Community Event Description
Since 2017, April has been recognized as Arab American Heritage month to honor and celebrate the rich culture of more than 3.5 million individuals living within the United States with Middle Eastern/North African roots. While this celebratory month only began in a few states, in April of 2021, Former President, Joe Biden, recognized Arab American Heritage Month at a National level. Emerge Psychology Group has partnered with Dr. Sarah Abboud and Noor to help educate and honor the history of this population through a research forum. With nearly 100,000 MENA (Middle Eastern/North African) in the state of IL, our presenters will be sharing research on the mental health, acculturation, and overall well-being of this population. From there, we will engage in a discussion centered on best multicultural practices as clinicians meanwhile enjoying food from a local Middle Eastern restaurant.
Objectives
Assist clinicians in expanding multicultural competencies in learning about MENA population mental health outcomes
Collaborate and explore best practices when working with minority/MENA populations
Educate clinicians on the background and cultural stress of specific population
Socialize and honor culture of MENA groups through food, meaningful discussion, and shared connection
Network with members of the community and identify ways to get involved with target population
Audience
Professional Counselors
Social Workers
Substance Use Counselors
Marriage and Family Therapists
Psychologists
Community Members
Date and Time
Friday, April 11th, 5pm-8pm CDT
Location
Emerge Psychotherapy Group, 1700 W Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60613 Ste 104
Presenter(s)
Dr. Sarah Abboud, PhD, RN (She/Her)
Sarah Abboud, PhD, RN, is an associate professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, College of Nursing. She completed her BS and MS in Nursing at the American University of Beirut School of Nursing, Lebanon, and her PhD and post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. She is one of few Arab scholars to explore sexual health at the intersections of immigration, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnic identity in this population. Her program of research is grounded in social justice and health equity frameworks and has two interrelated tracks: first, sexual health promotion and sexual violence prevention among Arab immigrants; and second, sexual and mental health among sexual minority Arab immigrants. Alongside her research, her advocacy work centers on the (in)visibility of Arab/Middle Eastern & North African (MENA)/South West Asian & North African (SWANA) identities.
Noor (She/Her)
Noor is a community health researcher with her master's in public health from UIC. Her work has focused on harm reduction, behavioral and mental health, and sexual and reproductive health in minoritized communities. Noor is also a community organizer that pushes forth policy and political education initiatives around abolition and Palestine. She recommends audiences check out the work of Believer's Bail Out, Mothers Activating Movements for Abolition (MAMAs), Salon Kawakib, and the Palestinian Feminist Collective, all of which have a base in Chicago and center queer, incarcerated, Black, Arab, and/or Muslim community members.