Yemeni American Merchants Associations

* Educate: Educating the Yemeni American merchants through programs, campaigns, and collaborations. We aim to enhance, strengthen, and train the Yemeni American community to be professional in their interactions, self-sufficient individuals that improve the makeup and development of their communities. We also provide programming for merchants' wives on parenting, health/wellness, and the importance of education. Our goal is to help merchants' wives and daughters to become self-sufficient and financially independent through ESL classes for women college and career readiness, and leadership programs.

* Elevate Organizing trades and business deals among the Yemeni American communities and the outside world to obtain financial and service privileges that facilitate the advancement of Yemeni American society as a whole. We also strive to keep pace with commercial industry changes and create new opportunities for small business owners. We are also supporting Yemeni women to start their own businesses by supporting Yemeni women-led bazaars being held across the city. This program has not been fully launched yet as we are still exploring means to execute it. In the meantime, we only provide Business related assistance, especially after COVID. Like, apply for loans, or government relief grants for small businesses. Also, we provide starting new business consultants, licenses, and some violations remedy through our Pro bono attorneys.

* Advocate: Advocating on behalf of Yemeni Americans to protect their rights, empower them, and build coalitions that promote justice as well as encouragement to the Yemeni American community to be more civically engaged. We advocate on behalf of Yemeni American clients to elected officials to reunite separated families with senators and congressional leaders. We work to challenge hate, e.g., our merchant-led boycott of the New York Post, and decrease hate crimes. YAMA has partnerships with a lawyer who provides pro bono consultation and assistance for clients at our office biweekly. Also, we hired a part-time immigration attorney, and a full-time immigration case manager to help merchants and their workers with any immigration assistance they need.