The Conference

The second annual Afghan-American Conference (AAC) will take place at UCLA School of Law this year from March 25-27, 2016. AAC aims to address community issues, promote civic engagement, and foster professional networking among young Afghan-American adults ages 18-39. The conference is equal parts professional, cultural, and personal.  With estimated costs of over $30,000 and an estimated attendance of 400 people, AAC needs your support to ensure the success of this empowering event!

How You Can Help

To help AAC be successful again this year, our goal is to raise $6,000 in order to provide:

• A quality venue
• Marketing and advertisement
• Printed materials
• Speaker accommodations
• Scholarships to attend
• Food and refreshments
• Travel expenses

Our team has worked diligently to cut costs and secure funding for the event. AAC is charging attendees a registration fee, requesting monetary and in-kind donations from sponsors, and now is asking you to support us! These funds will go directly towards the conference and will not cover ANY overhead costs.

Here's what you can do: 

• Donate to this LaunchGood project. 
• Support the scholarship fund: sponsor a ticket for someone else to attend who is otherwise unable. 
• Share the link LaunchGood.com/AfghanAmericanConference and spread the word.
• Apply for the Afghan-American Conference to learn, discuss, and take steps towards strengthening our diaspora. Visit: www.afghanamericanconference.org to apply.
• Apply to speak or contact us to share your story, pictures, and experiences. 
  
• Use the hashtag #AfgAm2016 on social media.

Why it Matters

The inaugural AAC was a nationwide gathering hosted at the U.C. Berkeley School of Law in April 2015 by a group of young Afghan-Americans. This historic three-day event brought the Afghan diaspora together to address issues impacting the broader community, promote civic engagement, and foster professional networking among young adults. The conference addressed topics through keynote speeches, career panels, skill-building workshops, roundtable discussions, safe spaces, and TED-style talks.

The most beautiful outcome of the Afghan-American Conference is the momentum it has generated within the Afghan-American community. Over 300 attendees came, with at least 100 attending from outside California and another 100 traveling from Southern California. Many participants lauded the conference as “life-changing,” the “best weekend” of their lives, and the “most impactful event” they had ever attended. 

In short, AAC is being proactive about making this conference successful, but we need your help to ensure it.  All donations are tax deductible via our fiscal sponsor, Afghan Medical Professional Association of America (AMPAA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

It is our sincere hope that you consider contributing to this extraordinary cause!

For more information please contact us at afghanamericanconference@gmail.com and don't forget to apply to the conference at www.afghanamericanconference.org.