Yalla2016 National Leadership Conference

 

For video of AAI's National Leadership Conference #Yalla2016, please visit our YouTube page, or read the following blog posts recapping each panel's content.

• #Yalla2016 Day 1: The U.S. Looks at the Refugee Crisis

with Michael Hanna (The Century Foundation) with a special message from U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) on refugees.

• #Yalla2016 Day 1: The Magnitude of the Crisis and Why the U.S. Must Respond

with Annie Sovcik (Center for Victims of Torture), Jen Smyers (Church World Service), Britanny Vanderhoof (HIAS) 

• #Yalla2016 Day 1: The Political Discussion Around Refugees

with Bing Goei (Director of the Michigan Office for New Americans), Lavinia Limon (U.S. Committee for Refugees and Migrants), Madiha Tariq (ACCESS), Christine Sauve (Welcoming Michigan), Martin Manna (Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce); Mike Mitchell (Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service), Deborah Drennan (Freedom House)

• Presidential Candidates Court Arab American Vote at AAI's #Yalla2016 National Leadership Conference

• #Yalla2016 Day 1: Refugee Voices

• Governor Martin O'Malley Hears Stories from Arab Refugees at #Yalla2016

• Amy Dacey, CEO of the Democratic National Committee, Addresses #Yalla2016

• Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees & Immigrants, Anne Richard, Discusses Syrian Refugee Policy at #Yalla2016

• #Yalla2016 Day 2: The Foreign Policy Issues We Must Elevate

with John Zogby (Zogby Analytics) and Steve Clemons (The Atlantic); Stephen Grand (Atlantic Council)    

• #Yalla2016 Day 2: Domestic Issues We Must Confront: Profiling, Surveillance, Hate, and Exclusion

with Mike German (The Brennan Center for Justice); Sakira Cook (Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights); Glenn Katon (Muslim Advocates); Rania Salem (student)

• #Yalla2016 Day 2: A Special Discussion on Palestine at #Yalla2016 National Leadership Conference

with Ahmad Abuznaid (Dream Defenders), Suhad Babaa (Just Vision), Omar Baddar, and Nadia Ben-Youseff (Adalah)

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Don't miss a moment, follow @aaiusa and #Yalla2016 on Twitter throughout the conference.

SCHEDULE 

Friday, October 23rd

We are proud to have leading national and international organizations join as as co-sponsors for our Friday programming focused on Syrian refugees. See our growing list here.

*Remarks from candidates throughout the day as schedule allows.

8:00am - 9:00am        Breakfast

10:00am - 11:00am      The U.S. Looks at the Refugee Crisis

with Michael Hanna (The Century Foundation) with a special message from U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) on refugees.

11:00am – 12:00am    The Magnitude of the Crisis

A first hand account of how the refugee crisis is playing out in countries across the region.

with Annie Sovcik (Center for Victims of Torture), Jen Smyers (Church World Service), Britanny Vanderhoof (HIAS) 

12:00pm - 12:30pm     Break

12:30pm – 2:00pm      Luncheon: The Political Discussion Happening Around Refugees in Our Community

Michigan elected officials will join us to discuss how their state has responded to the current Syrian refugee crisis, how the resettlement process is being talked about in City Hall, and the impact refugees have on their state.

with Bing Goei (Director of the Michigan Office for New Americans), Lavinia Limon (U.S. Committee for Refugees and Migrants), Madiha Tariq (ACCESS), Christine Sauve (Welcoming Michigan), Martin Manna (Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce); Mike Mitchell (Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service), Deborah Drennan (Freedom House)

2:30pm – 3:30pm        Refugee Voices: A Shared Discourse of Loss

Representatives from the community will join us to share their stories of arrival in the U.S., as well as the challenges of their new life here.

3:30pm - 4:00pm       Break

4:00 - 5:00pm           Address by 2016 presidential candidate Governor Martin O'Malley 

6:00-7:00pm               Break

7:00-9:00pm               Celebrating 30 Years of Political Empowerment   

A dinner party honoring Michigan activists who helped lay the foundation for our community's political power. Honorees include Suzanne Sareini, Ali Baleed Almaklani, Joe Borrajo, and Ismael Ahmed   

Saturday, October 24th

 *Remarks from presidential candidates throughout the day as schedule allows. 

8:00 am - 9:30 am           Breakfast

9:30 am - 10:30am          An Update on “A Plan That Will Work” and a Look at the 2016 Political Landscape  

with John Zogby (Zogby Analytics)

10:30 am - 11:30am        A Plan that Will Work for 2016

with Jim Zogby (Arab American Institute) and Steve Clemons (The Atlantic)   

11:30 am - 1:00pm          Luncheon: A Discussion with Anne Richard, Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migrants

1:00pm - 1:30pm            Discussion with Amy Dacey, Chief Executive Officer of the Democratic National Committee

1:30pm - 2:45pm             The Foreign Policy Issues We Must Elevate

with John Zogby (Zogby Analytics) and Steve Clemons (The Atlantic); Stephen Grand (Atlantic Council)        

2:45pm - 3:00pm         Special Video Messages

Video address by Presidential candidate Senator Lindsey Graham

Video address by Presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders

Video address by Presidential candidate Governor John Kasich

3:00 - 4:30pm                  Domestic Issues We Must Confront - Exclusion, Discrimination, Hate, and Surveillance

with Mike German (The Brennan Center for Justice); Sakira Cook (Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights); Glenn Katon (Muslim Advocates); Rania Salem (student)

4:30 pm - 6:00pm            The 2016 Elections: Your Role and Your Party

This time will include a nonpartisan overview of how the Arab American community can and will mobilize around the 2016 elections (organizing Convention parties, running delegates, voter mobilization, tactical engagement with campaigns), as well as Party break out opportunities to meet with leadership from the National and State Republican + Democratic Parties.

• Nonpartisan #YallaVote overview led by Omar Tewfik (AFSCME)
• Republican Breakout led by Carl Meyers (Treasurer of the Michigan State Republicans), and Suhail Khan (Microsoft)
• Democratic Breakout led by Brandon Dillon (Chairman of the Michigan State Democrats) and Eddie Ayoob (Barnes & Thornburg LLP)

6:00 pm - 7:00pm            Break

7:00 pm - 11:00  pm        A Special Discussion on Palestine: Movement Building in the U.S.

with Ahmad Abuznaid (Dream Defenders), Suhad Babaa (Just Vision), Omar Baddar, and Nadia Ben-Youseff (Adalah)

 Sunday, October 25^th  

 *Remarks from presidential candidates throughout the day as schedule allows.

9:00 am                          Buses depart for AANM

9:30 am - 11:00am           Brunch Program

Community Townhall "Arab Americans: Who We Are & What We Want"

with Maya Berry (Arab American Institute), James Zogby (Arab American Institute), Hanna Hanania (The Coalition of Palestinian American Organizations), Hassan Jaber (ACCESS), Randa Kayyali, (George Washington University), Rami Khater (Andalus LLC), Samer Khalaf (American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee), Ahmad Chebbani (American Arab Chamber of Commerce)

11:00 am - 12:00pm         Closing Plenary: The 2016 Arab American Community Platform

12:00 pm - 1:30pm           Optional Private Tour of the Arab American National Museum

1:30 pm - 3:00pm             Optional Bus Tour of Historic Detroit sites