HIV/AIDS prevention and care gay and lesbian asylum reproductive health and sex education domestic violence and women empowerment female genital mutilation counseling: M.E.N.T.O.R.S.

Community served: Arab-Americans, primarily women, gays and lesbians, and those affected by HIV 

M.E.N.T.O.R.S., Middle East Natives, Testing, Orientation, and Referral Services, provides a variety of services to Middle-Eastern and Arab communities in the New York City metropolitan area. The organization began by providing HIV counseling, outreach, walk-in services, case management, and referrals to local HIV/STD clinics and hospitals. Over the years, they have implemented other activities focused on reproductive health, domestic violence, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) issues.

Clients are predominantly Middle Eastern and/or Arab individuals living in New York who are women, gays or lesbians, and people affected by HIV/AIDS.

Arab-Americans are not defined specifically by race, like some minority groups, but are united by culture and language. While they may be closely tied to their countries of origin, most Arab-Americans were born in the United States, and the majority have U.S. citizenship. This is reflected in the expression, "Truly Arab and fully American."

In the New York area, there are three major concentrations of Arab-Americans: Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. In addition, a large community lives in neighboring Jersey City and Paterson, New Jersey. Both Brooklyn and the New Jersey cities have a thriving business economy catering to Arab needs, with supportive services such as schools, churches, and mosques.

The Arab-American community is largely a community of intact and extended families. The vast majority of foreign-born Arabs in metropolitan New York are family reunification immigrants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A much smaller proportion migrated to the U.S. because of their professional skills with a larger proportion undocumented.

The Arab community in New York is diverse. It includes doctors, lawyers, shopkeepers and workers; persons with high, moderate and low levels of education; and wealthy, middle-class, and economically disadvantaged members.

Arabs belong to many religions, including Islam, Christianity, Druze, and Judaism. There are further distinctions within each of these, and some religious groups have evolved new identities and faith practices in the United States. It is therefore important to distinguish religion from culture. Although Arabs are connected by culture, they have different faiths. A common misperception identifies Arab traditions as Islamic, or Islam as a unifying force for all Arabs.

The Arabic language is one of the great unifying and distinguishing characteristics of Arab people. Even so, colloquial Arabic differs from place to place. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is a pan-Arabic language used in formal letters, books, and newspapers. It is also spoken at conferences and on television news. Not all Arab Americans know Arabic, of course, as many are second-, third- and fourth-generation Americans.

M.E.N.T.O.R.S. is the only comprehensive Arabic service provider in New York City for HIV counseling, outreach, walk-in services, case management, HIV/STD referrals, and sexuality education. In addition, it is the only organization in the area fighting for the right of Arab immigrants to seek asylum in the U.S. and Canada, based on their sexual orientation.

M.E.N.T.O.R.S. produces accurate and up-to-date information and analysis on legal and ethical issues related to HIV/AIDS and reproductive health that are culturally and linguistically adapted. M.E.N.T.O.R.S. produced a number of Arabic educational materials that are tailored to Arab clients and culture, including the first Arabic-language book about HIV/AIDS in the United States. M.E.N.T.O.R.S has also produced a documentary about Arab clients who are infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS; educational curriculum guidelines focused on teenagers from Arab/Middle Eastern cultural and religious background; and a book about sexuality, sex education, and reproductive health in the Arab society.

Contact information: Wahba Ghaly, M.E.N.T.O.R.S., 110 W 40th St. Suite 1008, New York, NY 10018-3670, phone: [phone], email: [e-mail]