Ten Years of AACO. A decade of resilience and rising, together.

The Afghan-American Conference was built on a simple but powerful truth: community is a pathway forward. For over a decade, AACO has brought Afghan-Americans together to reflect, heal, learn, and grow, rooted in shared history and propelled by collective possibility.

Our recent theme, Mountains: Resilient & Rising, captures the heart of this journey. The mountains of our homeland are often misunderstood as barriers, when in reality they have long been protectors of culture, movement, and exchange. They carried poetry, history, and progress across generations much like AACO itself.

These mountains are not only geographic; they live within us. They represent the intergenerational wounds we carry, the identity questions we navigate, and the moments we’ve felt unseen or stuck. Yet they are also where strength is forged. Where resilience is practiced. Where we rise, together, knowing that even when the climb is steep, we are never alone.

AACO exists because of the people who show up with courage, honesty, and care. Participants, alumni, facilitators, cohort leads, media teams, and our CARE team all contribute to a space rooted in trust, reflection, and growth. This community is the conference, and it continues well beyond a single weekend.

Whether this is your first encounter with AACO or you’ve walked alongside us for years, thank you for believing in this vision and helping us build something bigger than ourselves.

Here’s to the next decade of AACO. We’re just getting started.

AFGHAN-AMERICAN CONFERENCE (AAC)

AAC is an annual, nationwide three-day conference for young community leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue, grow professionally, and build relationships. In 2014, eight Afghan-Americans pioneered what the diaspora lacked for years: a safe space for candid discussions about the issues most pertinent to us. Historically, our community came together almost exclusively in social settings, however, none of these gatherings were conducive to serious discussions about the state of our community. Too often, taboo topics were swept under the proverbial Afghan rug and never approached.

In early 2015, the first ever AAC was hosted at the University of California, Berkeley. AAC provided a forum for our community to address difficult topics in a respectful, forward-thinking manner. The conference is a grassroots effort that sheds light on pressing issues–inspiring action, sharing resources, and activating change from within the diaspora. What was intended to be a one-time conference turned into an annual event.

AAC is equal parts professional, cultural, spiritual, social, and personal. The holistic conference consists of keynote speeches, town halls, networking mixers, entertainment, S.E.E.D talks, and an array of various breakout blocks that follow the types below:

AAC Breakout Types & Overview:

Culture & Connections: Centers cultural preservation as well as understanding of our shared and diverse Afghan heritage.
Leadership & Skill Building: Builds knowledge, skills, and expertise to support leadership and professional development.
Industry Speed Networking: Makes space for present and aspiring professionals in specific fields to directly connect with one another. These session options will be informed by registration.
Community: Offers insight about issues impacting the Afghan-American community. These are informative, lecture-style sessions that incorporate participant engagement but are overall more facilitator-driven.
Diaspora Dialogues: Engages participants in open and honest conversations affecting the Afghan-American community. These are more participant-driven sessions facilitated by passionate community members.
Brave Spaces: Provides a welcoming space for guided conversations about community challenges. These sessions are typically our most sensitive topics and require special attention and care. Participants either identify directly with the subject or are curious about learning more.
Civic Engagement: Equips participants with knowledge, awareness, and tools to further become more active members of their communities beyond conference weekend.
Safe Spaces: Creates exclusive areas for those of a particular identity to foster further comfortability with discussions held.

WHAT ROLE SHOULD I APPLY FOR?

Listed below are the possible roles you can apply for to attend the Conference. Applicants are encouraged to apply for as many roles that are of interest.

Participant: Attend the Conference and actively engage in sessions and programs throughout the weekend.

Facilitator: Facilitate or co-facilitate a breakout session at the Conference. Selecting this role also allows you to submit a proposal for a new session topic and the ability to lead it.

S.E.E.D. Speaker: Share a short, TED-style talk on an idea, story or topic you are interested in to the Afghan-American community and inspire the audience. Selecting this role will allow you to learn more about S.E.E.D and submit a proposal for a S.E.E.D talk.

Conference Ambassador: Work closely with the planning team, participants, speakers, performers, and fellow Conference Ambassadors during the three-day event to ensure the successful execution of the Conference. This role is only open to previous conference participants.

Cohort Lead: Co-lead a small group of participants to continue more in-depth conversations beyond the Conference breakout sessions in a smaller and more intimate setting. This role is only open to previous conference participants.

CARE Team Member: Meet one-on-one with participants who request an address of their physical and/or mental health concerns throughout the weekend. CARE Team members may respond to instances of injury, illness, anxiety, emotional distress/triggers, and wellness checks. Those with professional medical and/or mental health training are encouraged to consider this role. While open to all applicants, it is highly recommended that only previous conference participants apply.

check out our faq

AAC ALUMNI TESTIMONIALS

“I learned that we are more diverse than I ever gave our community credit for, and that we can celebrate our people’s vast diversity. Our differences - for the first time - felt like a strength rather than an obstacle.”

— Reza Hessabi, Upland, CA