Somali American Parent Association (SAPA)

Supporting Somali youth, parents, and community through education, community engagement, and advocacy

SAPA was launched by a parent who experienced the fundamental need for enhanced communication between the Somali refugee community and the mainstream public school system. In 2009, SAPA was awarded a non-profit status as a 501(c)(3) organization and was established to serve the needs of the Somali parents who struggled with negotiating their children’s education system. Since then, the trajectory of the agency has expanded to include other areas of need for the Somali community. Since that time, SAPA has grown from a one-man organization into a multi-cultural, multi-generational non-profit, working with a wide variety of partners throughout the Twin Cities area and beyond.

Somali Parent American Association (SAPA) promotes the empowerment of Somali youth, parents, and African communities in Minnesota through a holistic approach to services that include education, community engagement, and advocacy.

What do we do?

*Parent Engagement and Empowerment Classes where Somali parents are culturally engaged and learn how to advocate for their students' success in the U.S. school system.

*Out of School Time Programming such as after-school tutoring program that focuses on math and reading skills and SciGirls/SciKids.

*Connecting Families to Resources through our partnerships in the Somali community.

*School and Staff  Cultural Training that helps educate the mainstream educators about the Somali community.

*Community Advocacy and Support as SAPA offers to help mediate meetings and discussion between Somali families and schooling.

The values at SAPA have not changed since the beginning and provide an insight into the quality of work SAPA accomplishes. At SAPA, there are innovative and holistic approaches taken throughout the development and implementation of services. With an emphasis on diversity, SAPA carefully crafts services that directly impact the needs of the Minnesotan East African community. SAPA also continually collaborates with the community to utilize inclusive strategies that guide the direction of the organization. SAPA’s employees and community partners are held accountable to the community and are committed to the growth and equity for all. 

Find more information on our website - www.mnsapa.org 

And on Facebook -  www.facebook.com/mnsapa