Discovery Museum Visit
We had an amazing time at the Discovery Museum, engaging in lots of fun, sensory friendly activities together and learning more about science.
Leading Us Towards Liberation Recognition
Our executive director Asha Abdullahi was recently honored by the Boston Women’s Fund for her contributions as a leader in the Somali advocacy space! Her work in the field was recognized as being transformative and innovative. The “Leading Us Towards Liberation” program recognizes leaders who are making an impact in the local community. These women …
Weekly Play Group
SPACE’s new weekly play group initiative is designed to be fun, inclusive, and educational for the whole family! We’ve been providing children with a place to come play and have fun with their peers. We have lots of toys, games, and even a bouncy house, as well as educational toys designed to enhance their development …
Health Literacy 2024
The newest iteration of our 10 week health literacy course is designed to teach you how to navigate the healthcare system while taking care of yourself! This course is perfect for anyone with low levels of health literacy who wants to feel more confident in managing their health. Classes are taught in a supportive and …
Senior Paint Night
Our group had an amazing time at senior paint night! Our seniors enjoyed chatting, sharing their stories through art, and learning new and traditional crafts.
Tea and Talk Event
We had an amazing time at the Tea and Talk event, sharing stories and crafts with our community.
Stars of the Spectrum Event
We had an amazing time at the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism Stars of the Spectrum event! It was a wonderful evening filled with inspiration, celebration, and community spirit. It was so cool for our families to see so many talented performers with autism! Thank you, Flutie Foundation, for hosting such an incredible event …
Save the Harbor Event
We had an amazing time visiting Georges Island with Save the Harbor / Save the Bay! Over 200 participants from SPACE attended. We had some great times: Our young ones had a blast fishing, and it was heartwarming to see their excitement as they caught their first fish. We enjoyed a delightful picnic on the …
Community Grant Winners
It’s an honor to be named a community grant winner from Northeastern University City & Community Engagement! We’re so grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in our local community.
Panel with Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council and National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
We presented a panel titled “A Mother’s Perspective: The Special Education Challenge for Immigrant Families and the Power of Diverse Leadership.” Asha, Cynthia and Raquel spoke openly and passionately about their own experiences as mothers of children with I/DD. This topic was meant to highlight the struggle that families that come from underrepresented or underserved …
Boston ADA Day Celebration
Our team had an awesome time at Boston’s ADA Day Celebration! Thanks to Boston Mayor’s Commission for Persons with Disabilities for hosting such an amazing event celebrating the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. See a recap of last year’s events here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QEwG_dQGT8&t=1s
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Donate to our new office here! Link
Immigrant Heritage Month Event
We had a spectacular time hosting an Immigrant Heritage Month event in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement!
Get Air+Flutie Foundation Event
We had an absolute blast at our recent event at Get Air Sports in collaboration with Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, bringing together kids with all abilities along with their families. It was a day filled with high-flying fun and laughter as the kids enjoyed jumping around and making new friends, while parents had …
Mother’s Day Event
What an incredible Mother’s Day celebration and grand opening! We had the joy of hosting a special event for the amazing mothers of children with disabilities, right here in our new space in Roxbury. It was a day filled with love, laughter, and gratitude as we celebrated the incredible strength and dedication of these wonderful …
Reproductive Justice Symposium
We had a wonderful time attending the Boston Women’s Fund’s “Where Do We Go From Here? A Reproductive Justice Symposium” and discussing our work in the context of the greater mission of women’s empowerment.
Eid Celebration 2024
What a fantastic day we had at SPACE’s Eid celebration! Attendees joined us as we came together to celebrate the end of Ramadan and our beautiful culture. After a long month of fasting, it was great to come together and feast. A huge shoutout to Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester for graciously hosting us …
Annual Legislative Reception at State House
We had an incredible time at the Annual Legislative Reception at the State House!
Arts and Crafts Social Event
We invited the Acton Discovery Museum to visit us and discuss their programs and share fun, hands on activities for our families! Our children had a great time and our families even received one year of free membership to the museum. Thank you to The Discovery Museum for this continued partnership!
Discovery Museum Family Fun Day
We invited the Acton Discovery Museum to visit us and discuss their programs and share fun, hands on activities for our families! Our children had a great time and our families even received one year of free membership to the museum. Thank you to The Discovery Museum for this continued partnership!
Speech and Language Development Event
We hosted an amazing, educational event to discuss how to navigate speech and language services for children with disabilities, especially those in multilingual households! Our families learned about how to work within these systems and how to advocate for your child.
Call and Response: A Narrative of Reverence Tour
Thank you to the Resilient Sisterhood Project and the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research for inviting our organization to a deeply moving exhibit discussing the history of gynecology as it relates to Black women. The exhibit, titled “Call and Response: A Narrative of Reverence to Our Foremothers in Gynecology” explores the reality …
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Parent Engagement Seminar
Our families had a fantastic time at our parent engagement seminar! We learned so many skills together, including how to educate our kids through play, engage with their interests, and bring together the whole family.
Tea and Talk Event
Had a great time discussing wellness and drinking some tea with friends at the Islamic Boston Cultural Center! Thanks to the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement for supporting this essential work.
Somali Parents Support Group Recap
Had a great time discussing support services for parents and having an open discussion space for parents of children with disabilities!
Timothy Park Event
We had an amazing picnic at Timothy Park with our families last week, with lots of food, fun, and games for all! Our children and teens had a great time playing tug-of-war, musical chairs, and more. We also gave out lots of toys and books, medical supplies, and gift cards for attendees. Everyone left with …
Waystone Health and Human Services Health Expo
It was an honor to table at Waystone Health & Human Services / Fidelity House CRC Health Expo and discuss all the ways that SPACE can provide resources and advocacy support to families in the community! Thanks to the organizers for their work in making this event a success.
Stars of the Spectrum
Our families had such an incredible time at Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism‘s Stars of the Spectrum Concert at Fenway Park! It was a fantastic evening of celebrating the creativity of performers with autism and meeting new friends. Thanks to the Flutie Foundation for putting together such an exciting event!
Family Fun Day!
Our first annual family fun day was a MASSIVE SUCCESS! We’re so grateful to the many, many people who came together to make this day so wonderful. To Cynthia and the team at Black Autism Coalition: we are so, so lucky to have collaborated with you on this event! We are so happy to be …
Youth Engagement Program
Had a wonderful time at our youth engagement night, where we had young people in our community discuss openly and network!
Boston Public Library Tour
Our families had an awesome time touring Boston Public Library in Copley Square, learning about the resources they offer, and watching a puppet show!
Thanks Volunteers!
Meet our amazing volunteers who helped with our recent festival event! We took them out for dinner to thank them for all of their efforts.
Whittier Health Center Event
We had a great time attending an event discussing the health of the Roxbury Community at Whittier Street Health Center!
Boston Foundation Funding
SPACE is pleased to announce that we have received a $50,000 Safety Net Grant from The Boston Foundation in order to fund our social support programming, with a focus on families of children with disabilities. This grant will allow us to expand our offerings by providing culturally competent health literacy education for the Somali community …
MASS Advocates Standing Strong Conference
It was wonderful to attend MASS Advocates Standing Strong MASS 25 Year Anniversary Gala & Self-Advocacy Conference! Thanks to all the incredible organizers, speakers, and attendees for making it a great event.
Autism Advocacy Day
A group of SPACE parents had a great time attending the 18th annual Autism Advocacy Day at the Massachusetts State House! Here, families and advocates discussed the importance of having proper services and supports for people with disabilities.
Check out our Boston Globe article!
Exciting news! SPACE was featured in the The Boston Globe! We’re grateful for the coverage that highlights our work supporting Somali children with disabilities. Check out the article to learn more about our mission, read a story from one of our families, and hear about the impact we’re making! Thank you, Boston Globe, for sharing …
Healthy Living Information Session and Dinner
We had a great time talking about our upcoming Healthy Living program with families in the community!
Eid Day of Play
SPACE held a day of play to celebrate Eid! All families were invited to this fun event at APEX Entertainment.
Family 2 Family Conference Tabling
SPACE had the pleasure of tabling at the Family 2 Family Conference at the Reggie Lewis Center!
Conference Discussion Event
We held an event to discuss key learnings and takeaways from the FCSN Visions of Community Conference, as well as general discussion among community members.
Visions of Community Conference
Members of the SPACE team were honored to be featured speakers at the Federation for Children with Special Needs annual Visions of Community Conference! Our executive director, Asha Abdullahi, Public Health Specialist, Rayna Haque, and team member, Maha Sheikh, discussed health literacy through the lens of our organization.
Weaving Well-Being: Report on Community Mental Health and Wellness
In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement (MOIA) and The Leah Zallman Center for Immigrant Health Research, SPACE and our fellow immigrant serving institutions is honored to present “Weaving Well-being: a New Paradigm for Community Mental Health and Wellness.” This report outlines the work we’ve done for the Somali community in the non-clinical …
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Mayor Wu and the Somali Community in Boston
SPACE was honored to meet with Mayor Michelle Wu and her team as a part of the Somali community in Boston.
Special Education Workshop
SPACE held a Special Education Workshop that went over laws, rules, and regulations that families should know as they relate to their child with a disability.
IEP Workshop Series
SPACE held an educational Individualized Educational Program (IEP) workshop series designed to help parents advocate for themselves and their children when applying for an IEP. An IEP stands for Individualized Education Program. It is a legal document developed for students who have been identified with a disability that affects their academic performance. The IEP is …
Happy Holidays
Happy Holidays from the team of the Somali Parents Advocacy Center for Education (SPACE).
Alternatives to Guardianship
We hosted an event to discuss about alternatives to guardianship and the guardianship process.
Untold Stories 2022
It was an honor to attend Untold Stories 2022 with The Lenny Zakim Fund! Sharing stories with one another is one of the best ways to destigmatize issues and promote empathy within our communities and beyond.
Mayor’s Office Recognition!
Boston’s Mayor Michelle Wu recognized our service to the Somali community during the COVID-19 pandemic!
Parent Engagement Webinar
We hosted an event to promote parent engagement and advocacy strategies during the back-to-school season! Attendees learned how to talk to teachers and school management and what to do to be ready before school starts. This was a fun, educational event that we hope to continue conducting!
Resources for the Whole Family!
As summer vacation approaches, children and their families will be home together. We want to support our families by giving them FREE supplies that encourage creativity, fine motor skills, and problem-solving for both the kids and parents! These relieve stress and promote fun team-building for all members of the family. At SPACE, we want to …
SPACE Celebration!
We hosted an event to celebrate the work of our staff, families, and children before school started! We also gave parents a platform to share their experiences with our organization and shared mental health resources, including free gift baskets for community members that included self-care items. It was a lively night of dancing, eating, and …
Impact of COVID-19 On Our Community Event
We hosted an event on the impact of COVID-19 on our community and discussed what we can do going forward. After sharing updates on changes within the Boston Public School system, members were invited to share issues they faced that included mental health issues, stress, and changes in diet and exercise. We shared methods of …
Community Conversation on Stress
We hosted an event where community members were invited to discuss stress. This encouraged an open, honest discussion on sources of stress that our members faced and how we can best address them. Attendees shared how holistic methods, spirituality, and discussing mental health openly have been coping mechanisms in their day-to-day lives.
Waxaan qabanaynaa kulan aan uga hadli doono HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
Waxaan qabanaynaa maalinta Sabtiga kulan aan uga hadli doono HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine. Fadlan, nagala soo qayb gala.
Spreading information about the COVID-19 vaccines to the Somali community!
Today we set up a table in Timilty Park in hopes of spreading information about the COVID-19 vaccines to the Somali community! We are giving out free masks and hand sanitizers and pamphlets to encourage healthy habits during this pandemic.
Somali Parents Listening Session
SPACE waxay habeen danbe qabanaysaa fadhi ay layeelan doonto waridiinta Somaliyeed ee ku nool gobolkeena iyo kuwa ku nool gobolkeena agaarkiisaba.