Pakistani American Youth Conference at Embassy of Pakistan
Washington, DC: An Embassy of Pakistan Press Release states: Pakistanis are largely invisible in America. To a degree, the community has certainly adjusted well financially, and even socially, but there continues to be a deficit in its influence on American culture, politics, and public discourse. Hardly any Pakistani-American elected officials, congressional staffers, policy advisors, authors, academics, or media personalities exist in the American mainstream. Simultaneously, the diaspora has been unable to effectively build strategic coalitions and grassroots movements to voice their concerns while failing to utilize best practices by other minority communities in the country. As young American citizens and residents, we recognize that the value of being productive members of mainstream American society is crucial to the larger prosperity of both nations.
The purpose of this conference was to encourage Pakistani Americans, especially young students and professionals, to be actively engaged in American public and civic life. Pakistani academics addressed the issue of the visibility of our community in America and the participants heard representatives of minority communities about their experience in organizing themselves. They also heard from young Pakistani professionals in Government and Media about what they do, and the value of their professions for the Pakistani community in America at large. We believe this subject is non-ideological, of practical importance, and quite timely given recent events in American politics, both domestic, and international.
Distinguished speakers were part of the program, and Ambassador Husain Haqqani concluded the conference with a town-hall meeting on the subject.
