Dear John:

I’ll be honest – I wasn’t convinced that NAL’s Ready to Lead training was right for me. 

Back in 2015, in my hometown of Dearborn, Michigan, I had to be talked into attending. But from the moment I stepped into the room, I was surrounded by friends who embraced the vision of inclusive democracy — like I know you do. I have been a stronger advocate for immigrant communities ever since.

That’s the beauty of NAL’s work. Your donation helps everyone who takes our trainings to see their potential and prepare to lead with all of us in mind. 

I never wandered far from NAL. In fact, I became a Ready to Lead trainer on weekends. Over the years, I have equipped over 200 rising leaders across the country to run, including dynamic women like Catalina Cruz and Jessica Gonzales-Rojas. Like many of you in the NAL family, I was overjoyed when first Catalina and then Jessica won their races to become New York State Assemblymembers. 

This long-term investment in building New American leadership from the ground up has paid off: many NAL alumni won their first races in November! NAL, with your help, demonstrates the winning formula for immigrant power in office.

I am filled with pride to see those who I trained, like Crystal Hudson and Alexa Aviles, become part of the most diverse and gender-balanced New York City Council ever. Or to see fellow Arab Americans succeed, like my trainees Kamal Alsawafy and Rami Al-Kabra, who won seats in the Dearborn, Michigan, and Bothell, Washington, City Councils, respectively.

And now, my leadership journey has come full circle — I became president of NAL this fall. My story from trainee to president is interwoven with the success of the whole network. NAL took each of us seriously, and we in turn are stewarding the network, rising to leadership positions, and lifting those behind us as we rise. 

We need to be ready for 2022. Will you make a gift of $500, $250, $100, or $50 today to ensure the New American all-stars in our network are ready to run?

Thank you for joining us in the movement for equity and inclusion.

With hope for a healthy and peaceful New Year,

Ghida Dagher
President, New American Leaders