We believe that all New Americans have a right to belong and thrive in the place we call home.
Who We Are
VNAAC is made up of an ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse group of New American leaders who work in many sectors across Vermont. Members include but are not limited to city councilors, program managers, health providers, educators, and business owners.
Civic Engagement
Our team came together with a primary, common goal: to ensure opportunities for New Americans to be civically engaged.
Advocating for true community.
We are committed to making Vermont a safe, just, and flourishing state for New Americans to live, participate, and thrive.
We Stand with Our Muslim Community
The Vermont New American Advisory Council (VNAAC) is concerned with the recent shooting of three young men of Palestinian descent in our community. This incident is having a particularly devastating impact on our muslim communities that are no longer feeling safe in our city. We condemn all hate crimes, stand in solidarity with our muslim community members and are sending prayers of healing to the victims and their families.
We, at VNAAC, condemn any form of oppression, discrimination, and racism. Our mission is to increase civic engagement, dismantle barriers to a sense of belonging, and expand opportunities for New American communities to thrive socially, culturally, and economically in Vermont. We feel and understand the fear and pain experienced by our muslim friends, family, and neighbors. They are business owners, professionals, entrepreneurs, neighbors, and coworkers, and they contribute to our cities and state’s cultural and religious fabric. We strongly denounce any language or rhetoric which aims to alienate, blame, or otherwise mean to harm members of our muslim community as we all participate meaningfully to the greatness of our Green Mountain State.
Our muslim community deserves our commitment as a city, state or nation to treat us all with dignity and respect. We must protect and make them feel safe again in all spaces across this nation.
Please visit us at www.vnaac.org or send us an Email: Info@vnaac.org for more information about our activities and initiatives.
THANK YOU MR. ADEN HADJI!
The Vermont New American Advisory Council (VNAAC) would like to thank Mr. Aden Hadji for his exemplary service as the youngest and first New American elected to the School District Board of the City of Burlington in the State of Vermont.
For the last two years, Aden has advocated for the safety of all students especially our black and brown students as member of the Board Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. He has worked closely with multilingual families supporting them in being involved in decision-making that affects their children at Burlington School District and was instrumental in securing a 100k grant for the Burlington School District English Language Learner Department to improve and expand its methods and tools of communication for multilingual families. This achievement allows multilingual families to fair access to school information timely and in their native language.
Aden is also a founding member of VNAAC and Chairman of its Community Projects and Programs Committee.
We are grateful for his contributions to VNAAC and his service on the Burlington School District Board.
In community,
Sandrine Kibuey, VNAAC President
kibueys@vnaac.org
Together we stand with the AAPI community
“When there is an outbreak, we stay here. It is important for people to start thinking about New Americans differently. This whole coronavirus issue should help people to reflect. How discrimination hurts...how we need to come together.”
— Patrick Brown, VNAAC
Contact Us
Let’s talk.