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LAAL NYC
Bronx, NY · EIN 832947989 · Form 990 · FY2023 · NTEE R24 · Civil Rights & Advocacy · Small ($100K-$1M) · laalnyc.org
revenue
$709K
expenses
$602K
net assets
$356K
employees
14
volunteers
4
program ratio
69%
mission · from form 990

LAALNYCS mission is to provide resources for Bengali women to allow them to live healthy, engaged and joyful lives.

profile · synthesized from sources

LAAL NYC provides culturally specific resources and programming for Bengali women in the Bronx, focusing on literacy, mental health, reproductive justice, and community empowerment. The organization offers conversational English classes, wellness programs, and community-led research to address systemic gaps in services. Founded by two Sylheti women from Norwood, it operates as a women-led space promoting civic engagement and social change.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2022

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $94K
    Laal holds three Beginner Intermediate and Advanced ESL courses according to their level each week. These classes foster a safe space for our womxn to gain the necessary literacy and linguistic skills to adapt and acclimate to life in the Bronx. Laal facilitates an all-womxn's space where program participants are encouraged to understand celebrate and nourish their own bodies through structured and culturally appropriate classes and programs.
  2. #2 $68K
    Laal works hard to gather relevant data to inform programs and policies that benefit the Bengali community in Norwood. Through our data collection processes we utilize the principles of equity confidentiality and transparency. Our work has included: COVID-19 Impact Census Initiative & Demographic Survey and Needs-Based Assessment.
named programs · 7 · from sources

What they call their work

Conversational English Classes
Weekly beginner, intermediate, and advanced ESL courses conducted in a safe, all-women space to help Bengali women adapt to life in the Bronx.
LAAL X: Worker-Owned Cooperative
Educational and economic initiative launched to prepare the community for the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Laal Baghan: Community Garden
Garden space tended by community women for growing medicinal herbs and food, fostering connection and dialogue around community issues.
Laal Mohila Shomiti: Womxn’s Support Group
Safe-space support group for Bengali women to discuss challenges, concerns, and community-driven solutions.
Laal x Dhaka Discount Grocery Food Pantry
Food distribution program in partnership with NYC Test & Trace and Dhaka Discount Grocery, supported by the New York Foundation.
Manoshikh Shastho: Mental Health Initiative
Community-based mental health assessment and education project using surveys in Bangla and Sylheti to address stigma and improve access to care.
RJI: Reproductive Justice Initiative
Three-year community-led health advocacy and research project to identify and address barriers to reproductive health services for Bengali women in Norwood.
activities · 10 groups

What they do

  • South Asian Cultural Preservation and Community Support 1 activity
    • Cultural and community engagement events
      Hosts cultural celebration events featuring Bangladeshi food and live performances by local artists to strengthen community ties and cultural identity.
  • ESL and Citizenship Instruction 1 activity
    • ESL and conversational English instruction for Bengali women
      Offers weekly beginner, intermediate, and advanced ESL and conversational English classes for Bengali-speaking women in the Bronx to support linguistic and cultural adaptation.
  • Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
    • Food pantry and emergency relief services
      Operates a food pantry in Norwood in partnership with NYC's Test & Trace Program and Dhaka Discount Grocery; distributed groceries and cash aid to over 80 families through the COVID-19 Relief Fund, including support for 30 families via a $10,000 NYC Impact Grant, with all cash aid issued in the womxn's name.
  • Tenant Legal Advocacy & Support Services 1 activity
    • Housing rights and civic information translation
      Translates critical civic and legal information, such as the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants' Eviction Prevention Brochure, into Bangla to improve access to housing rights for Bengali-speaking tenants.
  • Peer-Led Mental Health Support Groups 1 activity
    • Mental health and peer support programming
      Operates a women's support group in Norwood that facilitates peer-led discussions on mental health, social isolation, health, education, housing, and food gardening; incorporates movement and yoga in Bangla as a mental health strategy.
  • Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
    • Policy advocacy and coalition building
      Co-founded a coalition of Bronx-based residents, community, faith, and labor organizations to develop city-level policy priorities for the Bronx, advancing advocacy at the systemic level.
  • Annual Impact and Evaluation Reporting 1 activity
    • Program documentation and reporting
      Produces annual reports that document program workflows and organizational responses to identified vulnerabilities among Bengali women in the Bronx.
  • Women's Empowerment and Leadership Development 1 activity
    • Resource generation through merchandise sales
      Uses profits from merchandise sales to fund and provide resources to Bengali women in the Bronx.
  • Reproductive Health Advocacy & Education 1 activity
    • Sex education and reproductive health resources
      Provides sex education in Bangla and co-develops culturally tailored resources such as brochures addressing myths about reproductive health and the COVID-19 vaccine, aiming to reduce stigma and misinformation in the Bengali community.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Community-led research on health and social needs
      Conducts community-led research including needs-based assessments, demographic surveys, and targeted data collection (e.g., mental health, reproductive health, and census representation) to inform programs and policies for Bengali women in Norwood; includes a three-year project on reproductive health access and a 2020 survey of 300 womxn on mental health needs.
    • Worker-owned cooperative and economic empowerment initiative
      Launched LAAL X, a worker-owned cooperative initiative, to educate and economically empower the Bengali community in preparation for public health and economic challenges, including the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$709K
Contributions & grants$709K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$602K
Program expenses69%
Admin / overhead25%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$422K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$431K
Cash$54K
Investments$0
Liabilities$75K
Net assets$356K
Liquid reserves1.1 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue +21.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
SANJANA KAHN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $124K
relationships · 26

Who they work with

  • Amanda Farías Government — Council Member and guest of honor at Laal Grishmo 2022
  • Andrew Freedman Home Partner — Venue host for Laal Grishmo 2022 cultural event
  • Bengali Mental Health Movement Partner — Co-developed a brochure providing mental health resources tailored to the Bengali community.
  • Bengalis of New York Partner — Co-created a brochure addressing myths about the COVID-19 vaccine for the Bengali-speaking community.
  • Dhaka Discount Grocery Partner — Partnered with Laal NYC to host a food pantry in Norwood
  • HDC Partner — Collaborated on the translation and dissemination of the Eviction Prevention Brochure into Bangla.
  • HPD Partner — Collaborated on the translation and dissemination of the Eviction Prevention Brochure into Bangla.
  • HRA Partner — Collaborated on the translation and dissemination of the Eviction Prevention Brochure into Bangla.
  • Jotil & Royal Bengal Tea house Partner — Provided Bengali musical performances at Laal Grishmo 2022
  • Joya Syed Partner — Performed dance pieces at Laal Grishmo 2022
  • Local Zakat Partner — Partnered with Local Zakat to launch the COVID-19 Relief Fund and distribute cash aid and groceries.
  • Moiré Partner — Donated T-shirts for Laal Grishmo 2022
  • NYC's Test & Trace Program Partner — Partnered with Laal NYC to operate a food pantry in Norwood
  • NYCHA Partner — Collaborated on the translation and dissemination of the Eviction Prevention Brochure into Bangla.
  • Nadia Ahmad Partner — Provided poetry reading at Laal Grishmo 2022
  • New York Foundation Funder — Provided financial support for Laal NYC's food pantry program
  • Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition Coalition — Co-founded the Bronx People's Platform coalition to advance city-level policy priorities for the Bronx.
  • Norwood community Partner — Target community for data collection, program delivery, and physical space development.
  • Nura Anwar Partner — Performed dance pieces at Laal Grishmo 2022
  • Office of Civil Justice Partner — Collaborated on the translation and dissemination of the Eviction Prevention Brochure into Bangla.
  • Salwah Khan Partner — Performed dance pieces at Laal Grishmo 2022
  • Septima Clark Partner — Laal's mission is inspired by Septima Clark's Citizenship Schools and her belief that 'literacy means liberation'.
  • Tanaïs Partner — Guest of honor at Laal Grishmo 2022
  • The Radical Henna Artist Partner — Provided henna services at Laal Grishmo 2022
  • Usama Siddiquee Partner — Featured comedian at Laal Grishmo 2022
  • iTabla007 Partner — Provided tabla performance at Laal Grishmo 2022
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Led Knowledge and Leadership for Movement Building
    methodology: community_led_movement
    By centering community-led research, needs assessments, and leadership, the organization ensures programs are culturally responsive and effective, because those most impacted are best positioned to identify needs and lead solutions.
  • Equity-Centered Program and Aid Design
    methodology: equitable_and_transparent_data_collection
    By applying equity-based principles to data collection and aid distribution, the organization ensures resources reach those most impacted, because disaggregated data and transparent, needs-based formulas correct systemic biases and increase program legitimacy and impact.
  • Healing Through Embodied and Cultural Practices
    methodology: healing_through_land_and_community
    By integrating physical movement, community gardening, and cultural celebration into programming, the organization fosters mental health and combats isolation, because holistic, culturally rooted practices restore agency and joy in ways that clinical or transactional services cannot.
  • Literacy and Education as Liberation
    methodology: literacy-for-liberation
    By providing literacy and education in the native language, the organization enables civic participation and empowerment, because foundational skills in one’s own language are essential for liberation and self-determination among marginalized women.
  • Safe, Culturally Specific Space for Healing and Autonomy
    methodology: safe-space_for_womxn
    By creating an all-womxn, culturally appropriate environment in the native language, the organization promotes linguistic development, bodily autonomy, and mental well-being among Bengali women, because shared identity and cultural safety enable deeper engagement and healing.