Lena Alhusseini Named a 'White House Champion of Change'
October 18, 2011
By Georgia Kral

The Executive Director of the The Arab-American Family Support Center (AAFSC) in Cobble Hill was selected by the White House as a "Champion of Change for Domestic Violence Awareness."

Lena Alhusseini, who will be honored for AAFSC's efforts to address domestic violence in New York City's Arab American community, will be honored at the While House with 14 others on October 20. The event will highlight their work to end domestic violence on the local level.

According to a press release, the Champions of Change program was created by as a part of President Obama's "Winning the Future" initiative. Each month,  "Champions" - educators, entrepreneurs, community activists - are "recognized for the work they do to better their communities."

Alhusseini is a champion for women's rights and addresses domestic violence through the AAFSC's domestic violence program, which serves Arab American survivors in New York City. Through a partnership with the Brooklyn Family Justice Center, AAFSC "provides a range of culturally and linguistically competent services, including crisis intervention, individual counseling, support and empowerment groups, referrals to service providers, court accompaniments, translation assistance and community outreach and education."

AAFSC has served over 400 survivors of domestic violence and provided educational forums for approximately 90 community leaders since the program's inception. AAFSC also sponsors preventive workshops at mosques, churches and community centers to "educate the public on the signs of domestic violence, the resources available for survivors and the dangers of remaining silent about this issue."

According to a press release, AAFSC's program has been implemented in other countries and in organizations based in Jordan and Saudi Arabia.