Shorouk Akarah
Outreach Intern - Fall 2024
Shorouk is an Outreach Intern for the Fall 2024 session. She is a senior at DePaul University and expects to graduate in 2025 with her BA in criminology and a minor in political science. She aspires to become a state prosecutor, so after graduating with her BA she plans on pursuing law school. Shorouk decided to join CAIR-Chicago because of her passion for civil rights as well as defending Muslim rights. Shorouk enjoys advocating for Palestine and human rights, by joining social justice movements in her spare time.
Nazrin Iskandarova
Outreach Intern - Fall 2024
Nazrin is an Outreach intern for CAIR-Chicago’s Fall 2024 session. She is a junior at Jones College Prep. She is very passionate about pursuing the pre-med track with the goal of becoming either a pediatrician or a humanitarian doctor. Nazrin joined CAIR-Chicago to contribute to a community that has faced persecutions in this country. She is looking forward to the opportunity to actively contribute towards building a more just future. In her free time, she enjoys exploring world history through podcasts, learning new languages, and is also an avid reader, especially fond of Khaled Hosseini's novels. At Jones College Prep, she is currently the Secretary of Science Olympiad, Media Manager of Women in STEM, and Vice President of the Muslim Student Association. Nazrin also loves cooking/baking traditional Azerbaijani dishes and speaks Azerbaijani and Turkish fluently, with conversational skills in Russian and Mandarin.
Vanesa Simic
Government Affairs Intern - Fall 2024
Vanesa Simic is a Government Affairs Intern at CAIR-Chicago. She is a student at DePaul University, where she is pursuing a major in History and a minor in Applied Diplomacy. She intends to attend law school and pursue a career as an attorney, specializing in international or asylum/refugee law. She chose to intern with CAIR-Chicago because she wanted to be a part of a civil rights organization that advocates for Muslims and provides them with the information required to advocate for themselves. As a daughter of refugees from Bosnia and Montenegro, she is especially passionate about volunteering with refugees and asylum-seekers. In her free time, she enjoys learning languages, and is currently learning Russian and has spent five years learning French.
Kamar Ahmed
Civil Rights Intern - Fall 2024
Kamar Ahmed is a Civil Rights Intern for the fall term at CAIR Chicago. She recently graduated from DePaul University in June of 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology. With a strong academic record, she was a part of the Criminal Justice Honor’s Society at Depaul known as Alpha Phi Sigma. Her passion for giving back to the community is one of the reasons she chose to intern at CAIR where she is looking forward to contributing to the work at CAIR. Interning with the Civil Rights Department will allow her to gain more experience into some of the legal aspects at CAIR. Her goal is to continue her education through law school and eventually become a criminal defense attorney.
Adnan Alhabian
Operations Intern - Fall 2024
Adnan Alhabian is a fall 2024 Operations intern at CAIR-Chicago. He recently graduated from DePaul University with a passion for social justice activism, particularly for the Arab and Muslim communities. Adnan is excited to support CAIR-Chicago’s mission in serving vulnerable populations and ensuring that their voices are heard. Through his internship, he aims to contribute to impactful initiatives that defend civil rights and promote justice. After completing his internship, Adnan hopes to continue advocating for marginalized communities and creating meaningful change. In his free time, he enjoys exploring Chicago’s cultural scene and staying active.
Jennifer Fraser
Communications Intern - Fall 2024
Jennifer Fraser is a Communications Intern for the Fall 2024 session. She has spent most of her career in healthcare and the beauty industry. In 2022, she decided to go back to school to finish up her bachelor's degree. She’s a senior at Southern New Hampshire University, where she studies Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and a Minor in Psychology. She’s excited to be part of the CAIR-Chicago team and hopes to work in nonprofit after graduation. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her nieces and nephew.
Hedaya Hasan
Communications Intern - Fall 2024
Hedaya Hasan is a Communications Intern for CAIR-Chicago’s Fall 2024 session. She is a proud Palestinian writer and designer based in Chicago. She is passionate about leveraging storytelling for social justice activism. Hedaya hopes to contribute to CAIR-Chicago’s core mission of defending civil rights with the power of media.
Ayesha Tabriz
Outreach Intern - Summer 2024
Ayesha is an Outreach Intern for the Summer 2024 session. She attends Universal School, where she is a rising senior in high school. Originally from Bangladesh but having grown up in Chicago, she strives to attend law school after college. She chose to intern at CAIR-Chicago because she believes that not only is it a phenomenal first step to gaining experience and exposure to the legal field, but it also provides an opportunity to connect with her community. Her other interests include debate, reading novels, playing piano, and spending time with her family.
Noraan Mohamed
Communications Intern - Summer 2024
Noraan Mohamed is a third-year Journalism and Political Science major at Northwestern University, with a minor in Creative Writing (poetry concentration) and a certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications. As a summer communications intern, she is passionate about writing for social justice and multimedia journalism. Growing up in the Chicagoland area, CAIR's mission deeply resonated with her, motivating her to support the Muslim community and advocate for Palestinians. While currently on a pre-law track, Noraan also aspires to pursue a career as a poet, author, and journalist. She enjoys classical music and plays clarinet in her college marching band. Noraan's interests include reading, podcasts, fashion, A24 movies, and she shares her home with five cats.
Leena Sfar
Communications Intern - Summer 2024
Leena Sfar is a Communications Intern at CAIR-Chicago. She is currently pursuing a double major in Philosophy and Cognitive Sciences at The University of Chicago. Leena has been an active member of the university community, serving as Secretary for the Muslim Students Association and being nominated for the 2024 Student Leader Award. Her passion for advocacy and community engagement led her to choose CAIR, where she aims to contribute to civil rights work while honing her legal writing skills, developed as a staff writer for the UChicago Undergraduate Law Magazine. Leena is fluent in Arabic, proficient in Spanish, and conversational in Brazilian Portuguese. In her spare time, she enjoys music, cooking, and rock climbing.
Claire Anderson
Communications Intern - Summer 2024
Claire Anderson is a summer Intern at CAIR-Chicago. She is currently a student at Walter Payton College Prep, which is the top 5th public high school in the United States. This is where she serves as a leader of her club Glossy Gals and a part of many clubs and activist programs. She chose CAIR because of her interests in muslim civil rights and wanting to make an impact in what is going on in todays society. She wants to identify social issues and dedicate herself to equality for all communities. Her interests include civil rights activism, business, and the relationship between communication in media with advocacy.
Giulianna Larson
Communications Intern - Summer 2024
Giulianna Larson is a summer Communications intern at CAIR-Chicago. She is a third-year student at Loyola University Chicago majoring in multimedia journalism with minors in Arabic, Spanish and political science. Giulianna is currently co-president of Loyola’s Refugee Coalition and serves as the Director of Outreach at Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America, a Chicago nonprofit. Giulianna feels one of her civic duties is to amplify the voices of people who are silenced by mainstream media and chose to intern at CAIR to be part of a mission to equitably serve the Chicago community through print and visual media. After college, she hopes to combine her passion for journalism and love for nonprofits to educate the global community about daily injustices. In Giulianna’s free time, she enjoys street photography, reading and linoleum block printing.
Lydia Berry
Civil Rights Intern - Summer 2024
Lydia Berry is a Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. She is a student at the University of Iowa College of Law. As an undergraduate at University of Iowa, she obtained a BA in History and French Studies minor. Lydia is from Des Moines, Iowa but has previously lived in Chicago, interning at the Alliance Française de Chicago. She looks forward towards working with CAIR-Chicago this summer towards advocating against Islamic discrimination. In her free time, Lydia enjoys yoga and finding new music.
Sufia Shariff
Civil Rights Intern - Summer 2024
Sufia M. Shariff is a Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. She is a rising 2L at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Prior to attending Law School, Sufia graduated with honors from the University of Kansas in 2023 with a Bachelor's degree in Business Marketing. Sufia's professional interests include international human rights and civil rights. She is excited to join CAIR, as she hopes to become a civil rights attorney and be of service to marginalized communities.
Zainab Ahmed
Civil Rights Intern - Summer 2024
Zainab Ahmed is a Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago and a 2L student at UIC Law, where she serves as the Vice President of the South Asian Law Student's Association. She graduated summa cum laude from UIC in 2022 with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and a minor in History and Law and Society. Zainab's interests include civil rights, international human rights law, domestic violence protection, and family law. She chose CAIR-Chicago because she is passionate about its mission to protect the community against religious discrimination.
Aisha Ali
Operations Intern - Summer 2024
Aisha Ali is a recent graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Criminology/Criminal Justice from Loyola University Chicago. Committed to social justice, Aisha is passionate about advocating for underserved Muslim communities in the U.S. and contributing to positive resolutions for issues in Palestine. Her internship at CAIR-Chicago is a step toward her goal of attending law school and pursuing a legal career focused on underprivileged communities. Fluent in both Urdu and English, Aisha is confident in bridging cultural divides and amplifying minority voices. In her free time, Aisha enjoys spending quality time with her family and running for relaxation.
Muzammil Mohammed Khan
Operations Intern - Summer 2024
Muzammil Mohammed Khan is an Operations Intern for CAIR-Chicago. He is studying for his Master's Degree in Public Administration (MPA) at the University of Illinois at Chicago, which requires a thorough understanding of budgeting, financial management, policy analysis, public management, and organizational leadership. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Health Information Management (HIM) and has served as the Vice President of the Health Information Management Student Government. He was a senator for social action and civil rights in Harper College's student government. Furthermore, he served as the President of Hoffman Estates High School's Muslim Student Association (MSA) and Cultural Awareness Club. He is passionate about international human rights, civil freedoms, interfaith relations, and cultural studies, which are among his professional interests.
Simra Shareef
Government Affairs Intern - Summer 2024
Simra Shareef is an intern for the Government Affairs division at CAIR-Chicago. She is a rising junior at Loyola University Chicago, studying Philosophy with a minor in Law & Politics on the pre-law track. Although she has yet to decide what type of law she wishes to specialize in, she hopes to play a pivotal role in uplifting Muslim voices in the Chicagoland area and beyond. She believes in the importance of Muslim civic engagement, voter activism, and grassroots mobilization to promote tolerance and fight discrimination. Simra values community involvement, having previously worked at the Office of Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi as a constituent services intern. She is also a trained barista who enjoys frequenting coffee shops, trying new restaurants, reading, traveling, and spending time with friends and family in her free time.
Wajeeha Amir
Government Affairs Intern - Summer 2024
Wajeeha is a Government Affairs intern at CAIR-Chicago. She is a junior at George Washington University, majoring in Political Science and Economics. Throughout middle and high school, she volunteered in her community, which fostered her interest in politics and law. Wajeeha joined CAIR-Chicago after studying in Washington, D.C., where she learned the importance of advocacy for Muslim Americans in government at the state, local, and federal levels, and the need for access to resources, especially regarding civil rights. She aspires to attend law school and become a civil rights and immigration attorney. In her free time, Wajeeha enjoys oil painting, reading, and baking.
Emily Ibrahim
Outreach Intern - Summer 2024
Emily Ibrahim is an Outreach Intern for CAIR-Chicago. She grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and is an upcoming senior at Loyola University studying Political Science, Global Studies, and Economics. As a Muslim and Palestinian-American, Emily is incredibly familiar with the presence of Islamophobia within the political and social settings of the United States. Emily chose to intern at CAIR-Chicago to combat this anti-Muslim rhetoric, as well as to empower Muslims in the Chicago community. Upon graduation, she plans on pursuing a Master’s Degree in International Affairs and eventually working for a nonprofit or international organization that provides humanitarian assistance to refugees. In her free time, she enjoys reading, running, and playing soccer.
Noora Hameeduddin
Outreach Intern - Summer 2024
Noora Hameeduddin is a rising sophomore at Northeastern University in Boston, but originally from a suburb of Chicago. She is currently a candidate for a Bachelor of Science in International Affairs and International Business with a concentration in Global Strategy and a minor in Law and Public Policy. At Northeastern University Noora is part of the International Relations Council, where she attends conferences for Model Debate such as Model Arab League, Model NATO, and Model UN. Noora hopes to become a lawyer in the future either within International Law or Corporate Law. Human rights, international relations, politics, and religion are all of importance to Noora. This past year, Noora had the ability to study abroad in London at Northeastern University London. In her free time, Noora enjoys traveling, listening to music, and hanging out with friends.
Laila Qureishi
Communications Intern - Winter/Spring/Summer 2024
Laila Qureishi is a 3rd year undergraduate student at DePaul University, studying Film and Television Production with a concentration in Directing, and a minor in Business. She hopes to create content that will inspire change and challenge stereotypes. Currently, Laila is a film director and screenwriter, but she also loves doing props/production design and anything related to the art department. In the future, she plans to start and run her own production company, with a focus on independent storytelling as well as community documentary journalism. Her dream is to one day become a travel documentarian and to tell the stories of the underrepresented. In her free time, she plays guitar, writes music, and does freelance photography as well. She also likes to read and write essays about topics that interest her and that are important to her. She looks forward to being able to apply her filmmaking skills as a communications intern, and become a better activist.
Lina Jaber
Junior Intern Winter/Spring 2024
Lina is an outreach intern for Spring 2024. She attends High School at Maine South. Originally from Iraq and raised in Chicago, her career aspirations are to practice immigration law. She chose to become a member of Cair Chicago because it offers her a fantastic opportunity to broaden her educational background and hone her social abilities, such as promoting understanding and fighting for civil rights. It's an opportunity to learn about advocacy and the law, obtain practical experience, and improve her community. Her interests include learning new things, helping others, and watching soccer.
Manal Amjad
Operations Intern - Winter/Spring 2024
Manal Amjad is a fourth-year student at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) studying Applied Psychology. She is passionate about promoting justice and empowering American Muslims. Therefore, she is excited to join CAIR-Chicago and assist in advocating for marginalized groups who need a voice to speak for them. Manal is hoping to get her Masters’ in Applied Behavior Analysis and work with individuals with special needs. During the summer, she loves to work as a Daycare Teacher’s Assistant and teach children about the wonders of life. As someone who is bilingual, fluent in Urdu and English, she hopes to connect her culture with this passion to amplify underrepresented vocies and address systemic injustices. In her free time, Manal loves to go to the beach in the summer and have picnics with her family on her hot summer days.
Addison Haywood
Junior Intern - Winter/Spring 2024
Addison is currently a junior at Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School. She aspires to attend a 4-year university, with a major in political science, and successively pursue law school where she will strive to become a Civil Rights attorney. Addison is interested in advocacy and policy being extended to the youth. She is a part of the Mayor’s Youth Commission of Chicago, where she is a member of the Education and Youth Engagement committee, working to extend equitable and adequate education to all. During her free time, she enjoys binge-watching TV and hanging out with friends.
Jenna Phillips
Government Affairs - Winter/Spring 2024
Jenna is a third-year undergraduate at Loyola University Chicago, majoring in economics and political science. Originally from Rhode Island, she moved to Chicago to experience life in a big city. In high school, she organized a service club and developed a passion for social justice, which she continues to pursue in college. While Jenna doesn't have a specific career path yet, she is committed to public service, whether as an activist, policymaker, or in another socially-conscious role promoting justice, equity, and peace. She once considered law school and remains open to that possibility in the future. Jenna's interest in CAIR stems from a transformative trip to Palestine, where she realized the importance of understanding social justice issues more deeply. She applied for this internship to contribute positively to her community in Chicago. Outside of work and classes, Jenna enjoys exploring Chicago with friends, reading classics, and spending time with her cat, Daysy.
Aleena Ahmed
Civil Rights Law Clerk - Winter/Spring 2024
Aleena is currently a 2L at DePaul University College of Law School, where she is receiving her certificate in Intellectual Property law. In addition to her coursework, Aleena also serves as the Chair of Community Outreach for the Muslim Law Students Association. Aleena graduated from Loyola University of Chicago in 2021 with a Bachelor's degree in both Political Science and Global/International Studies and received a minor in Arabic Culture and Civilization. Aleena joined CAIR because its purpose and values spoke to her dreams as a future lawyer- to give those who may not be heard a voice. Eager to continue her work in civil rights law, Aleena aspires to contribute to transformative cases that address systemic issues and make a lasting societal impact.
Shagufta Syeda
Civil Rights Law Clerk - Winter/Spring 2024
Shagufta is a recent graduate from UCLA School of Law. She completed her LL.M. and specialized in Human Rights Law with a Pro Bono Distinction. She aspires to become a civil rights and human rights law attorney after clearing the Bar Exam. Her aim is to contribute to the advocacy for challenging oppressive and discriminatory practices, increased access to legal aid, and the fair and just representation of people from different communities facing institutional discrimination and systemic oppression. She also wishes to work towards integrating intersectionality into the field of legal advocacy. Shagufta’s hobbies include organizing and managing programs and events, participating in and organizing conferences on international law/human rights/civil rights, travelling, volunteering, doing charity work, and exploring new cultures and cuisines. Apart from civil rights and human rights, she takes keen interest in the advancement of Sexual and Reproductive Rights of women and children.
Kehkashan Hussaini
Civil Rights Law Clerk - Winter/Spring 2024
Kehkashan Hussaini is a 3rd-year Pre-Law student at the Illinois Institute of Technology where she is majoring in Global Studies and minoring in Architecture. As part of Illinois Tech’s Honors Law Program, she will pursue her law degree at Kent College of Law. She joined CAIR because its mission resonated with her aspirations as a future lawyer: to give underrepresented groups a platform to ignite change. Her goal is to unite Muslim communities under the mission of advocating for each other, regardless of background and identity. She is a freelance Photographer and Graphic Designer, the Vice President of Finances for Illinois Tech’s Camras Scholar Program and was a Law Intern at the Kankakee Courthouse this past summer. She looks forward to learning and improving under CAIR Chicago’s guidance.
Omar Shalabi
Operations Intern - Winter/Spring 2024
Passionate Pre-Law senior at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), majoring in Finance, with a profound commitment to justice and service. Excited about the prospect of joining CAIR and dedicated to a future in law, I also bring a wealth of experience from my active engagement with local masjids (mosques) in my community. Having spent considerable time managing youth programs, I have played a vital role in partaking, creating, and overseeing initiatives that foster the holistic development of young Muslims. This includes educational programs, values-based teaching, and organizing camps that provide enriching experiences for personal and social growth. In addition to youth program management and teaching, my involvement extends to fundraising efforts for the community. I have actively contributed to organizing events and campaigns, understanding the importance of financial support for sustaining and enhancing the programs that make a positive impact. Fluent in both English and Arabic, my cultural insights are further enriched by a decade of living in the Middle East.
Evelyn Ronan
Junior Intern - Winter/Spring 2024
Evelyn is a high school senior at Jones College Prep in the South Loop area. She hopes to attend a 4-year university and graduate with a BA in comparative religion and theology. She is passionate about helping others learn about the scriptural cannons and tenets of each religion and does so through blogging and posting interviews with religious officials from around the city. She also enjoys visiting different religious sites like churches and temples and photographing them. Evelyn is currently helping conduct religious and sociology-based research at a local university and hopes to continue doing something similar in college. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies and rating movie soundtracks.
Kanyshai Saiakbaeva
Outreach Intern - Winter/Spring 2024
Kanyshai Saiakbaeva is a Ph.D. student in Community Psychology at National Louis University. Her research focuses on understanding Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiments in the United States for her dissertation. Currently, she works as a research assistant, focusing on resistance to equity in public safety policies. Excited about her internship with CAIR, Kanyshai looks forward to aligning her research interests and commitment to combating discrimination with the organization's mission. Kanyshai earned her Bachelor’s in Psychological Counseling and Guidance from Istanbul University in Turkey and later pursued a Master's in Applied Psychology at the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. In her free time, Kanyshai enjoys exploring new destinations, being in nature, and spending time with loved ones.
Rasheedah Na’Allah
Government Affairs Intern - Winter/Spring 2024
Rasheedah Na’Allah is a sophomore at the University of Illinois Chicago. There, she studies sociology with a minor in entrepreneurship while being in the honors program. She has had a passion for minority group advocacy since a young age, forming research reports on racial disparities in the education system, speaking at her high school, and planning city-wide forums on the topic that means the most to her---Equity. She is the youngest member of Peoria, Illinois’s Racial Justice and Equity Steering Committee. She also serves on UIC’s Dean of LAS advisory board where she influences administrative changes at school by shedding light on the student experience. She has held an admiration for CAIR since high school when they helped her MSA receive the tools they needed to be allowed to pray at school. She is ecstatic to now be on their team as a Government Affairs intern where she will be helping the Muslim community receive the resources they need to be engaged public citizens as well as conducting legislative research and analysis. She enjoys freelance writing, yoga, and cooking in her free time and she hopes to one day be an owner of a health and wellness center geared towards the Muslimah community.
Mary Kenah
Outreach Intern - Winter/Spring 2024
Mary is a 4th-year undergraduate student at Loyola University Chicago where she is majoring in Global Studies and minoring in Anthropology and Spanish. A proud Chicago native, Mary is guided in her passion for social justice through her experiences growing up and living in the city’s southwest side. She is excited to join CAIR-Chicago in supporting advocacy, education, and the defense of civil rights for Muslims in the U.S. She is looking forward to exploring her interests of interfaith education, youth leadership development, and social justice during her time with CAIR. In her free time, Mary enjoys hanging out with her sisters and friends and exploring different cultures through Chicago’s diverse food and art scene.