ABOUT AMENA FOUNDATION

AMENA Foundation (pending 501-C status), was established with the objective of giving voice to emerging women and youth working on Middle East and North Africa policy and connecting the MENA region with the United States. We seek to spotlight and deepen research, analysis and storytelling on pertinent yet underrepresented issues such as women’s leadership, economic participation, technology, and political representation in the Middle East & North Africa region. 

Through our virtual and in-person convening, publications and capacity building programs we aim to leverage our powerful network and activate opportunities to progress women’s leadership, youth, and connect budding leaders and entrepreneurs in America to their counterparts in the MENA region.

Connecting Cultures

WHAT WE DO

Storytelling

Stories allow us to humanize, understand, and also act more strategically. Storytelling has, historically, been an effective means to shape identity, build community and frame ideas. Stories are vessels carrying our experiences—emotional, mental and physical—as well as the values shaped by these experiences. Once these personal stories are shared with others across our communities, these human experiences and values form what Harvard University Professor Marshal Ganz calls “an empathetic bridge,” one that helps to connect people together.

Dialogue

Providing a platform for virtual and in-person convening to discuss ideas, connect communities, organizations, enterprises and leaders together from MENA and America. Dialogue is almost perpetually timely. It is most needed in times of disconnect and uncertainty. Open discussions unpack complexities that are essential to building bridges, striking deals and strengthening ties.

Capacity Building

Provide mentorship and training focused on youth, women and civil society organizations working at the intersection between America and the MENA region. These trainings include online courses on Leadership, entrepreneurship and storytelling.


UPCOMING EXPERIENCES

Book Talk | Arab Women’s Revolutionary Art: Between Singularities and Multitudes

Monday, March 23 | 12:00–1:30 PM PT| Maria & Alberto De La Cruz Art Gallery

In partnership with Georgetown University's Gender + Justice Initiative, AMENA Foundation invites you for a book talk on, Arab Women’s Revolutionary Art: Between Singularities and Multitudes at the Maria & Alberto De La Cruz Art Gallery, 3535 Prospect St NW, Washington, DC 20007. 

In Arab Women’s Revolutionary Art: Between Singularities and Multitudes, Professor Nevine El Nossery examines women’s revolutionary and postrevolutionary artistic works from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria. She unpacks the unique relationship between different artistic modalities and political expression, arguing that art, documentation, and archives have preserved the spirit of the revolution that was sparked in 2011.

Using the art and stories from this book, this discussion will explore critical questions about the gains and roadblocks for women’s rights 15 years after the Arab Spring and in light of new regional developments and especially ongoing women led mobilizations.

RSVP

Our Stories

Merissa Khurma

Founder and President of AMENA Foundation

Born and raised in Amman, Jordan, I witnessed the Middle East region go through waves of turbulence, pain and much uncertainty. I also witnessed its beauty through the music, poetry dance, art, and most importantly the centrality of family and community. I spent most of my adult life in North America, between Canada and mostly the United States: bearing witness to how the cultural scaffolding is built around individualism, entrepreneurship and freedom. I also had front row seats to how both America steers itself and its interests and values in the Middle East through my work in diplomacy and foreign policy over the last 20 years. Navigating through both worlds and the dichotomies across these two experiences taught me a valuable lesson: the power of relationships, connection and dialogue as a powerful tool of understanding complexity and working through it to achieve your goals. This is why I am dedicated to the goals of AMENA Foundation: connect and empower to prosper.

Alexander Farley

Treasurer

I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, far away from the Middle East fray and capitals that influence its destiny. But I came of age during the September 11 attacks—watched family be deployed to Iraq and saw the rise and fall the peace movement in Israel and Palestine. These experiences taught me that the fates of the US and the Middle East are inextricably linked and that communities who experience the impact of these events are everywhere. I spent years in Morocco and Jordan to hone language skills in Arabic and French and traveled to many more countries in the region. Having taught courses on the history of Islam and conducted research on the economic hardships facing youth, I have gained a breadth of knowledge about the fabric of the region, its art, culture, history, society, and politics. Now, after more than a decade of experience, it is part of the fabric of who I am. I joined the AMENA foundation to bring this expertise and to contribute my skills in communications, research, and operational excellence to amplify its growth and support a new generation of social and business leaders. 

Faria Nasruddin

Vice President

With heritage from India, family from Guyana, and having lived between New York and São Paulo, Brazil, I grew up as a third culture kid and have been shaped by a multitude of major world events. From watching the Arab Spring on television to the “Fora Dilma” protests in Brazil from my window, I have seen and been interested in the complex relationships that individuals have with their communities and systems of governance—particularly women. In my professional adult life, I have seen the rise and fall of women’s rights as an important American and global value, witnessing how political backlash and funding cuts impact the most vulnerable. Through this, I have learned the importance of dialogue forums—from the street to storytelling—to sustain meaningful action and eventually achieve lasting change. As such, my values and experiences align with the goals of AMENA Foundation to empower individuals—particularly women and youth—and provide a platform for open dialogue.

Yusuf Can

Vice President — Outreach

I was born in Istanbul, Turkey and came of age during a period marked by increasing political restrictions and diminishing civic space. As a university student, I participated in the Gezi Park protests in my birth city and since then have been observing the weakening of institutions, the narrowing of individual rights, and the growing constraints on public debate and freedoms. Nevertheless, culture, community networks, and informal solidarity continued to influence how people adapted and persevered and that is what gives me drive today as I continue to build my professional journey in the United States. In America, I encountered a distinct institutional environment characterized by an emphasis on initiative, professional development, and problem-solving, which combined with my experience in Turkey has sharpened my work in policy research, diplomacy, and strategic communications. Working at the crossroads of America and the MENA region, I deepened my understanding of institutional dynamics, the translation of interests into policy, and the role of narratives in shaping outcomes. Navigating these diverse contexts has shaped my approach to work and collaboration. I have learned the importance of sustained institutional engagement, long-term relationship building, and dialogue focused on practical objectives. For these reasons, my experience and perspective align with the AMENA Foundation's goals: to connect individuals, strengthen capacity, and support pathways to shared progress.

Seda Gunes

Board Secretary

I was born in Ankara, Turkey. I grew up in a military environment where discussions of the Arab Spring, military operations against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and broader instability across the Middle East and North Africa were part of my daily life. I later traveled across the region and worked with Syrian women and children in refugee settlements. My dialogue with local communities shaped my early interest in defense and security. I have been interested in the roots of political violence, civil conflict, and state fragility in the region, from individual and community dynamics to regional and international politics. Pursuing my graduate studies in the United States further deepened this perspective. It sharpened my understanding of the modern Middle East as a central arena of geopolitical rivalry, where major powers—the United States, China, and Russia—cultivate access and influence through military presence, security partnerships, economic engagement, and proxy warfare. I learned the importance of context-sensitive analysis and timely dialogue that brings leaders and communities from the MENA region and the United States together. With these values, I joined the AMENA Foundation to contribute to its goals of unpacking complexity, building bridges, striking deals, and strengthening long-term ties.

Board of Directors