Who We Are

Here at Yemeni American Merchants Association, we see the value in everyone. We want to be a catalyst for positive change in the United States. Since our beginning in 2017, we’ve been driven to empower our community through outreach, education, and support, to build a brighter future for Yemeni Americans. We aim to provide a peace of mind with the solutions to the issues and challenges they are faced in their daily lives.

Mission

The Yemeni American Merchants Association (YAMA) seeks to educate and elevate Yemeni-American merchants and their families through education, civil rights advocacy, business and social service support.

History

The Yemeni American Merchants Association of New York was birthed through the Yemeni Bodega Strike in New York in response to the Executive Order Travel Ban on February 2, 2017 at Brooklyn Borough Hall.

The Yemeni Bodega Strike was organized by a collective of organizers from across the five boroughs of NYC. The organizers comprised of bodega owners, merchants, and activists. The 4 lead organizers of the Bodega Strike ventured to establish an organization to support merchants across NYC within a few weeks following the Bodega Strike.

On April 23, 2017, YAMA founders organized a community dialogue introducing the development of a nonprofit organization. The event drew close to 300 merchants where, a number of congressional leaders and local elected officials attended to discuss civic engagement and immigration advocacy. In addition, YAMA has organized legal clinics in Brooklyn and the Bronx, the most highly resided boroughs by Yemenis in New York.

Following the Muslim Ban 2 announcement, YAMA held a press conference in Brooklynwhere, it was viewed on Facebook live by over 50,000 viewers. Shortly after, Yemeni diversity visa winners messaged YAMA members about their plight. On behalf of Yemeni diversity visa lottery winners languishing across Middle East and South Asia as well as other lottery winners from the 6 banned Muslim countries; YAMA sought a legal remedy for 300 winners with national civil rights organizations. The ADC, ACLU, NILC, and Block and Jenner Law Firm filed a lawsuit on their behalf, which remains pending. YAMA also provided the Yemeni diversity visa winners with humanitarian aid in partnership with Pure Hands Charity through a Launch Good Campaign. Pure Hands was able to assist 89 individuals with one month’s rent and groceries.

In the days after Muslim Ban 3 was announced on September 24, 2017, YAMA released information on the indefinite ban to Yemeni merchants and their families. On October 6, 2017, YAMA became a plaintiff represented by the ACLU on behalf of Yemeni merchants and their families directly impacted by the ban in the Maryland District Court with IRAP and a host of other organizations.