THANKS TO ALL WHO DONATED IN 2020!
October 30, 2020
Dear Friends,
This has been a trying year for all of us. COVID-19 has changed everything for everyone, and Al-Bustan is no exception. So many of our programs — the concerts, the art installations, the public school programs and community events — have traditionally relied on public, in-person engagement. With the onset of the pandemic in the Spring, we got creative in the ways we carry out our mission. We built an interactive digital arts platform, organized virtual discussions on race and culture, produced a bevy of engaging civic and cultural content, and so much more.
We’re pleased with the work we’ve accomplished this year, and we couldn’t have done it without your support. Now, we need your help to sustain our programs through 2021! Any gift will help us touch more people, more meaningfully in the coming year.
Here’s an overview of what we were able to achieve in 2020:
Continuity: We provided flexible working conditions for our staff without cutbacks, while maintaining a commitment to our diverse constituents through new, engaging, and relevant initiatives. We worked diligently to fill the gap in arts education making new content accessible from home because we know how important the arts are to surviving this difficult period. As we transition to new leadership at our Hub, we need your support to continue to provide hope, culture, and connection for people across Philadelphia and beyond. Please make a supporting donation online or on Venmo @AlBustan-Seeds
Serving Youth and Families: In the Spring, our weekly Arab Arts After-School Program – for underserved elementary students – quickly shifted to providing at-home art projects with mailed materials and online resources. As of the Fall, this program has pivoted to an online Friday after-school arts instruction accessible to students across the district. The Northeast High School Tabadul: Reflecting on Our Immigrant Experiences Through the Arts program, which engaged more than 200 students and their families in writing, visual art, and podcasting, also pivoted to adapt to the new remote environment. Youth podcasts captured the questions and challenges that immigrant students are facing, while online art therapy sessions facilitated important mental health conversations.
At Home: In May, we launched Fil Bayt — an interactive platform for arts and culture, with video demonstrations and Do-It-Yourself activities for youth and adults to do at home.
Virtual Camp: In July we transformed our annual summer camp to a virtual program which offered campers, who hailed from as far as Portland, with a few unique opportunities. They participated in cross-cultural exchanges with students from Ramallah Friends School in Palestine, Arabic language learning, storytelling, art-making, and percussion.
Black Lives Matter: As protests ensued in June in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement, we partnered with the Arab American National Museum and the National Network for Arab American Communities to organize and present Creating a Culture of Change: A Series of Conversations on Race and Community Building. These conversations featured virtual discussions about race, racism, and social justice, and continue to inform our community collaborations amongst peer organizations, scholars and activists.
Everyone Counts: As a census partner with the Arab American Institute’s Yalla Count Me In initiative, a campaign focused on boosting Arab American Census engagement, we commissioned a series of bilingual informational video animations, distributed bilingual postcards/door hangers, with a social media campaign reaching over 70,000 people.
Civic Engagement: Acutely aware of the need for community connections during the pandemic and a critical election year, we engaged artists to create art, bilingual posters and PSAs encouraging civic engagement among Arab Americans and other communities, and supported local Arab owned food establishments through the Feed the Polls initiative in West Philadelphia.
Public Performances: We launched art exhibits and six weeks of Friday Arab Arts Series at our Hub till the pandemic forced us to close — after which we returned online this Fall to present a series of virtual concerts that allow us to reach a geographically dispersed audience, while providing a platform for artists to share their artistry. In our commitment to the West Philly community, we partnered with several civic, cultural, and activist organizations to host public gatherings while socially distanced outside our Hub.
Our Team: We remain grateful to our dedicated staff members who are a tremendous asset, along with an array of artists and partners, who enable us to continue serving youth and adults across the city and beyond.
We’re looking forward to continuing to offer artistic and educational programs that promote Arab arts and enrich cross-cultural understanding and celebrate diversity in 2021. We invite you to participate and support Al-Bustan as we take this journey together. Please support our work with a gift before December 31!
In making a tax-deductible contribution, you can choose from four funds:
Al-Bustan ARTISTS Fund supports presenting local/national/international renowned guest artists from various disciplines and genres
Al-Bustan’s GREATEST NEED Fund supports general operations and various programs of the organization
Al-Bustan CAMP SCHOLARSHIP Fund Honoring Hazami Sayed (established December 2020) supports children’s participation in annual summer program, continuing the legacy of Al-Bustan’s Founder
We are pleased to offer these Al-Bustan Giving Societies:
The Seeds – البذور
$0 – $249 | Benefit: name listed on our website
The Blossoms – الأزهار
$250 – $999 | Benefits: name listed on our website, one complimentary CD, set of two Al-Bustan logo coasters
Harvest Circle – دائرة الحصاد
$1,000 – $2,499 | Benefits: name listed on our website; two complimentary CDs; set of four Al-Bustan logo coasters, A Vision for My Father book by Rajie Cook
Orchard Circle – دائرة البستان
$2,500+ | Benefits: name listed on our website; three complimentary CDs; set of four Al-Bustan logo coasters; A Vision for My Father book by Rajie Cook; An Immigrant Alphabet book; Umm Kulthum t-shirt; invitation to special events post COVID-19
CLICK HERE to make a contribution secured online or on Venmo @AlBustan-Seeds
Please make your check payable to: Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture 3645 Lancaster Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19104
SHUKRAN – THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity and support!
Hazami Sayed, Executive Director and Omar Harb, Chair of the Board
