Yemeni American Merchants Association

What Yemeni American Merchants Association does

YAMA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization founded in February 2017 in Brooklyn, New York, following the Yemeni Bodega Strike that protested the federal Travel Ban. The organization serves Yemeni American merchants — primarily bodega and grocery operators across NYC's five boroughs — as well as Yemeni American families, students, and community members nationwide. Its mission centers on education, small business support, civil rights advocacy, and social service delivery for an immigrant community whose primary commercial activity is small-format retail.

YAMA operates a portfolio of service programs rather than a technology platform. Core offerings include Immigration Services (USCIS filings with a focus on family reunification), Support Services (small-business management issues such as consumer complaints, inspections, fines, cigarette retail dealer licensing, and referrals), a Community Empowerment Program (advocacy, press conferences, legal clinics), and Education & Outreach (workshops on immigration, consumer affairs, and merchant safety). Adjacent programs include the Commercial Lease Assistance (CLA) Program, an annual Scholarship Program (with the Tarek Al-Kadri and Sharifa Alkhateeb named awards for CUNY-bound students), a College Readiness Program, the Bodega Safety Kit, and an Elevate program that organizes trades and business deals among community members. The organization also publishes a monthly newsletter and produces the YAMA Podcast.

YAMA's business model is donation-funded. Revenue sources include individual contributions, annual benefit galas (the 3rd Annual Virtual Gala in 2021 was designed to raise approximately half the annual operating budget), tiered corporate sponsorship packages (Diamond $25,000+ through Bronze $1,500), and targeted campaign fundraising such as a 2017 Launch Good campaign with Pure Hands Charity that raised $20,000 for stranded diversity visa winners. The go-to-market motion is community-led: grassroots outreach across NYC, bilingual Arabic/English services, direct merchant engagement, and partnerships with national civil rights organizations including the ACLU, CAIR NY, ADC, NILC, IRAP, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and Yale Law School.

Name

Yemeni American Merchants Association

Legal name

Yemeni American Merchants Association

Website

https://yamausa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

YAMA is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2017 that serves Yemeni American merchants and families in NYC and 14 U.S. cities through immigration assistance, small business support, civil rights advocacy, educational workshops, and community empowerment programs funded by donations and annual galas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit that relies on donations from individuals, businesses, and community members. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. TAX ID#: 82-3539502.
2. Annual Gala Fundraising: Annual benefit galas to raise funds for operations. The 3rd Annual Virtual Gala in 2021 aimed to raise half of the annual budget.
3. Campaign Fundraising: Launch Good campaign in cooperation with Pure Hands Charity raised $20,000 for Yemeni diversity lottery winners affected by the travel ban in 2017.
4. Sponsorship Packages: Corporate sponsorship packages at various levels (Diamond $25,000+, Platinum $10,000, Gold $5,000, Silver, Bronze $1,500) for events and initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

YAMA is a grassroots 501(c)(3) non-profit that educates and elevates Yemeni American merchants and their families through free community service programs. Core offerings include immigration assistance (USCIS applications for family reunification), small business support (resolving consumer complaints, inspections, fines, and cigarette retail dealer licensing), civil rights advocacy (including co-plaintiff status in federal lawsuits against the Travel Ban), educational workshops, an annual scholarship program for college-bound Yemeni American students, and a Commercial Lease Assistance program offering free legal lease consultations.

Product overview

The Yemeni American Merchants Association (YAMA) is a grassroots non-profit organization that offers a portfolio of community service programs rather than a technology product. Its core offerings include: Immigration Services (assistance with USCIS applications for family reunification), Support Services (small business assistance for merchants), Community Empowerment (advocacy and legal initiatives), Education & Outreach (workshops and seminars), and the Elevate/Advocate/Educate programs for business development and civic engagement. Additional programs include an annual Scholarship Program ($1,000 awards), YAMA PodCast (media content), Bodega Safety Kit (COVID-19 response), and the Commercial Lease Assistance Program. YAMA also publishes a monthly newsletter and organizes events including the Annual Gala and Yemeni American Heritage Day.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Tarek Al-Kadri Male Scholarship: Named scholarship program for male Yemeni American students
• The Sharifa Alkhateeb Female Scholarship
• YAMA College Readiness Program
• Commercial Lease Assistance Program (CLA)

Quantifiable outcome

• Raised $20,000 for 85 Yemeni diversity lottery winners stranded abroad
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered emerging, core and minor.

• DoorDashemergingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with DoorDash for YAMA and merchant support; details to be announced. YAMA has been exploring partnerships to support small business merchants with delivery and operational resources.
• Start Small Think BIGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide free legal and financial COVID-19 related assistance to Yemeni American merchants. Services include free legal, financial, and loan/grant application assistance available for all Yemeni merchants at any state. Translation services provided upon request.
• CAIR NY (Council on American-Islamic Relations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on civil rights advocacy including press conferences, #NoMuslimBanEver rally, and received Action in Faith Award in 2018. Co-organized Boycott NY Post campaign.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYAMA became plaintiff in lawsuit represented by ACLU in Maryland District Court on behalf of Yemeni merchants and families impacted by travel ban. Joint litigation efforts with IRAP and other organizations.
• Pure Hands CharityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperated on Launch Good campaign to raise $20,000 for Yemeni diversity lottery winners stranded abroad due to travel ban.
• Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and Yale Law SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on report 'Window Dressing the Muslim Ban: Reports of waivers & mass denials from Yemeni-American families stuck in limbo' released June 21, 2018
• American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint plaintiff in lawsuit against federal government over diversity visa denials. Co-organized media campaigns and press conferences on travel ban impacts.
• National Immigration Law Center (NILC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint plaintiff in federal lawsuit over diversity visa denials brought by Jenner & Block LLP, ACLU, ACLU of DC, ADC, and NILC on behalf of lottery winners from Iran and Yemen.
• International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-plaintiff in Maryland District Court lawsuit representing Yemeni merchants and families directly impacted by the travel ban.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Arab American Association of New York: Brooklyn-based community organization serving Arab American immigrants with case management, advocacy, civic engagement, and youth services. The closest functional mirror to YAMA — comparable geographic base, beneficiary community, and service mix, but serving the broader Arab American rather than Yemeni American community specifically.
• New York Immigration Coalition: Umbrella policy and advocacy organization for 200+ immigrant-serving groups in New York. YAMA is a constituent-like member within this coalition; highly comparable mission of immigrant rights advocacy and member-organization services, but at a larger, more policy-oriented scale.
• African Communities Together: Membership-based organization serving African immigrant communities with services, policy advocacy, and civic engagement. Similar small-merchant-immigrant organizational model and member-driven service delivery as YAMA, applied to a different (though adjacent) diaspora.
• Council of Peoples Organization (COPO): NYC-based multi-ethnic coalition serving immigrant and refugee communities in Brooklyn with case management, civic engagement, and advocacy. Highly comparable organizational model, geography, and service mix to YAMA, but serves a broader South Asian and Middle Eastern constituency.

Broad incumbents

• Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR): Largest US Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. YAMA is both a CAIR partner and shares the civil-rights/anti-discrimination mission, but CAIR operates nationally across all Muslim communities with a much larger staff and budget.
• American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC): The largest Arab American civil rights organization in the US. YAMA is a co-plaintiff with ADC on federal litigation and shares the anti-discrimination, immigration advocacy mission — but ADC serves the broader Arab American community nationally.
• National Immigration Law Center (NILC): National immigrant rights legal advocacy organization. Co-plaintiff with YAMA on diversity visa litigation; comparable mission of protecting immigrant rights through legal action, but operates at a much larger national scale.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Premier US civil liberties organization that represented YAMA as plaintiff in Maryland District Court travel ban litigation. Comparable constitutional and civil rights litigation focus, but vastly larger in scope and resources.
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF): National Latino civil rights organization focused on litigation, advocacy, and education. Comparable mission of protecting immigrant-origin community rights through legal action and civic engagement, but at much larger scale and serving a different demographic.
• Muslim Advocates: National Muslim civil rights legal advocacy organization. Comparable mission of protecting Muslim communities from discrimination and advancing civil rights through legal action, but operates nationally with a focus on legal/policy advocacy rather than direct service delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/YAMAMerchants
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCV9sRH7Ki_fLofVVV6DPL-A
• Facebookfacebook.com/OfficialYAMAUSA
• Instagraminstagram.com/official__yama

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Yemeni American Merchants Association