PAAIA Begins 2012 with Plans for NumerousPrograms that are Aimed at Uniting our Community

PAAIA begins 2012 by providing numerous programs that are aimed at uniting our community, building our youth, and having our voice heard. As we do so, we encourage you to become active, take part in these programs, help us enhance them, and, in the process, give back to America as it has given to us.

Below we have provided a synopsis of some of the many programs we are offering in 2012.

Programs for the Next Generation

PAAIA’s programs for the next generation are focused on assisting our youth increase their career capabilities, achieve personal and professional growth, better understand their Iranian American heritage, and become more involved in the community.

• NexGen – The NexGen National Organizing Committee (NOC) has developed a number of programs, such as the National Day of Service, that brings together the younger generation as they work together towards one goal. In addition, they sponsor local and national events, including educational forums and an annual retreat that allows for networking, socializing, and professional and personal development opportunities. If you are interested in participating in NexGen events, click here.
• Mentorship Program – PAAIA will offer its signature Mentorship Program for the third year. This program matches and connects young Mentees with experienced Mentors for a dialogue around how to identify and pursue their desired career and professional goals. The program, open to PAAIA members for free, gives the younger generation access to industry leaders across the nation. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, applying as a mentee, or learning more about the Mentorship Program, click here.
• Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP) – COMING SUMMER of 2012 – PAAIA’s CHIP is focused on serving young Iranian American college students/recent graduates who seek to increase their professional experiences in the legislative and political arena. Getting an internship on Capitol Hill is a great way to get started on a career in public service. Individuals who are selected for the program and matched with a Congressional Office will receive a monthly stipend from PAAIA. Stay tuned for the official announcement about this great new program.

Programs for the Community

In addition to becoming more involved in local chapters, PAAIA members can participate in or benefit from the many programs we offer for the communities in which we reside. Below are two such programs:

• Passing the Torch of Success – An ongoing series of educational and inspirational events aimed primarily at youth and organized by members of the PAAIA Board and local Chapters, these events put the spotlight on highly accomplished Iranian Americans in different fields who share their career experiences and the secrets of their success with the audience from the stage. Previous Passing the Torch events have been presented to sold-out crowds in Los Angeles, Orange County, New York, Berkeley, and Washington DC. The next event will be held on January 29, 2012 in San Diego. For more information on and videos of the Passing the Torch of Success events, click here.
• The Nowruz Project – The Nowruz Project began in 2011 and is being refined for the 2012 celebrations of this ancient Persian tradition. PAAIA has developed a set of resources aimed at elementary school children. Parents can download these resources from our website and use at their children’s schools to bring about awareness about Iran, Nowruz, and our culture. The program was used with over 700 children in the US during its debut year and we are certain that it will exceed that number this year. To use the Nowruz Project resources or learn more, click here.

If you are interested in participating in your local chapter, click here for a list of chapters and their contact information.

Programs that Help Build Our Influence

PAAIA works diligently to make sure that our voice is heard within the U.S. political environment. In 2012 we will be holding briefings regarding our 2011 Survey of Iranian Americans, which you can view here, to educate Congressional and Administration personnel on demographic and attitudinal information about the Iranian American community. We will continue our collaborations with policy makers, which resulted in the passing of the Nowruz Resolution in 2010 and the changing of the single-entry visa policy for Iranian students in 2011. In addition, we will continue to make contributions to candidates for public process who care about the domestic concerns of our community through PAAIA’s political action committee, IAPAC.

We strongly encourage you to become active in the U.S. democratic office by obtaining more information about IAPAC (click here) and learning about candidates who can be a voice for our community.

Highlighting our Accomplishments

As an organization of Iranian Americans, we are proud and will continue to highlight the accomplishments of our fellow Iranian Americans, such as

• Shervin Lalezary, the young California deputy who caught the Hollywood arson suspect, whose story you can read here.
• Cyrus Amir-Mokri, first Iranian American to be appointed as U.S. Treasury Assistant, whose story you can read here.
• Gisou & Mojgan Hariri, sister architects who were recently featured in Architectural Digest’s New AD100, which you can view here.
• Dr. Kaveh Alizadeh, President of Long Island Plastic Surgical Group, leads Mission: Restore to perform reconstructive plastic surgery in Iran, whose story you can read here.

Please know that we cannot accomplish our goals without your support and your involvement.

Your financial support and active participation in your local chapters helps us develop and implement programs that strengthen our community. Your assistance in building our membership and participation in the democratic process helps us have our voice heard and builds our influence. Your support and involvement in the programs we have developed for NexGen will help us pave the wave for the next generation of Iranian Americans and thus, our future, in this country.

To contribute to PAAIA or any of our programs, click here. To become a member, click here.

We look forward to an amazing, fruitful and productive 2012 and hope that you will join us.