Afghan-American Community Organization

TO ADVANCE THE AFGHAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY THROUGH EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, AND PROMOTE CIVIC AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT.

IN 2023, AACO HOSTED ITS 8TH ANNUAL AFGHAN-AMERICAN CONFERENCE (AAC) IN WASHINGTON D.C., ATTRACTING 408 PARTICIPANTS FROM 23 STATES AND 3 COUNTRIES, INCLUDING 276 NEW ATTENDEES. SINCE 2015, AAC HAS ENGAGED 2,652 PARTICIPANTS, SERVING AS A VALUABLE FORUM FOR EMPOWERING AFGHAN-AMERICANS AND ADDRESSING PRESSING ISSUES WITHIN THE DIASPORA COMMUNITY. THE 2023 CONFERENCE FEATURED 56 BREAKOUT SESSIONS, WITH 17 NEW TOPICS THAT REFLECTED THE COMMUNITY'S DIVERSITY AND FOSTERED AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT. LED BY 94 EXPERT FACILITATORS, THE EVENT PROVIDED A SAFE SPACE FOR CANDID DIALOGUE, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING ACROSS SIX LEARNING BLOCKS: CULTURE & CONNECTION, LEADERSHIP & SKILL-BUILDING, COMMUNITY, DIASPORA DIALOGUES, BRAVE SPACES, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. BEYOND THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE, AACO ORGANIZED REGIONAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, ENGAGING NEARLY 600 COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

IN 2023, AACO CONTINUED SUPPORTING HEALTHCARE CAPACITY BUILDING IN AFGHANISTAN, EXPANDING ON ITS INVESTMENT IN SPINE AND CRANIAL TRAUMA EQUIPMENT FOR 9 PUBLIC HOSPITALS. THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON ENHANCING MEDICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND EXPERTISE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE. AACO FUNDED WIFI TECHNOLOGY IN THESE HOSPITALS, ENABLING KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND REMOTE COLLABORATION BETWEEN AFGHAN AND INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. DR. ALI AZIZ-SULTAN, AACO BOARD CHAIR, CONDUCTS WEEKLY CLINICAL MEETINGS WITH AFGHAN DOCTORS, PROVIDING CRUCIAL EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. THIS GLOBAL NETWORK HAS FACILITATED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING FELLOWSHIPS ABROAD FOR 3 AFGHAN NEUROSURGEONS. THE WIFI CONNECTION HAS ALSO ENABLED AUGMENTED REALITY-ASSISTED SURGERIES, OFFERING REMOTE SUPPORT DURING OPERATIONS. AACO PROVIDED $15,000 WORTH OF CUTTING-EDGE HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY TO AFGHAN NEUROSURGEONS. A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE WAS REACHED WITH THE PUBLICATION OF THE FIRST ACADEMIC ARTICLE ON NEUROSURGERY IN AFGHANISTAN IN THE WORLD NEUROSURGERY JOURNAL, LAYING A FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND INITIATIVES.

IN 2023, AACO CONTINUED ITS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, AWARDING SCHOLARSHIPS TO 7 AFGHAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS, HELPING TO SUBSIDIZE THEIR COLLEGE TUITION AND EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES. IT INTRODUCED 2 NEW SCHOLARSHIPS: THE SOPHIA AND SABRINA SCHOLARSHIP, HONORING THE AACO SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOUNDERS, AND THE AFGHAN-AMERICAN STEM SCHOLARSHIP, INITIATED BY AN AAC PARTICIPANT. AACO AWARDED 5 AFGHAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION SCHOLARSHIPS, 1 SOPHIA AND SABRINA SCHOLARSHIP, AND 1 AFGHAN-AMERICAN STEM SCHOLARSHIP. THE PROGRAM HAS NOW AWARDED OVER A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS TO 54 STUDENTS SINCE ITS INCEPTION. THESE EFFORTS FOCUS ON EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF AFGHAN-AMERICANS, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON SUPPORTING WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS PURSUING STEM FIELDS.