A Week in the Life of: Suzanne Akhras
Founder & Executive Director, Syrian Community Network (SCN)
Welcome to "Changemakers | A Week in the Life of" – a captivating section in SYROPOTAMIA, where we shed light on the lives of inspiring individuals who are making a difference in their communities and beyond.
Join us as we explore the daily endeavors, challenges, and triumphs of these remarkable changemakers, offering a unique glimpse into their impactful journeys. From philanthropists to advocates, innovators to activists, get ready to be inspired by the transformative power of these extraordinary individuals as they navigate their week with purpose and passion.
MONDAY
Monday is always a strange day to work after the weekend. I always start my day by checking emails, reading newsletters sent over the weekend, and checking on other important updates. On Mondays, we usually have our staff meeting at 11 am. This Monday, we decided to meet at 3 pm for two hours to go over our newly updated "Standard Operating Procedures" (SOPs). A strong organization needs a strong foundation.
Over the last two years, we have been focused on our strategic planning process of Phase I - building a strong foundation. Last year, we updated our HR manual, all job descriptions, PTO procedures, travel policy, home visit policy, department standard procedures, grievance policy, and more. Additionally, today was extra busy with partner meetings, finishing up a funding proposal, a funding report, and tying up loose ends from the previous week.
Tuesday
Since the Pandemic, we have been working via a hybrid schedule. Today, I drove my commute of one hour and 30 minutes. I happen to live in the West Suburbs of Chicago, and the office is located on the Northside of Chicago. Our office is strategically located near the families we serve. The Northside is known for its diversity and is the most diverse district in the U.S. Our Development (fundraising) department met, and we discussed strategy around grants and other key funding initiatives.
Driving home is also a challenge. With traffic, I could end up driving for 90+ minutes. In the evening, I met with a former colleague from another organization, and she was explaining why at the age of 50, she decided to retire from her job and not work for a while. The pressures of fundraising, meeting the budget, planning galas, calling donors, and so much more have exhausted her - I can relate. After my meeting, I had to rush home and cook dinner with my husband. The distance traveled to get to work and back took over my life for a while. Working hybrid has been very helpful for me personally, just to have some work/home/life balance.
Wednesday
My day started out with following up on various activities from the previous day. Our first all-directors meeting of the new fiscal year was a way to set the expectations for the new year. The directors finished the standard operating procedures, and we will add three values to the standard operating procedures as a way to create a welcoming culture for all of the staff - we will call the values "the SCN way."
Following the directors' meeting, I had several meetings with the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC). These meetings were focused on our advocacy efforts to include the MENA (Middle East North Africa) category on application forms for the 2030 census to be counted as a racial group. This is an incredibly important campaign that many advocates have been working on for years now. If Arabs can have a category, that means we can now apply for research grants for our community, know the numbers of our community through the census, our kids can access scholarships targeted toward Arab Americans, and we can identify the targeted needs of our community through data and research.
In the evening, my husband and I went for a walk to a nearby coffee shop - 3.4 miles away. The path to get there is scenic and lined with trees, which makes it a pleasant walk.
Thursday
This Thursday was a surprisingly slow day. I worked on various tasks that I have not been able to complete. Among them is the job description for the Communications and Advocacy Fellow that we will be onboarding. Through funding from NNAAC, we are able to support the Fellow's salary. I also met with my development director about the fundraising strategy for the new year. My husband and I decided to go and watch the Oppenheimer movie on opening night. This is a great way to unwind after a long day.
Friday
I had an early morning board meeting. I sit on the board of RAN (Refugee Action Network). RAN is a coalition of multiple refugee support organizations supporting advocacy efforts as a group. One of the main items we are working on is fair housing prices throughout the city of Chicago.
I also met with a group from the Gates Foundation to determine if we will be joining a Muslim group focused on raising funds as a block for the health of women and babies. I also had a meeting with one of SCN's board members to discuss the future of SCN, his role, my role, and how to build on what we have started.
I had a community wedding in the evening! It is important to support and show up for people in their good times and not so good!
Saturday
I serve on the board of the Illinois Community for Detained Immigrants (ICDI) as Board President. We met and did the annual review for the executive director.
I am planning my son's wedding in November. I still have not secured a venue, and it has been very stressful. For one thing, I am very picky, and I want to secure a nice space for him. With the busy summer season, no one seems to answer their phones at the various venues. I am working very hard to secure the venue and then jump into full wedding planning mode.
Graduation party for a community member in the evening which my daughter and I attended.
Sunday
A day of rest, reading, hiking, and enjoying family time!
SYROPOTAMIA thanks Suzanne Akhras for submitting her detailed account of the week for our Changemaker’s section. We welcome recommendations from our readers for Arab American changemakers they believe should be featured in this section.