Throughout the past 30 years, Afghan Coalition and its leadership have worked tirelessly to ensure that policymakers, elected officials, and community leaders hear and understand the challenges facing Afghan immigrants and refugees.

Our advocacy has included educating leaders about immigration and refugee issues, the changing situation in Afghanistan, and the impact of the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan on Afghan families. We have continued to participate in meetings with policymakers, government agencies, service providers, and community leaders to help them better understand the needs of newly arrived Afghans and the challenges they face as they rebuild their lives in the United States.

Afghan Coalition has also consistently participated in city, county, and community meetings to make sure that the Afghan community is visible, represented, and not forgotten. We continue to advocate for critical needs such as affordable and low-income housing, access to public resources, employment assistance, health care, mental health services, and culturally appropriate support.

We continue working closely with Alameda County and other partners to increase awareness of the health and mental health needs of the Afghan community, particularly refugees and new arrivals who have come to the United States since 2018.

Our work has always been about giving our community a voice. Advocacy is an important part of our mission because providing direct services alone is not enough. We must also make sure that decision-makers understand the real experiences, challenges, and needs of Afghan families and include their voices when policies, programs, and resources are developed.