African Communities Together

What African Communities Together does

African Communities Together (ACT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 by Ethiopian immigrant Amaha Kassa, headquartered at 127 West 127th Street in Harlem, New York, with regional offices in Washington, D.C./Maryland/Virginia and Pennsylvania. ACT serves African immigrants in the United States across multiple service lines: free immigration legal services (naturalization, green cards, TPS, asylum, family petitions, FOIA requests) delivered through DOJ Accredited Representatives; workforce development including the Healthcare Support Career Accelerator (HSCA) program offering English training and CNA certification for Home Health Aides; civic engagement and voter mobilization across Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania targeting 250,000+ identified African voters; housing justice organizing exemplified by the Southern Towers campaign in Alexandria, Virginia; and TPS advocacy for nationals of Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The organization operates the African Immigrant Leadership Forum (AILEF), a national network of 180+ members and 112 organizations across 39 states, and supports adjacent initiatives including the African Hair Braiders licensing reform campaign and language access services through partnerships like the NYC Interpreter Bank.

ACT's revenue model is diversified across individual donations (preset tiers of $20, $50, $100, $250, $500, or custom amounts with monthly, quarterly, or annual recurring options), membership dues (chapter-dependent with hardship exceptions), and government grants and foundation funding supporting immigration legal services, workforce development, housing justice, and civic engagement programs. All direct services to community members are provided free or low-cost, with no traditional product distribution channels. The organization employs approximately 30 staff across its three regional offices and is governed by a Board of Directors including senior leaders from ACLU ASNI, Greenpeace USA, AFL-CIO, and Community Voices Heard. ACT maintains a multilingual service delivery platform supporting African languages including Amharic, Tigrinya, Wolof, French, Lingala, Swahili, and Bambara, and pursues federal policy impact through coalition partnerships (CUSP, ACLU, UndocuBlack Network) and direct litigation challenging TPS terminations, DED terminations, and public charge regulations.

Name

African Communities Together

Legal name

African Communities Together

Website

https://africans.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

African Communities Together (ACT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 that provides free immigration legal services, workforce development, civic engagement, housing justice, and TPS advocacy for African immigrants across New York, D.C./MD/VA, and Pennsylvania.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigrant advocacy and community services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Individual and Family Services (6241), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ), Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI)

Keywords

• Immigration legal services
• Workforce development programs
• Housing justice advocacy
• Civic engagement mobilization
• Community organizing services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: ACT receives contributions from individual donors through its website donate page, offering preset amounts ($20, $50, $100, $250, $500) or custom amounts, with options for recurring monthly, quarterly, or yearly contributions. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and contributions are tax-deductible.
2. Membership Dues: ACT generates revenue through membership dues paid by community members. Dues are dependent on chapter with hardship exceptions available for members who cannot afford the standard rate.
3. Government Grants and Foundation Funding: ACT receives funding from government sources and private foundations to support its programs including immigration legal services, workforce development, housing justice, and civic engagement initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

African Communities Together (ACT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free and low-cost immigration legal services, workforce development programs (Healthcare Support Career Accelerator), housing justice campaigns, civic engagement and voter mobilization, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) advocacy, and multilingual community navigation services directly to African immigrants across the U.S. Services are provided through offices in New York City, Washington D.C./Maryland/Virginia, and Pennsylvania, supported by the African Immigrant Leadership Forum (AILEF) network spanning 39 states. The organization combines direct service delivery with community organizing and policy advocacy to advance civil rights and economic opportunity for African immigrant families.

Product overview

African Communities Together (ACT) is a nonprofit organization providing a portfolio of services to African immigrants in the U.S. The organization offers free immigration legal services, workforce development programs (Healthcare Support Career Accelerator), housing justice campaigns, civic engagement and voter mobilization, TPS advocacy, and language access services. ACT operates through local chapters in New York City, Washington D.C./Maryland/Virginia (DMV), and Pennsylvania, supported by the African Immigrant Leadership Forum (AILEF) network spanning 39 states. Programs include the Forward Ever Podcast for community storytelling, hair braider licensing reform advocacy, and social services navigation for benefits enrollment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Forward Ever Podcast: A podcast hosted by ACT that celebrates the experiences and contributions of New York's diverse African immigrant diaspora, featuring interviews with community leaders.
• African Immigrant Leadership Forum (AILEF)
• Healthcare Support Career Accelerator (HSCA)

Products and services

• Immigration Legal Services

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, moderate and minor.

• Lawyers' Committee for Civil RightscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 8 March 2019Co-counsel in African Communities Together v. Trump lawsuit challenging termination of DED for Liberians. Also represented by Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston and Dechert LLP on behalf of 15 Liberian immigrants and ACT as plaintiffs.
• Lawyers for Civil Rights BostoncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 8 March 2019Co-counsel in African Communities Together v. Trump lawsuit challenging termination of DED for Liberians, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
• UndocuBlack NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 March 2019Joint plaintiff with ACT in African Communities Together v. Trump lawsuit challenging DED termination for Liberians. Both organizations work together to advocate for Black immigrant communities and protect TPS/DED holders.
• Communities United for Status and Protection (CUSP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT is a member of CUSP, a coalition working on federal policy issues affecting immigrant communities nationwide. CUSP advocates for pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, TPS holders, and DREAM-eligible immigrants through legislative advocacy and coalition building.
• African Immigrant Leadership Forum (AILEF) MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAILEF is a network of African immigrant leaders and institutions coordinated by ACT, with 180+ members including 112 organizations across 39 states. The network shares resources and information on federal and local policies affecting African immigrant communities.
• Barnard CollegemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT collaborates with Barnard College's 'African Communities in New York, 1900 to Present' course, funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Barnard students conduct interviews for the Forward Ever podcast as part of the beNY initiative connecting curriculum with public engagement.
• Private Equity Stakeholder ProjectmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint report 'CIM Group: In the Headlines' covering 15 years of CIM's activities including mistreatment of blue-collar, immigrant tenants, gentrification of neighborhoods of color, and real estate deals with former President Trump.
• TakeRoot JusticemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on 'Licensing a Legacy' report - participatory research project documenting barriers to Natural Hair Styling license for African hair braiders in New York, including the largest known survey of professional hair braiders in the state.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerACLU is involved in Ramos v. Nielsen litigation challenging improper termination of TPS for Sudan, El Salvador, Haiti, and Nicaragua, in which ACT participates through coalition advocacy.
• Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights (VACIR)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in Virginia civic engagement efforts, working together on voter protection and immigrant rights advocacy.
• Congressional Black CaucusmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerACT works with Members of Congress including Reps. Jayapal, Clarke, and Horsford who have urged the Biden Administration to designate DRC for Temporary Protected Status.
• DC Health LinkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorACT refers community members to DC Health Link certified Assistance Counselors and Navigators to help sign up for health insurance in Washington D.C.
• Maryland Health ConnectionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorACT refers community members to Maryland Health Connection certified Assistance Counselors and Navigators for Medicaid and Marketplace enrollment assistance.
• Virginia Enrollment AssistersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorACT refers community members to Virginia enrollment assisters who help sign up for health insurance through the state's Marketplace.
• Pennsylvania Housing Finance AgencyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorACT refers Pennsylvania residents to PHFA for state-funded rental assistance programs and affordable housing resources.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• African Services Committee: NYC-based nonprofit providing immigration legal services, health, housing, and social services to African immigrants. Closest direct peer to ACT, sharing geography, beneficiary population, and service mix, including overlapping board representation.
• Nationalities Service Center: Philadelphia-based nonprofit providing immigration legal services, refugee resettlement, and language access. Overlaps with ACT's Pennsylvania office and shares DOJ Accredited Representative model for legal service delivery.
• New York Immigration Coalition: Broad-based immigrant rights coalition in New York that convenes 200+ member groups. ACT engages as a member-style affiliate; comparable in policy advocacy and member mobilization but operates at city/regional scale rather than an African-immigrant niche.
• UndocuBlack Network: Black immigrant-led organization and ACT's co-plaintiff in African Communities Together v. Trump. Highly comparable mission around Black immigrant rights, TPS/DED advocacy, and member-driven organizing.
• Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI): National Black immigrant rights organization focused on advocacy, organizing, and criminal-immigration entanglement. Comparable to ACT in mission focus and education/leadership development but operates across broader Black diaspora.
• Communities United for Status and Protection (CUSP): Coalition in which ACT is a member, focused on federal legislative pathways for undocumented immigrants, TPS holders, and DREAM-eligible populations. Directly co-advocates with ACT on status protection.
• African Human Rights Coalition: Provides services and advocacy for African LGBTQ+ immigrants and asylum seekers. Mission and beneficiary population overlap with ACT, particularly around asylum and TPS advocacy.

Others

• Community Voices Heard: Low-income community organizing institution whose Executive Director (Juanita Lewis) is ACT's Board President. Adjacent organizing model and shared leadership; complements rather than competes with ACT's civic engagement work.

Broad incumbents

• HIAS: Established national refugee resettlement and immigration legal services agency with significant government contracts. Comparable service portfolio (resettlement, legal aid, advocacy) but a much larger, mainstream incumbent rather than African-immigrant focused.
• Catholic Charities Immigration Services: Faith-based national network providing low-cost immigration legal services and refugee resettlement. Comparable service lines and DOJ-accredited representation model, but broader in scope and primarily donor/grant funded.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/africansus
• Facebookfacebook.com/AfricansUS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/african-communities-together

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about African Communities Together