2011
Dima Ansari
Communications Intern – Fall '11
Dima is a Communications Intern at CAIR-Chicago. She attends the University of Illinois at Chicago and will graduate with a Bachelors in English and a concentration in Media, Rhetorical, and Cultural Studies in December 2011. Dima completed and presented her Senior Thesis about the interrelationship of verbal, written, and body language between a tutor and a writer at UIC’s Writing Center. Writing is her passion, and she wants to continue her career in Communications. She strongly believes that writing is a complex and multi-dimensional art that requires the full involvement of the writer’s whole identity.
Aabeda Masra
Communications Intern – Fall '11
Aabeda is a Communications Intern at CAIR-Chicago and a senior at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is majoring in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, by mainly focusing on writing love stories. While working towards her long-term goal of publishing short stories, Aabeda decided to join CAIR-Chicago as a Public Relations intern and help fight Islamophobia. After being bullied in eighth grade, Aabeda realized suffering silently never helps anyone. She loves to talk, therefore, chose Communication as her minor as well as Sociology.
Evan Gelles
Civil Rights Intern – Fall '11
Evan Gelles is a Civil Rights Intern at CAIR-Chicago. He graduated with honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in psychology and a minor in political science. Evan has experience in non-profit organizations as well as research; he recently engaged in an independent research project in which he examined whether second generational racial problems exist in his largely Caucasian hometown. He is currently applying to law schools and interning as a law clerk at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. He enjoys listening to Illmatic in his free time.
Ben Small
Communications Intern – Summer '11
Ben is a Communications intern at CAIR-Chicago. He has moved to Chicago for four months on a temporary work visa from his native England where he recently graduated with a 2:1 degree classification in History and Geography from the University of Leeds. His studies focused largely on social issues, political activism and modern European cities. He also wrote a historical thesis on racial segregation in Chicago during his final year, arguing that the city’s public institutions perpetuated a form of de jure segregation. His interest in social issues and their depiction in the media, as well as a passion for writing, led him to discover the intern opportunity in the communications department of CAIR-Chicago as he seeks to pursue a career in the non-profit or public sector. Whilst in the States, he is also writing for the weekly newspaper Newcity Chicago. In his spare time, Ben enjoys vegetarian food, live music and being an ardent follower of football (soccer).
Kinza Khan
Communications Intern – Summer '11
Kinza is a Communications intern at CAIR-Chicago. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in December 2010 where she received a Bachelor’s degree in international studies. Her focus was on the Middle East and the Arabic language, and she studied abroad in Cairo, Egypt for one semester. She also had minors in political science and Islamic world studies. Her professional interests include international relations, human rights, social justice, and politics. Kinza looks forward to starting law school at DePaul University College of Law in August 2011, where she hopes to focus on international human rights law and immigration law.
Noor Salahuddin
Communications Intern – Summer '11
Noor is a Communications intern at CAIR-Chicago. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago where she received a Bachelor’s degree in English literature. Noor is interested in post-colonialism, colonial theory and South Asian and European history. Her professional interests include teaching these subjects as a professor after attending graduate school. Noor will be working with media relations and writing responses to news articles at CAIR-Chicago’s Communications Department.
Becky Fogel
Communications Intern – Summer '11
Becky Fogel is a Communications intern at CAIR-Chicago. As an undergraduate at Scripps College in California, Becky majored in History with a focus on the Middle East. Her senior thesis examined colonial representations of Palestinian women in Mandate-period media and the ways in which these images were used to support foreign occupation. Looking at the connections between media representations, political policies, and access to power, led Becky to want to get involved with CAIR-Chicago. As both a religious minority and grandchild of Holocaust survivors, Becky feels particularly strongly about challenging religious discrimination and misinformation about Islam. In addition to her internship at CAIR-Chicago, Becky works as a Resource Specialist for the Economic Empowerment Services program at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago.
Aymen Abdel Halim
Communications Extern – Summer '11
Aymen Abdel Halim is a summer 2011 communications extern at CAIR-Chicago. Aymen is currently a graduate student in the Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts program at San Francisco State University. He is interested in media research, theory, and criticism, and more specifically, in the effects of media portrayals of Arabs and Muslims on Arab and Muslim communities in the U.S. He recently co-authored a book chapter on the impact of TV news on the self-conception of Arab and Muslim youth and is continuing independent research on the effects of Arab and Muslim media representation in the U.S. Aymen is also a radio and video producer and is currently working on a documentary film about Palestinian life in the West Bank and Gaza.
Jenn Schanz
Communications Intern – Summer '11
Jenn is a Journalism/Communications Intern at CAIR-Chicago. Approaching her senior year at DePaul University, she is on the Dean’s list and the Opinions Editor of the university newspaper, "The DePaulia." Before interning at CAIR, Jenn spent time at the Chicago Tribune and NBC5, where she worked as an intern for Political Editor Carol Marin. Jenn's interest in the Muslim-community began after noticing how Islamophobia penetrated the mainstream media after September 11th, 2001, which she saw as a detriment to the Muslim and non-Muslim community alike. Since then, she has spent time studying in North Africa and continues to learn Arabic. Envisioning a career that combines politics, new media, and traveling, Jenn hopes to combine her passions of human rights advocacy and diligent reporting by working abroad in the Middle East. Jenn is on track to graduate Summa Cum Laud from DePaul with a Bachelors degree in Journalism in June 2012. When Jenn is writing, she is probably doing yoga.
Anum Qadir
Outreach Intern – Summer '11
Anum Qadir is a Summer Youth Development intern at CAIR-Chicago. Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, she is currently studying Public Policy and Economics at the University of Chicago. She is also active on campus through the Muslim Students Association, the South Asian Students Association, and UChicago for Pakistan, a student organization spreading awareness and raising funds for the 2010 Pakistani floods. Anum chose CAIR to help cultivate youth leadership in the Muslim community and for her interest in promoting a positive image of Muslims in the U.S. Her interests include music, Pixar movies, hiking, and baking.
Clement Yu
Government Affairs Intern – Summer '11
Clement Yu is a rising senior at Boston College, double majoring in Theology and Philosophy, and double minoring in Faith Peace & Justice and Arabic Studies. His interest in Middle Eastern culture began with a mission trip to Mokattam in Cairo, Egypt, and his continuing study of Arabic thereafter has brought him to countries such as Kuwait, Egypt, and the UAE. Through the invaluable cultural and religious experiences that he experienced during his time abroad, Clement ultimately chose to come on board with CAIR-Chicago because of the organization’s vision to promote justice and mutual understanding of Islam while preserving civil rights. In his spare time, he enjoys having meaningful conversations, playing basketball, and rooting for the New York Mets.
Ian Peterson
Government Affairs Intern – Summer '11
Ian is a policy research intern for the Government Affairs Department at CAIR-Chicago for the summer of 2011. Originally from Lake Orion, Michigan, Ian is studying political science with a pre-law emphasis at Michigan State University. Ian plans to continue his studies in law school upon completion of his degree this year, and will look to focus on international law, public policy, and civil rights protection. Ian became interested in Muslim affairs after taking several classes at Michigan State that focused on politically disadvantaged groups, human rights, and political empowerment. This learning experience combined with his interest in politics and promoting equality for all groups of people led Ian to seek a summer internship with CAIR-Chicago. During his internship, Ian hopes to learn as much as he can about Muslim-American life and help promote tolerance and activism throughout the political system. During his free time, Ian enjoys being a sports fanatic, keeping up with the political world, and spending time on the golf course.
Eman Salah
Government Affairs Intern – Summer '11
Eman is a summer Government Affairs Intern at CAIR-Chicago. Eman is a junior at Northeastern Illinois University and majoring in Criminal Justice and strives to eventually go to law school. She moved to Chicago just recently to further pursue her education and career. Since then, she has volunteered in various Islamic affiliated works including being an active member in her local mosque, working for Islamic Conferences, as well as being a part of the Muslim Student Association in her university. Eman has interests in civil rights, social justice, religion, and politics. She chose to be involved in CAIR-Chicago to provide a voice for Muslims in Illinois and bridge the gap between Muslims and people of other faiths. She is looking forward to this journey!
Nabila Siddqi
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Nabila Siddqi is a Civil Rights Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. She is a second year student at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. Nabila graduated from Benedictine University in 2010 with a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences. Her professional interests include immigration law, civil rights issues, and international law. Nabila’s other interests include photography, painting, traveling, and eating.
Eyad Tabahi
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Eyad Tabahi is a Civil Rights Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. He is a rising second year student at Chicago-Kent College of Law. Eyad graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in Business Institutions. His professional interests include business law, litigation, immigration law, criminal law, and international law. Eyad’s interests beyond law school include politics, traveling, learning new languages, and marketing.
Mark McGinn
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Mark McGinn is a civil rights law clerk at CAIR-Chicago. He is a rising second year law student at The John Marshall Law School. Mark graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a degree in History. While at Illinois, he worked as a First Year Campus Acquaintance Rape Educator, as a teaching assistant for the Fraternity Peer Rape Education Program, and was a member of Men Against Sexual Violence. He is pursuing a career in public interest and civil rights law. Mark plans to use his law degree to work for equal rights for men and women of all races. Mark plans to use his experience at CAIR-Chicago to learn more about Islam and spread awareness of discrimination against the Muslim community.
Amro Shamaileh
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Amro Shamaileh is a Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. Amro is currently pursuing a law degree at Indiana University – Bloomington. As a Law Clerk for CAIR-Chicago, Amro works with victims of discrimination in order to help them receive proper relief. His professional interests include business law and civil rights. He spends his free time playing sports or reading books about finance, psychology, history or religion. Amro graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Mathematics.
Praveen Ayyagari
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Praveen is a Civil Rights Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. He just finished his first year at DePaul University College of Law where he interns at the International Human Rights Law Institute. Praveen also serves as a child advocate for the University of Chicago’s Immigrant Child Advocacy Project. Praveen’s professional interests include international law, human rights, and immigration law. Prior to law school Praveen received a BA in Communications (specializing in Radio-Television-Film) from the University of Texas where he specialized in documentary and experimental film. Praveen is also a professional musician and his songs have been featured on NPR and many popular blogs. In his personal life, Praveen enjoys writing music, taking pictures, reading, and traveling.
Michael Ibrahim
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Law Clerk Michael is a second year student at DePaul University College of Law. He is currently working at CAIR-Chicago as an Equal Justice Works Fellow, and received the 2011 Cudahy Fellowship. He is a member of the International Human Rights Law Institute. Prior to law school, Michael worked as an Immigrant Tutor at Heartland Alliance. He also worked at Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation’s “Law & Health Project.” Michael is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he studied Political Science and International Studies, focusing heavily on human rights, genocide, and ethnic conflict. His current interests in law include Immigration, Human Rights, and International Law. His interests beyond law include soccer, rugby, and cars. Michael is a proud, life-long supporter of Arsenal Football Club.
Michael Nixon
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Michael Timothy Nixon is a Civil Rights Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. He is a rising second-year law student at the John Marshall Law School. He is a member of the Student Bar Association Community Service & Financial Aid Committees. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Illinois Bar Association, Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity, and the Black Law Students Association Community Service Committee. Michael also serves as a BARBRI Student Representative for his section. Michael graduated in 2009 with a bachelors degree in Political Science from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. In August 2009 - August 2010, Michael served as Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) on the campus of the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His professional interests include civil rights, religious liberty, fair housing, and sports law. In his free time, Michael enjoys sports, religion, prayer, music, reading, and traveling. Michael is excited about the opportunity to work with CAIR and is committed to contributing in any and every way possible.
Patrick Cowlin
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Patrick Cowlin is a Civil Rights Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. He is a rising 3L at DePaul University College of Law. Patrick graduated with Distinction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in Finance. At DePaul Law, he has spent time working as an intern at the International Human Rights Law Institute and had the opportunity to spend a summer in China working with a human rights NGO in Beijing. Patrick enjoys travelling and learning about new cultures, distance running, playing and listening to music, and, most of all, eating good food.
Zeena Barazanji
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Zeena Barazanji is a Civil Rights Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. She is about to start her second year of law school at DePaul University. Zeena graduated with honors from the University of Iowa with a degree in International Studies, with focuses in Human Rights and International Relations and Politics. Before moving to Chicago, she interned at the Polk County Attorney General’s Office, the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights, and Hispanic Outreach Legal Assistance. Her interests include immigration law, international human rights, and civil rights advocacy. She hopes to pursue a career in International Law concentrating on Human Rights.
Adam Ansari
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Adam Ansari is a Civil Rights Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. He is a second-year law student at the John Marshall Law School. He is a member of the Middle Eastern Law Students Association and the Real Estate Law Student Chapter. Adam graduated from Boston University in 2008 with a BA in International Relations and Economics. During his undergraduate career, Adam interned at the Hudson Institute working at the Center for Democracy Promotion within the Middle East. He also worked as a contributory writer under Husain Haqqani, the current Pakistani Ambassador to the United States. Prior to Law School, Adam served as a Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) at the American Red Cross in Indianapolis. Adam hopes to eventually aid in the advancement of Muslims around the world and help change the misperceptions about Islam within the United States.
Kelli Bollin
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Kelli Bollin is a Civil Rights Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. She is a student at Chicago-Kent College of Law and is working towards certificates in public interest and international law. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in French. Her professional interests include civil rights and human rights law. Kelli would like to use her legal career to bring positive change to people’s lives and hopes her internship with CAIR-Chicago will be the first step towards that goal.
Karim Azeb
Civil Rights Intern – Summer '11
Karim Azeb is a junior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, majoring in Political Science and History. After graduation, he plans to apply to law school with a concentration in International Law. As an intern, he hopes to develop new skills that will positively impact his future in law, while simultaneously helping clients within the Chicago-Muslim community. In his spare time, he likes to read, watch the news, play soccer and devotedly follows the best soccer team in Egypt, Al Ahly.
Paul Coogan
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Paul Coogan is a Civil Rights Law Clerk. He's going into his second year at The John Marshall Law School. Paul graduated from Marquette University in 2009 with a degree in psychology. Prior to going to law school, he did a year of service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in San Francisco. Paul worked at the Eviction Defense Collaborative, a legal clinic that helped low-income clients defend their eviction lawsuits and maintain their housing whenever possible. He hope to pursue a career in public interest and civil rights law. Paul is thrilled to have the opportunity to work at CAIR and hopes to help eliminate some of the stereotypes and misconceptions that so many in this country hold. It's his goal to be able to use his law degree to truly help others and to make a difference.
Monica Uribe
Law Clerk – Summer '11
Monica Uribe is a Civil Rights Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. She is a graduate of Baylor University where she earned a Bachelor's degree is Music Performance, with a concentration in saxophone. Monica is currently a second-year law student at Chicago-Kent College of Law. She is a member of the United Nations Association (UNA-USA), the International Law Society, the Hispanic Latino Law Student Association, the Immigration Law Society, National Lawyers Guild, and Chicago-Kent Lambdas. Her professional interests include international human rights, immigration, and human trafficking. A native Texan, Monica enjoys good barbecue, iced tea, and watching football.
Alexander Demas
Government Affairs Intern – Summer '11
Alexander Demas is a Government Affairs intern at CAIR-Chicago. He is currently a senior at Northwestern University pursuing a Bachelor’s degree majoring in both Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Civilizations and International Studies. Alex has built his character off of three values that have been instilled in him from a young age; responsibility, loyalty, and consideration. Building off of this foundation, Alex has made it his responsibility to uphold equality amongst others. In promoting equality he has remained loyal and considerate to not only his friends and family but to those who are in great need of encouragement, strength, and understanding. These qualities Alex hopes to share with CAIR-Chicago and the people who CAIR-Chicago seeks to help. Alex previously interned at the Summit County Board of Elections where he worked on a number of political campaigns and gained an understanding of state legislature and electoral processes. Alex hopes to be a diplomat working in the global community in the future. In the meantime, he spends his time studying, staying active and in shape, and enjoying the company of others.