This year at Solas, Amina Aliako will be the recipient of our inaugural Anne O’Callaghan Award. Named after our trailblazing founder, this award is presented in recognition of an immigrant leader who has shown outstanding vision, grit, and determination in the face of adversity. 

Amina’s immigration journey and her experience as a newcomer looking for opportunity in Philadelphia is an inspiration to our community. She is a remarkable and resilient woman, who has fought tirelessly to provide for and protect her family, while never turning off the light of her own dreams and ambitions.  

Amina and her family are from Aleppo Syria. Prior to the turmoil of the Syrian civil war, Amina describes her home as a place full of beautiful memories, love, and family. The outbreak of the war caused them daily terror and hardship. Amina’s life changed drastically when her husband sustained a severe eye injury during a bombing that permanently blinded his left eye. After that, Amina had no choice but to become the breadwinner for her family.  

In 2011, Amina and her family fled their war-torn home, seeking refuge in Turkey. Their time in Turkey was not without challenges and they faced many barriers as Syrian refugees. The interview process with the United Nations and negotiating with refugee resettlement programs took years. Her children were not welcomed in schools and had to work odd jobs to help support the family. Despite these difficulties, Amina remained determined to provide for her family and keep their hope alive. After six years, and with the help of a resettlement agency, the family moved into a new home in Northeast Philadelphia. 

It was this resettlement agency that helped her secured a custodial job at the Reading Terminal, where she found herself taken aback by the demanding nature of the work. Despite the loneliness she felt in this new role, she persisted, eventually realizing her desire to become a business owner. Amina recalls how she felt during her first many weeks in her new job:

“Honestly, I was shocked. I was not expecting that work to be so difficult. Being in that environment and looking around at all the vendors, I wanted to leave the job that I was doing. No one would help me. I just thought, between me and myself, that I wanted to do something for myself. I want to be a business owner. “

Her work ethic was not unnoticed. After six months, she was offered a full-time custodial job at the Market with benefits and a 401k—an offer she rejected. Anuj Gupta, then manager of the Market, remembers Amina and was determined to help her start her business:

“She is a hard worker, and that is probably why we went to her and said, ‘Do you like to work here full-time? We can give you paid vacation and a 401k and healthcare.’ And that’s when she said ‘No, I want to start my own business and I want to focus my time on that.’ So, we got started.”

Through sheer grit and the assistance of organizations like The Welcoming Center, Amina overcame every hurdle in her path. This arduous journey of entrepreneurship meant navigating through bureaucratic red tape and financial obstacles. It required the use of a licensed approved kitchen—a challenging process she navigated through successfully.  

Despite the challenges she continued to face, Amina remained undeterred, fueled by the hope for a better future and the support of her community. In less than a year, Amina‘s Foods was born. Her stall at Reading Terminal Market offered a taste of Syria, serving dishes that reflected her home and her culinary expertise.  

Like many others fighting to keep their businesses open during the pandemic, Amina was forced to close her stall at the Market. However, this didn’t stop her. Amina now works in catering and continues to sell her Philly-famous foods online. Her story serves as an inspiration to immigrants and entrepreneurs alike. We are so fortunate to have her as a part of our Welcoming Center community and we look forward to honoring her at this year’s Solas.