Connect Empowerment Summit Schedule

 

FRIDAY AFTERNOON

October 24

12:00 PM

Registration Opens

Exhibits Open

1:30 PM – 2:15 PM 

Panel: Roots in the Diaspora: Preserving Arab Identity Across Generations

How do Arab Americans pass down language, tradition, and values in an environment that pushes assimilation? This panel brings together educators, artists, and youth advocates to explore how identity is maintained
and how it evolves.

2:30 PM – 3:15 PM

Panel: Building Legacies: Arab American Innovation and Enterprise

Arab American entrepreneurs have built thriving businesses that fuel local economies and uplift their communities. This panel examines the journeys of pioneers in tech, fashion, retail, and finance—how they overcame bias, navigated regulations, and leveraged cultural values into competitive advantages.

3:30 PM – 4:15 PM

Panel to Be Added

4:15 PM

Break

FRIDAY EVENING

October 24

6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Ahlan Networking Reception and Dinner

Ahlan! Welcome to the much-awaited opening reception of the Arab America: Empowerment Summit! This is the moment we’ve all been eagerly anticipating—a joyous kick-off where we come together for the first time to forge new connections. Prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey of empowerment, inspiration, and community.

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Fann Wa Tarab Evening
A  vibrant celebration of Arab musical and cultural heritage. The event showcases a range of traditional and contemporary performances, featuring talented vocalists and musicians. Designed to showcase the richness of Arab artistic expression, Fann Wa Tarab brings communities together through the shared language of the arts and music.

SATURDAY MORNING

October 25

8:00 AM – 3:30 PM

Registration Opens

Exhibits Open

8:00 AM-9:30 AM

Man’oushe, Foul, and Qahwa Networking Breakfast
Meet and get acquainted with summit attendees before the summit at this buffet breakfast and networking event.

9:30 AM – 12:30 PM

CONNECT Empowerment Summit
Connecting and empowering Arab Americans across the country with presentations by public service officials, community leaders, influential women, and rising leaFrom the Community to the Capitol: Arab Americans in Public Service
ders.

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM

Opening and Welcome

9:45 AM – 10:30 AM

Panel: From the Community to the Capitol: Arab Americans in Public Service

Public service is a powerful form of advocacy. Arab Americans in elected office, community organizing, and diplomacy will share their journeys—what drives them, the systemic challenges they face, and how they’re building trust and power.

10:45 AM – 11:30 AM

Panel: Voices of Power: Arab American Women Leading Change

Arab American women are rewriting the narrative—from City Hall to Hollywood. This panel highlights trailblazers who lead movements, build institutions, and inspire the next generation, all while navigating the intersection of gender, culture, and representation.

11:45 AM – 12:30 PM

Rising Leaders Ceremony

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Sahtein Networking Lunch
Connect with Arab American attendees from throughout the U.S.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

October 25

1:30 PM – 2:15 PM

CONNECT Empowerment Summit
Connecting and empowering Arab Americans across the country with presentations by public service officials, community leaders, influential women, and rising leaders.

1:30 PM – 2:15 PM

Panel: Bridging Wounds: Responding to Crises in the Middle East and U.S.

With trauma flowing from both ancestral homelands and daily life in the U.S., this panel explores how Arab Americans process pain and transform it into purpose. Speakers will discuss mental health, grief, organizing across divides, and building resilience in hard times.

2:15 PM – 3:30 PM

Panel: Unmuting Our Stories: Arab Americans in Media and the Battle for Visibility:

Who gets to tell our stories? In an age of censorship and misrepresentation, Arab American journalists, creators, and influencers are pushing back. This panel explores strategies to amplify our voices across platforms and reclaim the narrative.

3:30 PM

Daytime Activities End

Exhibits Close

SATURDAY EVENING

October 25

 

5:30 PM – 11:00 PM

Reception and Al Rabitah Gala Banquet
The Al Rabitah Gala Banquet is an event deeply rooted in the vision of Arab American writer and philosopher Kahlil Gibran, who initiated “Al Rabitah” (The Connection) over a century ago. Inspired by …

11:00 PM

End of Saturday Evening Activities

OPTIONAL: SUNDAY

October 26

10:00

Yalla Connect! Farewell Networker

12:00 NOON

Lunch and Tour in Paterson’s “Little Palestine.”