Badr Alsaidi was born and raised in Yemen, and at the age of twelve moved with his family to the US to pursue new opportunities for a better life. Since settling in New York City, Badr has come to understand how difficult life in Yemen is for so many families. This has motivated him to take advantage of all the resources and opportunities that life in the U.S. presents, in order to help his community thrive and grow. In high school it became apparent to him that other immigrant communities with a longer history of migration to the US were afforded more services than Arabic speaking communities. Seeing this as an opportunity to bridge the gap in access to fair testing in one’s native language, Badr started organizing the Yemeni American community, and advocated for the Arab American community at-large for Arabic speakers. Badr worked with the NYC public schools as an interpreter to support the Arabic speaking ESL students, and in 2018 at the Bronx River High School as a Teacher’s Assistant and ran an afterschool program to help students in elementary and middle school with their homework. Badr made many connections with students from his community and throughout the city while working with and navigating the complex system. After Badr graduated from Hunter College, he joined Arab Women’s Voice as Youth Program Manager. Badr focused on mobilizing the youth to be civically engaged, he went on to recruit and train his peers. He led a voter registration campaign with them, while taking a more senior role managing his family’s bodega. Badr also advised and volunteered with a handful of organizations including Performing Arts Mosaic (PAM), Yemeni American Merchants Association, and the Yemeni American Association over the summer of 2019. He helped organize the first Yemeni American talent show in NY and then went on to organize the same event in Dearborn, MI. Badr was inspired by PAM MOSAIC’s mission of showcasing the different cultures in NYC. He went on to found Eiha Group with a group of peers to showcase the culture and arts of Yemen, and change the misconceptions about it. Badr continues to serve as Eiha Group’s Public Relations Director on a volunteer basis. Though many members of the younger generation pursue better jobs and leave family businesses, Badr made the decision to continue managing his family’s business because he believes that Yemeni, immigrant-owned businesses, a part of a network of bodegas in the city, are powerful and essential to New York City communities. From his extensive experience first supporting and then running a family-owned business, Badr understands the needs and goals of these businesses, as well as their opportunities for growth and flourish. In February 2020, Badr joined the Mayor’s Census Office as a Full-Time Cultural Liaison on the Mayor’s Census mission. Badr’s personal mission is to uplift and empower his community using the opportunities and resources provided by economic opportunity in the U.S. Badr then joined YAMA as a Part-Time Director of Merchant Services in June 2020. Badr aims to serve his community by utilizing his knowledge, education and YAMA’s platform to create a bridge between the city’s resources and those of the merchants. In November 2020, Badr transitioned from the Mayor’s Census Office to the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit as a Full-Time Outreach Liaison. In July 2021, Badr shifted his focus to the nonprofit world as he accepted a full time position with YAMA as a full time Director of Merchants Services. Badr Alsaidi holds an Associates Degree in Communication Studies from the Borough of Manhattan Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and International Studies from Hunter College. Badr Seeks to continue his studies through the MPA to further his public service to uplift the community through his public service.