Our Programs
Culturally-competent and respectful.
Community over the individual.
Care as holistic for all.
Youth Programming
ACT Class
Our first-ever program, our ACT Class started in September 2019. The Class is formatted as such: 12 intensive weeks for 10th and 11th graders with small-group (2-5) meetings with the skilled instructor twice a week, daily assignments, and daily question of the day. The Class is designed to immerse students in ACT practice in preparation for the exam. The Class is NOT meant as tutoring or teaching of new material—it’s a review.
Elmahaba’s Class comes with a Princeton Review ACT book, which we deliver to you, and any supplies you may need.
12th grade students looking to enter the Class must contact us first.
Registration periods: May, August, and December.
Click here to register during those registration periods.
*Class is offered at a sliding scale fee to cover Elmahaba expenses.
High School Tutoring
Our tutoring for high schoolers is designed to promote peer support, so we do not offer one-to-one tutoring. Instead, small groups of 3-5 students of matching needs connect with a tutor twice a week (total of 3 hours a week). Tutoring is centered on homework completion.
*Registration is open year-round, depending on availability of tutors.
Click here to register or to contact us to see if a tutor is available.
*Tutoring is offered at a sliding scale fee to cover Elmahaba expenses.
College Preparation (SUMMER ONLY)
Since 2016, Lydia Yousief, the director, has been offering, in partnership with Vanderbilt University, a day-long informational session for Antioch students. Since incorporating in 2019, Elmahaba Center now offers a 10-week, deep-dive course every summer for juniors who emerge from the course with a perfected resume, first draft essay, and checklist for applying in the fall.
Registration period: May.
Click here to register.
*Course is offered at a sliding scale fee to cover Elmahaba expenses.
Essay-Editing (year-round)
Essays are often a struggle for high school and college students. Through our writing tutors, we offer students a means to sculpt, outline, and edit their essays with professionals. Whether it’s an essay for an application or a class, we can help!
We require 3-7 days for first round of edits.
Click here to submit your essay for editing or outlining.
*Service is offered at a sliding scale fee to cover Elmahaba expenses.
Community Programming
Thursday Livestreams
Launching in January 2020, the Thursday livestreams on Facebook are a hit! Every Thursday, community leaders, interpreters, and institutional leaders meet to offer new programming, information, services, resources for Arabic-speaking immigrants. Elmahaba has partnered with over 30 organizations in 2020 to offer quality, community-based programming and accurate information, especially during COVID-19. Partners we’ve had in the past include: Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt Office of Health Equity, Siloam Health, JustServe, Metro Nashville Health Department, Metro Nashville Public Schools and the Office of English Learners and teachers, Metro Nashville Teachers’ Union, Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee, TN Kidney Foundation, and Monroe Harding.
Diaper Bank
Every third Saturday in the month, we distribute over 7,000 diapers in South Nashville. To receive the diaper application (a one-time application for a monthly supply of 50 diapers per child), text us: 615-567-3215.
Mutual Aid
Anyone who needs food, school supplies/creative kits, Angel Tree, newcomer kits, let us know by phone or email. We will add you to our routes, if we are able.
Sewing Class
Saturdays from 10 am-1 pm in Southeast Library in Antioch (5260 Hickory Hollow Pkwy) with Ms. Souad. The class is taught in Arabic, but there is English translation. Childcare is paid for by Elmahaba. The class is free and all supplies are given to students. All levels are welcome.
Civic Engagement Work + Support
We support newcomers and community members in general with registering to vote, developing a voting plan, and translating the ballot through our Language Co-Op. Our website is always updating information on local and national elections.
Cultural Programming
Elmahaba Center Podcast
Because we believe theory is important to any practice of service or labor of love, we started our podcast to casually discuss important topics. The opinions of the podcast are not the general opinion of all volunteers, board, or staff, but rather are the reflections of individuals on relevant topics to the communities we serve. The podcast is available free online!
Oral History Project of Nashville
There is no concept of culture without histories. Therefore, to address respecting cultures, we have to identify what is culture, and to identify what is culture, we must reflect on histories before us, present with us. Elmahaba’s Oral History Project, housed in Omeka now, started in the summer of 2016 with Lydia Yousief’s bachelor’s thesis, which captured a general history of Coptic Nashville. Through those initial interviews, Lydia has continued the project with Elmahaba, as it is quintessential to Elmahaba’s efforts to build intersectional communities and greater solidarity in Nashville.
We hope to house the project at Fisk University in Nashville.
To visit our Omeka map directly.
To read about our interns and our funder, Humanities Tennessee.
To listen to our public interviews, please visit our SoundCloud.
Public Speaking and Advising
Elmahaba Center’s board, staff, and volunteers are all pioneers in services, histories, and cultures in Nashville. All are available to speak and to advise other organizations and institutions in Nashville that seek knowledge and connection. Simply contact us.
Cultural events
For two years, Elmahaba Center has represented Egypt at Nashville’s Culture Festival in October, and our director has attended two Orthodox panels to discuss Coptic histories in Nashville.
We are planning our own cultural events in Nashville in 2021! Stay tuned!
