The Three Reasons I Attend the Conference
I love meeting with NAAP members. Every time I ask them how we can do better as an organization, I get a golden nugget of insight. Recently, I was talking to a small group of NAAP members about the upcoming conference when one of them astutely asked: “You keep promoting the conference. But, why should I come?”
So, in this week’s blog, I decided to share with all of you the three reasons I am excited about NAAP’s conference.
Reason #1: The Panels
This is our fourth annual conference and, let me tell you, we have learned a LOT. One of the consistent pieces of feedback we have gotten is – make the panels more interactive. With that in mind, we changed the format of the panels. Each panel will be more of an open discussion than a lecture with tangible action items to follow up on after the conference. We don’t want you to sit in a room and hear us talk. We want you to actively participate in discovering and nurturing ideas that empower and improve our community, building momentum that carries far beyond the conference.
We have also lined up top-notch speakers including: Dr. Jack Shaheen, author of Reel Bad Arabs; Dr. Nawal Saadawi, an internationally renowned novelist, a psychiatrist, and a writer; and H.E. Afif Safieh, Ambassador of the Palestine Liberation Organization Mission to the United States.
In addition, the panels follow four tracks – social, cultural, political and professional. With topics ranging from personal relationships in the Arab-American context to Arab feminism to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship to political unification, there is something for everyone at the conference. (You can see descriptions of each panel by clicking here.)
Reason #2: The People
It’s the people that have always drawn me to NAAP. I feel incredibly privileged to have access to such a diverse set of top-notch talent. The conference provides me (and you) with the opportunity to meet NAAP members from across the country in both professional and social settings.
One of my favorite parts of the whole weekend is the kick-off. There is so much energy in the room as everyone prepares for a great weekend. This year, we kick off the conference with a night at the Battery Gardens. We will be featuring local lyricists Yasmine El-Shaymaleh and Remi Kanazi, the comedian Mohammad Masoud and DJ Jungle. This is when I usually take this time to enjoy the entertainment and catch up with old friends. (I am also usually scoping out talent to bring to Boston – so let me know if you have any ideas!)
On Saturday, I spend the day attending panels and meeting new people. (Make sure you have business cards or some kind of contact information on you! You will need it.) I usually end up taking a ton of notes to follow up on later. After a hard day’s work, I am ready to blow off some steam. This year, we will be taking sail on the Majesty Cornucopia yacht, circling the Statue of Liberty. A keynote address will be given by Dr. Jack Shaheen, author of Reel Bad Arabs and acclaimed entertainer Nedal Jaloudi will be playing.
On Sunday, I will usually take in the last two panels and make sure to attend the conference wrap-up. This is when I collect any last minute contact information I may have missed. I always feel a bit sad at the wrap-up but excited too. Sad that such a great weekend is over but excited about what I have taken away from the conference.
Reason #3: The City
I will be honest – where the conference is held matters to me. Although I am usually pretty busy during the conference, I like to travel and explore. So, when I heard that this year’s conference was going to be held in New York City, I was stoked! The Embassy Suites is in Lower Manhattan's Battery Park area and is walking distance from the New York Stock Exchange - NYSE, Wall Street, the World Financial Center, the New York Harbor, South Street Seaport, the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island ferries, the Century 21 Department Store and the neighborhoods of Tribeca, SoHo and Greenwich Village. Times Square, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Broadway Theaters, the Museum of Modern Art and Madison Square Garden are all just a cab ride away.
Hmmm… I may just have to go a day early.
As you can probably tell by now, I have a lot of reasons why I go to the conference. I would love to hear your reasons for going or your questions. You can either leave a comment below or contact me at farrah.haidar@naaponline.org.
Sama El-Bannan is also ready to help you with your conference questions. She can be reached at sama@naaponline.org.
