OUR STORY
The creation of AwAction Network was sparked by a conversation with a recent college graduate from the Senegalese American community in Maryland. She expressed her frustration with an unhealthy work environment and uncertainty about finding a fulfilling career path​
Curious about the widespread sense of despair and demotivation in my community, I gathered a team of volunteers to survey parents and high school students. We aimed to gauge their hopes for the future and assess parents' ability to guide their children to choose the best educational and career path.
The results were eye-opening. We discovered a shared concern: a lack of culturally aware educational and career guidance. Many parents felt lost because they ignored how to find the right resources to guide their children’s educational and career choices.
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Language barriers and unfamiliarity with the U.S. educational system were recurring obstacles.
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We found cases where parents and children gave up searching for support as they felt pessimistic about the outcomes.
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The cultural gaps between parents and children often hinder open and assertive communication.
Addressing these issues requires support from individuals who understand these challenges and can offer practical guidance. AwAction is a bridge for parents, in the US from the Senegalese/African culture, who desire to empower and accompany their children with the right educational and career resources.
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ABOUT US
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Founded in 2018, AwAction is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting first-generation American high school students and their parents. We address language barriers, limited educational and career guidance access, and cultural differences that hinder effective parent-child communication and decision-making.
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AwAction was established to empower our community youth and their parents by offering tailored educational and career guidance, networking opportunities with mentors, partners, and peers, and soft skills training to help participants succeed in their post-high school choices and journey.
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Through education, mentoring, and practical training, AwAction strives to improve the behavioral, economic, and social outcomes for Senegalese American families who face challenges accessing the right information to make informed decisions.
Vision, Mission, & Goals
At AwAction, our vision, mission, and goals reflect our commitment to empowering first-generation American youth and their families. we aim to create lasting positive impacts on their educational, career, and personal journeys and provide the resources, guidance, and support they need.
Our guiding principles below drive everything we do to foster a thriving, resilient community.
