Kama DC

WHAT IS KAMA DC?

KAMA DC is a grassroots organization in Washington DC which provides a platform for immigrants in the DMV area to share their skills, stories, and ideas.

KAMA DC is run entirely by volunteers who are passionate about building ties, facilitating cultural exchanges, and starting conversations. We highlight the skills and stories that immigrants bring to our community by hosting skills based workshops, cooking classes, storytelling nights, film screenings, and more.

KAMA DC volunteers began to meet in 2016 and we held our first class in December 2016. We gained official 501(c) non-profit status in 2018.

WHAT DOES KAMA MEAN?

KAMA is an acronym in German - "Kurse von Asylsuchenden, MigrantInnen & Asylberechtigten" - which means "Classes by Asylum-Seekers, Migrants, and Those Who Have Been Granted Asylum." The model started in Vienna, Austria in 2006 and has since spread to multiple cities in Austria, Germany, and the UK.

HOW DO CLASSES WORK?

KAMA volunteers sit down with prospective teachers from immigrant communities to discuss what classes they could lead. We then help work through a lesson plan, sort out the logistics, find a place to host it, advertise it, and then help run the class. We are incredibly flexible and are prepared to make any idea for a class happen!