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Working on the Frontlines of Humanity

Summary: 
Nahla Kayali serves as the Founder and Executive Director for Access California Services (AccessCal) in Anaheim, California. AccessCal is a health and human services non-profit culturally and linguistically competent family resource center dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for under-served Arab-American and Muslim-American communities. Under Ms. Kayali’s leadership, the organization provides programs in 15 languages delivered by 30 staff including 10 AmeriCorps members.

Nahla Kayali

Nahla Kayali is being honored as a Cesar E. Chavez Champion of Change.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said “You only need a heart full of grace. And you can be that servant.” My passion to serve humanity runs through my veins. To serve humanity is not dictated by the color of your skin, the credentials you hold, or the amount of money you make; it’s a blank passport. All you need is love, which is universal. I have dedicated my life to serving my community and working to ensure it has the resources to thrive. Thus, I am honored to be a White House Champion of Change. 

It was during my divorce as I was trying to rebuild my life that my story of service begins. During my quest to enroll my daughter in health insurance, I learned about the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  Concerned for my child’s health, I right away enrolled my daughter in CHIP. I then asked myselfdoes my community know about CHIP?

I knew my community was underserved and didn’t have access to many resources so I made it my mission to start helping my community and that began with starting a non-profit agency. While my daughter enjoyed story-time at the library, I read piles of books on how to start a non-profit. As a single mom, immigrant, and with no education beyond the 8th grade, I came across challenges that discouraged me from pursuing my dream, but my guidance from Allah and love for humanitarian work reminded me that my destiny is to start an organization to serve my community.  

Access California Services (AccessCal), a non-profit community-based culturally and linguistically competent family resource center, came to life in 1998. I received a $2,000 grant from Community Action Partnership of Orange County and worked out of a one-room office using a folding table and telephone I brought from home. I was the organization’s first volunteer. My first task was to outreach and enroll underserved children in CHIP. 

Through this program, I learned that the community needed much more than health coverage. I collaborated with the community to implement a needs assessment that surveyed 200 families. Through the assessment, I determined what other services were needed, and with that, our organization grew. Today AccessCal provides 12 programs including health access, mental health, employment services, immigration and citizenship services.

It’s been 15 years since AccessCal was established. AccessCal is my second home. When I walk down the hallways of the organization and see our refugee and immigrant clients crying tears of joyit becomes my joy. When Khalid got his first job as a lab technician to help him put food on the table for his kids, when Fatima pledged allegiance to the flag and became a registered voter, when Sarah got health coverage to address her cancer diagnosis, when Nasser learned how to speak English to speak to his grandkids, when Mariam and Saeed saved their marriage after receiving counseling, and when Faisal learned to type a resume after taking our computer classes, I was reminded we have the capacity to change lives.

It’s an honor to have AccessCal recognized at the government level. Through grants at the federal, state, county, city, and foundation level and with the in-kind support of volunteers, community members, advocacy organizations, and business owners we are able to continue the work we are doingwhich is serving humanity.  

Nahla Kayali is the Founder and Executive Director for Access California Services, a non-profit community-based family resource center dedicated to providing Arab-Americans and Muslim-Americans in Southern California with culturally and linguistically competent health and human services.