Pros
During my time at the Arab American Family Support Center (AAFSC), I truly loved the work I did and the opportunity to serve the community. The organization’s mission is admirable, deeply needed, and meaningful to the populations it serves.
Pros:
– Meaningful mission and community impact
– Passionate front-line staff
– Opportunity to serve immigrant and marginalized families
Cons
My experience was overshadowed by poor leadership, favoritism, and a lack of cultural understanding. During interim leadership, the organization felt disconnected from both its internal culture and the communities it claims to serve. Decision-making was concentrated among a small inner circle—mostly individuals who did not reflect the community—while client-facing staff were overlooked.
One staff member, was handed a loosely defined leadership role, unsure of how to fill up her time, frequently inserted herself into programs she didn’t fully understand.
Without real community engagement or accountability, she used her proximity to leadership to influence others and justify her involvement as “community-driven.” This kind of savior complex behavior—rooted more in privilege than purpose—created confusion, frustration, and resentment among staff.
Despite increased workload and responsibilities, I never received a raise. Meanwhile, new positions were created for select staff, often without transparency or fairness.