Mission Statement
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) caucus is a culturally and linguistically responsive and connected professional community that nurtures positive professional identity to support all clinicians’ and students’ culturally responsive practice. We strive to develop a safe space and be a resource for persons of Middle Eastern and North African origin—including researchers, current and future professionals, and students interested in learning about and providing services to this population. We seek to inspire all clinicians to develop and increase their awareness and knowledge of Middle Eastern and North African cultures and languages to facilitate advocacy and allyship, which actively promote the provision of evidence-based speech, language, and hearing services to marginalized persons of Middle Eastern and North African origin. MENA is dedicated to working with other constituencies in an effort to promote equity and social justice in the professional communities of speech, language, and hearing sciences as well as in the larger society.
Our Goals
- Promote and increase awareness about the cultures and languages of the Middle East and North Africa
- Promote and increase the number of audiologists and speech-language pathologists using culturally competent and responsive evidenced-based services to Middle Eastern and North African individuals with communication disorders, communication differences, and/or related disorders.
- Address the communication interests and concerns of professionals, students, and related professionals who serve Middle Eastern and North African individuals with identified and/or suspected communication disorders, communication differences, and/or related disorders.
- Promote and increase the number of Middle Eastern and North African speech, language, and hearing professionals.
- Promote research that contributes to the body of knowledge on the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of Middle Eastern and North African individuals with identified and/or suspected communication disorders, communication differences, and/or related disorders.
- Be an advocate for marginalized Middle Eastern and North African individuals with identified and/or suspected communication disorders, communication differences, and/or related disorders.
- Serve as a community resource for Middle Eastern and North African families and communities.
