Content

Mission Statement

The African Bridge Network (ABN) builds a supportive community which values and strengthens the qualifications and experiences of Africans and other skilled immigrants, helping them reach their full career potential.

Vision Statement

We envision a day when the skills of immigrant professionals are highly valued, and they can use their past experiences to build their careers, support their families, and make meaningful contributions to our society.

Our Values

1. Empowerment: We are committed to supporting skilled immigrants in leveraging their past credentials and experiences to build their careers.
   
2. Collaboration: We strive to build a network of professionals, employers, government agencies, and community stakeholders who work together to develop meaningful and lasting solutions to immigrant career advancement issues.
   
3. Innovation: We adapt our approach to different professional development challenges to meet the changing needs of our clients, volunteers, and stakeholders.
   
4. Empathy: We listen to our clients and partners to make sure they feel understood and supported.
   
5. Inclusiveness: We encourage our volunteers, partners, and clients to take ownership of our mission and build African Bridge Network into a community where all are welcome.
   

Executive Director’s Message

2023 marked a significant transition for ABN as we evolved from a startup to a growth organization while increasing awareness of skilled immigrant integration in Massachusetts. A notable aspect of this growth was the addition of four new board members who have brought invaluable guidance and support to our organization.

Executive Director’s Message

Vision for 2024:

• Expand the fellowship program beyond healthcare into other industries.
  
• Develop a verification program to translate the credentials and skill sets of immigrant professionals for U.S. employers and scale up our candidate preparation work.
  
• Position ABN as a bridge program for other immigrant-serving organizations.
  
• Build an infrastructure and capacity to better meet the needs of our clients.
  

Board Chair Statement

As your board chair, I have been so amazed and proud of how ABN

continues to grow in terms of both presence and impact within the community.

We have continued to pursue our goal of providing training to foreign-trained professionals

to maximize their potential in career advancement. We continue to fight for both equity and

inclusion to ensure that immigrants are able to be fairly treated once hired into new careers.

We have persistently both maintained and created new vital partnerships. We lastly continue to grow in size as an organization.

None of this would be possible without the dedicated hard work of the board, our staff, our volunteers, and our community. For this, I would like to thank you for your commitment, passion, investment and diligence.

Also, a huge thank you to all our donors and sponsors. You help make our dreams at ABN a reality.

I am so honored to be your chair and look forward to seeing the new heights ABN reaches moving forward into the future.

-Noora Abdulkerim

1.

Open ABN’s programs and services to all skilled immigrants in Massachusetts.

2.

Build on the success of the Immigrant Professional Fellowship to grow the organization’s impact.

3.

Position ABN as the primary source of information, resources, and advocacy for skilled immigrants in the state.

4.

Develop leadership in key operational areas to support the Executive Director in his expansive role.

5.

Develop major strategic partnerships and relationships that increase visibility, resources, and impact.

Board development

Transition from founding to governance board with four new members.

Positioning of ABN

Through successful track record and partnerships, ABN is emerging as the leading agency for skilled immigrant integration in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Skilled Immigrant Study

ABN and UMass Amherst Donahue Institute completed a report on the barriers that skilled immigrants face while seeking employment.

Growth of the Immigrant Professional Fellowship

Increase employer partners from 4 to 6 and fellowship slots from 16 to 30. Began expansion to the Financial Services Industry.

Alysia Ordway

Senior Consultant at Public Consulting Group

Erica (Puopolo) Scott-Adjei

Founder of Scott Philanthropy

Noora Abdulkerim

Ph.D. Director of Mental Health at Jordan Health

Emmanuel Owusu

Executive Director of ABN

Funmi Aguocha

COO of Brookline Center for Community Mental Health

Lulama Mabeta

Vice President, Product Management, State Street Corporation

Liz Sweet

Executive Director of MIRA

Elena Kuyun

Workforce Development Manager at Mass General Brigham

We hosted six workshops in 2023.

Workshops were hosted by our partners at MassHire Metro North, Boston Public Library, and Worcester Public Library. Additional partners included the City of Boston and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement.

We hosted four info sessions in 2023.

We hosted sessions on career advancement and careers in the finance, behavioral health, and non-clinical healthcare industries.

Advocates

developed the Career Pathway Initiative.

Bay Cove

developed Career Pathway models and tools to provide current employees with guidance for their career and professional goals.

HMEA

created an Apprenticeship Program to increase the percentage of BIPOC employees in frontline supervisor positions.

Thrive

developed a mentor program for direct service staff interested in professional development and career advancement in human services.

Venture

created a Career Pathway initiative with the goal of providing further opportunities for BIPOC frontline staff.

MassHire Metro North

hosted two Orientation Workshops for ABN in Cambridge and Woburn.

MIRA

and ABN worked together to advocate for the Physician Pathway Act and created a newsletter with the latest updates on the bill.

Holyoke Community College

presented on their ESL course, Accelerated Career English (ACE) at multiple Orientation Workshops.

The Commonwealth Seminar

opened two slots of the Fall 2023 seminar to individuals of ABN’s choosing.

Boston Public Library

hosted two Orientation Workshops for ABN at Copley and Roxbury.

Massachusetts Business Roundtable

published a report on tapping the Skilled Immigrant Talent Pool.

Communications

In September, Emmanuel Owusu, ABN's Executive Director, received a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) award from the Association for Developmental Disabilities Providers (ADDP). This award was a recognition of his work done with ABN and specifically recognizes the Untapped Talent Consortium.

We were recognized by Candid and Harvard as a leader in utilizing untapped talent.

Thank you

Thank you to ABN’s supporters and to those who make it possible for this organization to flourish.

We would like to recognize our donors, funders, partners, and staff.