Years ago, while working at a behavioral health company, Itadel Shalabi and Nareman Taha became frustrated with the organization’s limited response to their community’s problems. Eager to pursue a greater purpose and resolve those issues, the two friends came up with the idea for Arab American Family Services (AAFS.)
“[The] immigrant community is a community that’s been afraid and we didn’t feel that the organization was giving the best information. They were looking at our community as numbers rather than people,” Itadel said.
In 2001, in a 100-square-foot office with desks pushed against each other, Itadel and Nareman opened their non-profit’s doors, ready to advocate for issues facing Arab-Americans in the Chicago region.
“Everyone who walks through our door deserves to walk through in a dignified, honorable way. As if they’re walking into their home to talk their mom and dad about their problems and concerns,” Itadel said.
At Arab American Family Services, clients, who come from all religious and racial backgrounds, are connected to holistic supportive services to address their diverse needs, like elder care, case management, advocacy trainings, citizenship education, youth tutoring and more. For women specifically, AAFS provides crisis intervention for those who’ve experienced domestic and sexual violence and caretakers who are dealing with depression and other challenges.
Through life experience and their great passion for service, Itadel and Nareman grew their programs by constantly learning, listening and responding to the community’s needs. Additionally, they continued their studies together. Itadel earned a Master’s degree in social work from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Nareman earned her Master’s degree in public service management from DePaul University.
Today, their organization employs more than 40 individuals and serves thousands of clients yearly. “We truly believe the best way to lift immigrant communities is to give them the tools they need in their respective language so that they’re able to make decisions for themselves and their families,” said Nareman, a wife and mother of two boys.
“We can’t keep giving them a fish. We need to teach them how to fish,” Itadel added.
Through it all, the pair have forged a deep friendship — one that’s obvious in their playfulness and the ways they uplift each other. “You know the saying, where one starts the other finishes?” asks Nareman, as she describes their dynamic.
“Some people call us Yin and Yang,” Itadel added. “I think the uniqueness of the relationship on a personal and professional level has really guided us and helped us. We’re on the same page, but each knows her strengths and abilities. And I think that has formed a great partnership, where instead of being adversarial, we’re in companionship of how do we better serve the community.”
