AIAP San Diego upcoming events

Social Gathering at El Pueblo Mexican Food & Bar (14-May-2026)

Fri, 15 May 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Please join us for our next social gathering at El Pueblo Mexican Food & Bar in Carmel Valley. Invite your friends and join us for a great chance to socialize and unwind

Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026

Time: 6 PM - 9 PM

Address: 5965 Village Way Suite 107, San Diego, CA 92130

Phone: 858-925-7129

Located in The Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch

Please email us at: admin@aiap.org, for more information.

May Hike at Cuyamaca Peak in Descanso, CA (24-May-2026)

Sun, 24 May 2026 15:30:00 GMT

AIAP’s May 2026 Hike

Cuyamaca Peak

Sunday May 24, 2026

The AIAP hike for this month will be Cuyamaca Peak in Descanso, CA. More information about the trail here.

Meeting Time & Location:

We meet at the park (Trailhead) at 8:15 AM and start promptly at 8:30 AM.

Rideshare option location: North county mall in front of Macy’s, in the parking lot.

Rideshare option time: 7:00 AM to gather and 7:15 AM drive to the Cuyamaca Trail.

Hike Details:

The Cuyamaca Peak Trailhead is located in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, starting from the Paso Picacho Campground, offering a popular hike to the summit with panoramic views of San Diego County. The trail, often via Lookout Road, is a moderate, year-round hike that can be done as a loop or out-and-back, with facilities like restrooms and picnic tables available at the campground. A day-use fee is required for parking.

Important Reminders:
Please bring enough water, breakfast to share, a personal cup of tea, water and wear comfortable hiking boots.
We will have breakfast in the park.

Note: AIAP does not assume any responsibility for the safety and security of hikers, and shall not be held liable for any accident, injury, loss of property or damages as a result of joining the hiking event set up by AIAP. All hikers join the hiking events at their free will and assume all the accidental dangers of a hiking event, and shall not hold AIAP liable for any bodily, financial, or property damages.

May General Meeting - 2026 (27-May-2026)

Thu, 28 May 2026 01:30:00 GMT

Join us for our timely General Meeting, featuring a powerful panel on trauma, PTSD, and the lasting impact of these experiences on both the body and mind.

In light of current events and their emotional impact on the Iranian American community, this discussion will explore how trauma lives within us, shaping our thoughts, behaviors, and physical responses long after events have passed.

Our distinguished panelists include Sherri Ardekani, LCSW, Dr. Behnaz Makki, and Dr. Navid Zamani, PhD, LMFT. Together, they will offer insight into healing, self-care strategies, and culturally grounded approaches to resilience. The event is open to the public and free for members, creating an inclusive space for learning, reflection, and connection.

Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Time: 6:30 - 9:00 pm

Location: Sufi Mediterranean Restaurant, 5915 Balboa Ave, SD, CA 92111

The event is free but registration required

Topic: Healing Together: Navigating Trauma in the Iranian Community

Shervin "Sherri" Ardekani LCSW is a psychotherapist with over 24 years of extensive expertise in individual and group therapy, specializing in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and clinical supervision. She is adept in substance abuse treatment, risk assessment, and treatment planning, with a foundation in family counseling and cognitive behavior therapy. Sherri is committed to fostering a supportive therapeutic environment and enhancing the skills of social workers through clinical supervision, while aspiring to innovate therapeutic practices for improved client outcomes. Sherri is a DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician.

Dr. Behnaz Makki graduated from Azad University in Iran, where she earned a PhD in Guidance and Counseling, along with Master’s degrees in Educational Psychology and Guidance and Counseling. Her doctoral research explored the effects of art and music on mental health. She has contributed extensively to academic and professional communities through published research articles. Her work also includes both authorship and translation of several books, including Education for Children, The Tree of Life, Who Am I, The Pathology of Paranoid Personality Disorder in Couple Interactions, A New Beginning, and Art and Psychology. Dr. Makki’s academic and professional focus centers on counseling, psychology, and the arts, with particular attention to social well-being, parenting, and life skills.

Navid Zamani, PhD, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in San Diego, CA. He specializes in working with refugee and immigrant communities, with a particular focus on families impacted by domestic violence. As a Farsi-speaking Iranian-American therapist, he integrates decolonial and post-structural feminist perspectives within a narrative therapy framework. Navid is the Chief Clinical Officer at License to Freedom, a nonprofit serving Middle Eastern refugee communities. His research and scholarship center on domestic violence epistemology and practice, the role of affect in narrative therapy, supporting couples navigating violence and high conflict, and advancing linguistic justice for multilingual communities.

Language: Farsi and English