Community Impact
As a newly founded organization, Shako Mako – Iraqi American Association is rooted in vision, passion, and a deep commitment to making a lasting difference in the lives of Iraqi Americans. While we are just beginning our journey, we are building a strong foundation for meaningful, community-centered impact.
Here’s what we are working toward:
Preserving Culture and Identity:
We aim to offer Arabic and Iraqi dialect classes, host storytelling nights, and organize cultural workshops in music, dance, and cuisine to keep our heritage alive for future generations.
Empowering Women
We plan to create safe and inclusive women’s empowerment circles that foster leadership, build confidence, and connect participants with valuable resources for personal and professional growth.
Guiding Youth:
We envision launching mentorship programs, academic support, college and career prep, and leadership workshops tailored to the experiences of Iraqi American youth. to the experiences of Iraqi American youth.
Providing Critical Support to Newcomers:
We are committed to supporting recent immigrants and refugees with ESL instruction, citizenship preparation, job readiness, and access to trusted legal and housing resources.
Promoting Health and Wellness:
Our future wellness programming will focus on culturally competent mental health education, trauma-informed support groups, and partnerships with local clinics to reduce health disparities in our community.
Fostering Civic Engagement and Advocacy:
We hope to organize voter education drives, citizenship, and advocacy initiatives that help Iraqi Americans become active and informed participants in civic life.
Changing Narratives and Building Bridges:
We will host public events, interfaith panels, and community dialogues that showcase the richness of Iraqi culture, promote cross-cultural understanding, and challenge harmful stereotypes.