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What Panelists think of the event: What parents think of the event: What did Youth think of the event: Panelists: "Really enjoyed/just finished speaking to a group of #Pakistani #American young leaders from ages 16-22 hosted by #PAKPAC Foundation. - Farah Pandith I think it was a great event and I very much enjoyed participating. Look forward to assisting in the future. Arif Alikhan The event was fantastic I thought it would be good, but it was better than I expected. Irfan Saeed and I were saying that we wish something like this was available when we were young. I really don't have any criticism, but 2 thoughts came to mind: 1. In future years, it would be great to have a bit more national representation. This would of course require a larger space since you were already at capacity. 2. Going forward, it would be great to have more skill-building workshops, eg how to write talking points, preparing a resume interview etc. But these are minor compared to what you accomplished.  Shaarik Zafar I do have a few pieces of feedback to pass along.  Thanks for inviting my thoughts. ·                     At a micro level, I'd strongly encourage you to build in breaks between sessions.  The transitions between segments on Friday were obviously a little chaotic, but allowing people 5-10 minutes between sessions to move around, use the restroom, get water, etc. would fix that.  As you noticed, they'll take that time, whether or not you build it into the schedule. ·                     I'd "plant" a few thoughtful questions with student leaders in advance.  When Farah opened the floor to questions and the first few concerned conspiracy theories, that seemed to sap some momentum and may have undermined your group in her esteem.  If nothing else, you want to make sure that the youth -- as opposed to us older folks -- are "out in front." At a broader level, the program was obviously stacked with government officials, which struck me as problematic.  It's fine to share your network with your supporters, and I think you did a great job of demonstrating to your group how well networked you are within DC (which can serve important organizational objectives) - Shahid Buttar Youth Participants: It was a pleasure to meet and spend time with you at the PakPac Youth Empowerment Day.  Frankly, it opened my eyes for the first time to the fact that political and social activist access is not as fargone as I've often dismissed it as.  All the panelists were inspiring and relatable.  Further, the sense the community I felt sitting at the Embassy as Salman Ahmad serenaded us was overwhelming.  Thank you for organizing a fantastic, informative day.  I hope to see you in the future and to be a much more active participant in furthering the organization's goals.  Have a safe, healthy and blessed Ramadan. - Fatima Asif Spread out the different panels throughout the event, don't have all six panels all at once, it becomes hard to pay attention after six panels in a row It was a great trip, felt so proud after meeting such educated Pakistani Muslims. An eye opening trip. I realized that we were living in another world. there's so much going on at the same time. There's a lot to do for Pakistanis, I realized there's professions other than medical. As Pakistani youth we have lot of responsibilities to deal with. lot of things we need to fix, first of all our (Pakistanis) unity and freedom of expression. I just wanted to thank you for setting up such a wonderful and awesome trip to Washington. I learned so much about what goes on in Washington and how there are so many people behind the scenes to help President Obama be a successful President. I know im pretty young to think about what I want to be when I grow up but doing something in politics or in the White House with President Obama is a second choice. Also if you have any Community Service work or if you could use an extra pair of hands I would be honored to help. I heard there is some heritage day or something like that at the SWHS and if I could be part of I would love to. Things like that will help the youth change the future today. Plz e mail me back letting me know if there is any work you have for me. - Ariba Memon I wanted to thank you for taking your time to help guide young students like me to seize the moment and open the door to opportunity for us and making this event a success.  Thank you to you Mr. Malik and your outstanding professional team for making this possibility a reality.  Yes, I confess, I came in to it as a networking opportunity to meet young future leaders.  I also came to see the great interest that PAKPAC has shown in the governmental affairs of the United States.  I would have expected to go see the White House, the Capital through other organizations like AIPAC, but this is a vision fulfilled for an organization such as PAKPAC.  The credit goes to you.  I must say that with the great pleasures of the trip, I would like to also give suggestions so that the next youth conference will be even more successful.  College students vs. High School Students: My first suggestion is to aim the next conference at youth between the ages of (18-32).  I say this with the experience of this conference where although a few high school children were well mannered, many were either bored or we just did not capture the imagination.  I was sitting next to two high school students, one was sleeping during the fourth panel and the other was yawning and not paying attention.  For high school students, they are more concerned with college than with career opportunities.  Sure, great speakers many inspire some, but they are preparing for college, not their career.  Perhaps we can do a shorter session aimed at High School Students on a Friday, and a Session aimed at 18-34 year olds on a Saturday.  I speak with experience, once being a high school student and once being a college student.  Need of Lunch Break: The other concern was the line of panelists, back to back, with no break.  We did not even get to eat properly, instead, eating in front of the panelists, making chewing noises and only half way paying attention during the important parts.  Maybe one who sits in the front may not notice, but those that sit in the middle and towards the end do notice, which is the majority of the audience.   This was beyond the control of PAKPAC, however, next time, we can make sure that people eat properly in time so they could tune in throughout the conference. – Munzir Naqvi Assalamualaikum and Ramadan Mubarak!             First and foremost I want to thank you­­ for hosting such a wonderful conference in Washington D.C. It was an event more splendid than I had envisioned, with people coming from all over the country to seek awareness and inspiration from the Pakistani-American professional community. I responded to the feedback survey you sent us, but I wanted to express my experiences and thanks.                           My siblings, my cousins, and I drove near 6 hours from New York to make it all the way to Washington. We were all excited about the prospect of meeting like-minded Pakistani Americans, who were fervent enough in their beliefs to participate, but confused enough to want to seek more information. The first night was a taste of things to come, when we helped set everything up for the next day. We were enthralled for the then-tomorrow. The White House tour, in the beginning of the hot day, was inspiring. I remember once we got back in the bus, I heard kids saying that they saw the President, and I dismissed it as a fanciful notion. Soon, though, we received corroboration, and I was frustrated that I missed seeing him out on the helipad by as little as two minutes. Soon after, when we visited the Capitol Building, I was shocked by the size of the building. The Juma prayer, I found was especially fulfilling, because it showed that we as Pakistani-American Muslims were not a group sequestered from the body politic. We were able to fully integrate into society, while concurrently retaining our religious beliefs. It was inspiring, and the symbolism of praying in the heart of American government was not lost on me.             Lunch was presented soon after the Friday prayer. One thing I didn’t like was that it was a working lunch. Next time, perhaps we should arrange to have half an hour set aside just for lunch. This would have the benefit of allowing people to eat without having to worry about paying attention/ being disrespectful to the panel members who gave up their time to be there.              The panel members were some of the most inspiring Pakistani-Americans, people, and speakers, I have met to date. The first panel, with Arif Alikhan and Farah Pandith, was a great way to start off. Their voices seemed to be coming from the very top levels of government, and I felt that they were very well-connected, influential people. The next panel seemed a bit more approachable, and relatable. An echoing message that resonated with many of the youth there was that medicine or engineering are not the only viable options for our youth. I wish I had had more time to speak to the panelists; Maybe next time the panelists can be staggered, with time in between the panelists so the youth can engage them and discuss specific things. I feel this would better our relationship with them, and allow a personal interaction that cannot take place from the podium to the seats. All the panelists were amazing, inspiring, and very vocal individuals. Hearing them, and listening to their specific stories awoke something within me. I think, for the first time, I was actually proud of being a Pakistani-American. It was something that transcended individuals and brought about a collective conscious, a feeling that we were, as clichéd as it sounds, part of something bigger than any of us. I felt I was part of a group that I belonged to, not one where I had to change my thinking, my ideas, my beliefs, or my culture to suit the whims of the masses. Towards the end of the panel session, I had the time to speak to a few of the panel members, including Shahid Buttar, the amazing civil rights activist and electronic MC, who spoke so passionately about rights and living through the Constitution. Saqib Ali was also a very approachable individual, and he exuded a sense of confidence and determination. The panels, though grounded in political issues and personal stories, proved the most enlightening of the days events. When I was told that the day was going to be ended at the Pakistani embassy, I was apprehensive, not knowing what to expect. I had seen the Pakistani embassy in Manhattan, NY, and expected much the same: drab offices, gray walls, and an unimpressive demeanor. When the buses arrive there, I was in awe. A vision of perfection; a beautiful domed building, framed by gentle curves, a testament to the Pakistani will and determination. The green and white flag flew proudly above, resplendent in all its moon and crescent glory. I think that moment, more than any other, captured the feeling of the day. Pride is one word for it; passion is another. I knew then that we were all connected, tethered together by similar obstacles and hurdles. Entering the Embassy was an even greater surprise. Looking at Qaid-e-Azam’s face as you walk in is something you never forget. Political speeches and diatribes about careers speak to your mind. But to touch the heart, we need something emotional, almost spiritual. Salman Ahmed’s speech and songs touched the deepest chords of my heart, making me recollect songs I hadn’t heard in years. When the entire dinner hall was singing Dil Dil Pakistan, I felt we were one. The day culminated on the best possible note, making me wish I could relive it again. Next year I hope we can have a two day conference, where the events are spread out, and we can appreciate each event as a separate entity, instead of as an amalgam of activities. I want to thank you again for hosting this wonderful conference. You have inspired us, making us proud to be both Pakistani and American. My sister and I are in the middle of organizing a walk for Pakistan Flood relief, because of the message that you passed on to us. Thank you, and I hope I see you next year.                                                                                                                                -Bilal Asif Traveling 7 hours from Connecticut, I had a mixture of feelings not knowing if this was going to be an exciting or awful exploration, but I did know that it was going to be a new experience in my life, full with memories. The Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee organized the first annual youth empowerment conference on August 6, 2010. We started the day off by gathering together at the Key Bridge Marriot in Virginia where we were all welcomed. I volunteered at the registration table and remember how satisfied I felt when I saw the 150 other Pakistani teenagers around my age at the event, it showed me that these were some of the many Pakistani youth that wished to make a difference for the community around us. I had a great feeling within me seeing these devoted teenagers participating in a national event like this. It was a big deal because kids traveled from New Jersey, Texas, California, Connecticut, New York, and many more places in America. They all took time out of their day to recognize Pakistani youth sanction in the beautiful nation of America. Were the generation that needs to make the difference, we need to gain the authority to make decisions into our own lives. Youth movement is a way for the voice of the youth to be heard, and the August 6, 2010 was a platform for many other social activism events to take place. After getting a taste of what the day was going to be like, we were ready to begin the trip. We arrived at the White House where the screening began, I remember when I first entered the White House, that feeling that I had. It was an incredible feeling; this was where the President lived, the President of the top nation on this earth. The sensation that emerged within me was an indescribable feeling; I had a sudden special emotion where I felt extremely proud to be an American. Because of an incident, I was left behind with my friend’s family while the others were on the tour. When everything cleared up, we began our self-guided tour. We saw the library, china room, red room, blue room, green room, state dining room, and the east room. The White House is beautiful. We were in the East Room when people began to scream with excitement, and my friend’s brother rushed to us saying “OBAMA’S OUTSIDE!” We quickly rushed to the nearest window, and there we saw Barack Hussein Obama, our president. We all fell quiet and watched our President proceed into his helicopter, and when the plane took off, we waved proudly.  I still remember when we left the White House, my friend and I were ready to brag to everyone on the bus, we even made a song up! It was truly a privilege to see the President of the United States of America. We got on the bus, cheesing our smiles, so happy! We then left for Capitol Hill, belonging to the U.S congress, along with the legislative bodies. After getting our passes, we went to the theater, where we watched a film about the U.S congress, the legislator of the U.S government. We then were set off into groups where we received a tour of the Capitol Hill. It was an exciting experience, I got to meet new friends, see precious items within the building, and learn about a symbolically significant monument in the United States.  After, we headed to Juma Prayer held in the capitol. In reference to this, I remember Dr. Saud Anwar asking us what we thought about the fact that our public schools in America don’t have prayer timings for us, but the Capitol does. To be honest, I think that it’s a matter of personal interest, we ourselves should ask for permission from our schools to excuse us while the time of prayer, it is our own responsibility, and we shouldn’t put it upon others. We were very thankful to have the former congressman, Jim Moody with us because he took interest to participate in this event with us! Next on our schedule was to go to the Senate Hart building, since we were with Jim we had the opportunity to use private trains within the Capitol Hill building to the Senate Hart building which was very special. We arrived at the Senate Hart building, being the third U.S. senate office built, also the biggest. There we had lunch and allowed the panel sessions to begin. The panel sessions were full with success by means of participation of the youth, excellent speakers, and a comfortable environment. We took time to talk about leaders in the US Administration, leaders in the US government, leaders in the US/State Legislative Branch, and what our message should be to the public as the Pakistani American youth. We were extremely fortunate to have open-minded speakers, like Farah Pandit. I was emotionally moved by her, because as known, this is the period in life where Muslims are struggling, but she brought up the point, “We will get through this.” Just like every other racial community that has faced issues with racial slurs, Muslims are coined the word ‘Terrorist’ against, but with no doubt, we will get through this together. After the panel discussions came to an end, we all headed to the buses pumped to go to the Pakistan Embassy. Even though, I personally have been to the Embassy many times before, the feeling that I get when I take my first step into the building is a feeling of being proud of whom I am. We were looking forward to having the ambassador accompany us at the dinner, but he couldn’t make it. But without a doubt, I’m sure he was representing Pakistan in a great manner. We were greeted with traditional songs played by Pakistani musician, Salman Ahmed. He is a man who sings with his heart and actually means what he says. I look at him and I see how talented the people of my nationality are. We then were presented by a couple of speeches including the President of PAKPAC who was the mind behind this incredible trip, Mr. Suleman. The day finally came to an end and I had this feeling where I began to wish that I could re-live this day again. But no matter what, I gained so much from so many different perspectives in one day. I gained new friends, I gained more knowledge that I lacked about the United States, and I gained even more pride of being Pakistani. I learned that we need to learn from educational events like these, so that we can make the best out of our future because just Malcolm X said, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”  - Abeera Zaheer   For more information write to ed@pakpac.net or call 202 558 6404