2015-2019, and plans for future conferences post pandemic.
The discussions, connections and solutions surfacing from AAC further amplified the need for something bigger. In 2019, the organization once known as AAC transitioned to the Afghan-American Community Organization (AACO), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, dedicated towards advancing the Afghan-American community through education and outreach, and promoting civic and social engagement.
