2015
Humaa Siddiqi
Civil Rights Intern – Fall ’15
Humaa is a senior studying political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She lives in Roselle, Illinois and aspires to attend law school in the near future. She is also president/founder of the UIC chapter of Amnesty International, a student organization which focuses on human rights issues taking place both internationally and in the U.S. Humaa is proud to be interning at CAIR-Chicago for all its accomplishments and efforts to help those facing social injustice.
Robert Cotter
Civil Rights Intern – Fall ’15
Robert is a Spring 2015 graduate of Illinois State University where he majored in Secondary English Education and graduated with a license to teach English/Language Arts in grades 6-12. At ISU, he was a member of Sigma Tau Delta, English Honors Society, and was a recipient of the Greenebaum Memorial Fund Scholarship for academic excellence in English education. Currently, Robert is a substitute teacher at Evanston Township High School, an English and ACT Prep tutor at Sylvan Learning Center, and in the process of applying to law schools for the Fall of 2016. Robert is greatly honored by the opportunity to intern at CAIR-Chicago, and is proud to play a role in the work of this great organization.
Mahdi Muhammad
Government Affairs Intern – Fall ’15
Mahdi Muhammad is a native of Chicago. He is a senior Political Science major at Purdue University Calumet, Mahdi has taken an interest in education and politics. Islamic Studies have become of particular importance to Mahdi. Mahdi has spent the past 4 year as a youth mentor with Bridging the Gap a Non- for Profit organization on Chicago's Southside. Bridging the Gap focuses on the development of educating, civic-minded young people preparing them for tomorrow. In his free time, he enjoys being with family, friends. He also enjoys traveling Mahdi is excited to be working with CAIR this fall as a Governmental Relations intern.
Vanessa Valadez
Communications Intern – Fall ’15
Vanessa Valadez is a Chicago-based cartoonist and illustrator. She received her BFA degree in Illustration from Columbia College in Chicago and currently resides in the Logan Square neighborhood. Her artwork is inspired by children’s books, video games, cartoons, comics, and real life. Her work has appeared in Southside Weekly, The Columbia Chronicle, and numerous alternative comic books. Vanessa first became interested in cartooning and illustration when an unhealthy obsession for The Simpsons blossomed in the early 90s. An extreme interest in humor based comics (Garfield, Foxtrot, Calvin and Hobbes, etc.) would follow shortly after. When she’s not drawing, Vanessa enjoys guitar playing, photography, and taunting her roommates from across their apartment. She has developed a routine of doodling while watching dogs sniff each other at the park and is frequently saddened by her roommate’s dog allergy. Vanessa makes a conscious effort to travel as much as possible before the weight of adult responsibility inevitably sucks the fervor from her fragile, lifeless body. She also enjoys smoothies.
Ryeshia Farmer
Communications Intern – Fall ’15
Ryeshia Farmer is a junior at Carthage College, double majoring in Great Ideas and English with a Creative Writing Concentration and minoring in political science. Her experiences in journalistic advocacy, studies in political science, and inspiration from Martha Nussbaum’s novel, Creating Capabilities, ignited her passion for using journalism as a form of advocacy. However, Ryeshia realised this passion through staff reporting for her college’s news publication and writing r&b music and spoken word poetry. Ryeshia hopes that her time at CAIR Chicago will improve her writing style and engage her in cultural and political research. Aside from writing, Ryeshia enjoys community service and spending time with loved ones. She is a member of Kappa Phi Eta Social Service Sorority and held positions on the executive board of Carthage’s Black Student Union during her first two years at Carthage.
Najlah Iqbal
Outreach Intern – Fall ’15
Najlah Iqbal is a fall outreach intern at CAIR-Chicago. She is currently in her third year at Northeastern Illinois University in hopes of receiving a bachelors in English and Secondary Education. She chose to work for CAIR-Chicago because of the opportunity to help others, also because of her growing interest in social justice issues. She is a poet whose work has been published in SEEDS, her university literary magazine. She likes to go for runs, read books, and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Mary Byrne
Communications Intern – Fall ’15
Mary is a senior at Loyola University Chicago majoring in journalism with minors in Arabic and sociology. In the spring of her junior year, Mary spent several months in Rabat, Morocco enrolled in the School for International Training, where she reported a feature-length story on the human rights of migrants in Morocco. In the four months she spent in Rabat, Mary became interested in learning and understanding more about the Islamic culture, particularly in how it is represented in the media. Her semester abroad inspired her interest in CAIR-Chicago, where she hopes to improve her cross-cultural communication skills. In the future, Mary hopes to work at a nonprofit where she can use her journalism education and her understanding of cross-cultural communication to improve the representation of various groups of people as they are portrayed in the media. Mary is an Irish dancer, an adventurous eater and a social media fanatic.
Dania Mukahhal
Communications Intern – Summer/Fall ’15
Dania is a recent graduate from Columbia College Chicago where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design. Dania hopes to utilize her skills in visual communication towards social justice through raising awareness about bigotry and discrimination. Dania has a passion for organizing and aspires to travel.
Joseph Kerins
Civil Rights Intern– Summer ’15
Joseph is a rising senior at DePaul University majoring in Economics and Geography. Joseph has worked for the past 2 years in DePaul's Financial Services Office, providing personal finance education and resources to students. His studies have focused primarily on public and community banking, as well as the U.S. and international financial system. Joseph recently received an award on research he presented at the DePaul-UIC student conference on New Zealand's postal banking system. Joseph is also a former volunteer of CAIR-Chicago's Outreach Department and is excited to be exposed to legal work in the Civil Rights Department. Joseph is interested in consumer law/advocacy and civil rights. He hopes to be able to play a supportive role in U.S. financial reform.
James Mroz
Government Affairs Intern– Summer ’15
James Mroz is a 2015 Government Affairs Intern at CAIR-Chicago. He is a second year African and Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic double major at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). A native of the northwest suburbs of Chicago, James first learned of CAIR while researching the local Muslim community for a high school project. Due to his strong interest in the Middle East, Islam, and policy, James feels that CAIR-Chicago will offer valuable experience in all of his professional and academic interests and allow him to gain a unique insight into the Muslim community of Chicago and the surrounding areas. Outside of his internship and his studies, James enjoys debating topics related to international relations in Model United Nations and exploring different cities on bike while searching for unique and delicious food.
John Jefferson
PILI Graduate Fellow– Summer ’15
John Jefferson is a PILI Graduate fellow at CAIR-Chicago. He attended Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California for his undergraduate studies, and Chicago-Kent College of Law for law school. Following his undergraduate studies, John taught middle school English and Language Arts in Tulsa, Oklahoma. John joined CAIR-Chicago to help individuals who are victims of racial and religious discrimination.
John Vanderkloot
Government Affairs Intern– Summer ’15
John Vanderkloot is a recent graduate of Boston University where he majored in History. His particular focus while in school included international relations and colonial/postcolonial studies. During his time at CAIR, John hopes to continue expanding upon his knowledge of the Muslim community and to promote tolerance and understanding. His interests consist of reading, travel, skiing, Chicago Blackhawks hockey and Chicago Bears football.
Michal Kranz
Communications Intern– Summer ’15
Michal Kranz is a Communications Intern at CAIR for Summer ’15. He is an incoming third year History and Sociology major at the University of Chicago, with a personal focus on modern Middle Eastern history and geopolitics. Michal is passionate about working with marginalized groups like Muslim-Americans to fight for their social and civil rights through writing and activism, and writes for several papers in Hyde Park, Chicago like the South Side Weekly in hopes of pursuing journalism professionally after college. Michal joined CAIR in order to gain a richer understanding of issues facing Muslim-Americans and Muslims around the world and to be able to use his writing and communication skills for a positive cause. He hopes to use the experiences gained at CAIR to inform his future study of Middle Eastern and Muslim politics. In his spare time, Michal enjoys playing guitar in a heavy metal band, writing short stories, and playing historical strategy games.
Molly Radley
Communications Intern– Summer ’15
Molly Radley is a Chicago-bred, St. Louis-based graphic designer and illustrator who loves to work with her hands. The majority of Molly's work involves illustration, packaging, and branding and she aspires to one day be a part of a design team that does just that. Molly was not only attracted to the Editorial Cartooning and Graphic Design internship positions at CAIR through her interest and training in illustration and design, but their motto of “standing up for civil rights, fighting bigotry, and promoting tolerance” resonated with her personal beliefs.
Najd Almuhaythif
Civil Rights Law Clerk– Summer ’15
Najd Almuhaythif has graduated this May from Northwestern university School of Law with an LLM degree in International Human Rights. She had her law degree from Princess Norah University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Prior to coming to Chicago, Najd has been an active volunteer in couple of NGOs in Riyadh that specializes in human rights and women empowerment in particular. She is passionate about advancing women’s rights in the Middle East. In her free time, Najd enjoys doing yoga, Mixed Martial Arts and listening to live music.
Patrick Halpin
Government Affairs Intern– Summer ’15
Patrick Halpin is a native of Hanover Park, Illinois. He is a senior at Boston College, majoring in Political Science and Islamic Civilizations and Societies. Patrick proudly transferred from William Rainey Harper College to Boston College. While at Harper College, Patrick competed in speech and debate where he found state and national recognition. Upon graduation, Patrick hopes to work for the State Department and further his educational track by going to Law School. Patrick joined CAIR-Chicago after taking an interest in the dynamics and geopolitics of the Middle East and North Africa region. Shortly after the Arab Springs, Patrick saw notions of liberty, democracy, and hope reach an all-time high in countries like Egypt and Libya. Unfortunately, Islamophobia is too real a concept for Patrick, and his main reason for joining CAIR-Chicago is to try and demystify the perception and bigotry that too often plagues Muslims.
Sarah Husain
Civil Rights Law Clerk– Summer ’15
Sarah Husain was born and raised in downtown Chicago. She is a rising senior at Emory University in Atlanta, majoring in Political Science and French. Sarah hopes to attend law school after graduating and eventually work in international human rights law. She is also thrilled to be returning to CAIR-Chicago for another summer!
Tarik Tucovic
Civil Rights Law Clerk– Summer ’15
Tarik finished his first year at Loyola University Chicago School of law. Prior to attending law school Tarik has worked for the Indiana Department of Child Services as an ongoing case manager. Moreover, he worked with the Federation of Balkan American Organisation ("FEBA") as an ESL teacher in Turkey. Tarik received his bachelors degree from Indiana University in Public Policy and received an International Relations certificate. At Indiana University he assisted faculty on a project aimed at improving services non-English speaking populations in Fort Wayne, Indiana needed. At the end of the research, Tarik presented his findings in front of a panel of service providers in the city. Ultimately, Tarik would like to work either as a criminal attorney or work in a field dealing with international relations.
Yoomna Rahim
Outreach Department Intern– Summer ’15
Yoomna Rahim is currently an Outreach Intern for the Summer 2015 program. She hopes to graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with degrees in Political Science and Global Studies with a minor in Arabic. Upon graduating, she hopes to either attend law school or work with Think-tanks and various social justice organizations. Yoomna’s recent work under a Congressman allowed her passions for civic engagement to thrive, leading her to work for CAIR now. Yoomna joined CAIR-Chicago to gain the skills necessary for fostering awareness and essentially making change in the world of underrepresented groups and individuals. She’s also a hidden chocolatier with a fervor for a good Colbert Report episode and her hometown of Laramie, Wyoming.
Zahra Saylawala
Communications Intern– Summer ’15
Zahra is a volunteer activist. She currently pursuing a dual degree in Criminology, Law, and Justice and Mathematics & Computer Science at The University of Illinois at Chicago. In addition to Urdu, she is also fluent in Gujarati, Hindi, and Arabic. She has spent time abroad including a time in Yemen where she worked at a hospital and taught English at a local school. In addition to being a volunteer at CAIR-Chicago, Zahra also works at the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at UIC and is the Chicago City Lead for Pakathon. Her interests include traveling, cooking, and playing sports.
Amber Kiani
Outreach Extern and Volunteer Activist – Spring ’15
Amber Kiani is an Outreach Extern and Volunteer Activist. She holds a masters degree in social work- Social Welfare Administration and a post-master's in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy. She has extensive work experience with the nonprofit sector in Pakistan and the U.S. She joined CAIR-Chicago because she believes in its mission and vision and wants to join in with CAIR's effort to portray a positive image of Islam and advocate for the rights of the Muslim community. She is a big foodie and a gym junkie. She is also a cricket buff a hardcore Pakistan cricket fan, although heartbroken by her team's performance in the ongoing world cup she is counting in the next game to bring with it a new bout of hope and fervor.
Manuel Mandujano
Civil Rights Law Clerk– Summer ’15
Manuel Mandujano graduated from DePaul University with a double major in Political Science and Psychology. He is entering his second year at Chicago-Kent College of Law. Manuel has volunteered for the Self Help Web Desk at the Daley Center in Chicago, where he assisted pro se litigants with their paperwork. Manuel is excited to develop his legal skills while advocating for equality at CAIR-Chicago and enjoys hiking, going to the movies, and playing basketball.
Mary Koptik
Communications Intern– Summer ’15
Mary Koptik is a Communications intern at CAIR-Chicago. She recently finished up her sophomore year at the University of Notre Dame where she majors in Psychology with a minor in Poverty Studies. While interning with CAIR Mary hopes to gain better insights into both the company and herself. It was CAIR's tenants of inclusion and respect that drew her into the organization, and she hopes to learn more about the Muslim-American community in her time there. Additionally, she is striving to gain experience with a strong non-profit organization. In the future, she plans to continue working in the non-profit sector, continuing to fight for dignity for all.
Mehmet Hilmi Yazar
Operations Intern– Summer ’15
Mehmet Hilmi Yazar is a junior at the University of Illinois at Chicago and majoring in Computer Engineering. Mehmet is devoted to working for a good cause and helping CAIR achieve its goals in any way he can. He stays committed to his values yet also likes listening to others and learning new outlooks. Aside from studying and interning, Mehmet likes to read, listen to music, and hang out with friends. He has an intense obsession with history, archaeology, and Ottoman Classical Music. Even though he is a Computer Engineering major, Mehmet’s dream is to participate in an archaeological dig at least once in his life.
Jarron McAllister
Government Affairs Intern– Summer ’15
Jarron McAllister is a Summer 2015 Outreach Intern at CAIR-Chicago. He attends Princeton University, where he is a rising senior majoring in History and minoring in Near Eastern Studies. As Jarron’s schoolwork largely focuses on gender, identity, religion, and Islamic and Arab Studies on an international level, he hopes his experience at CAIR will give him a better understanding of these issues on a more domestic level. His increasing interest in civil and human rights is what led him to join the CAIR team. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, playing Pokemon games, and watching cartoons and anime. Having spent most of his life on the other side of Lake Michigan, in Flint, Michigan, Jarron is excited to spend this summer learning and exploring the Chicagoland area.
Alexis O'Connor
Communications Intern – Summer ’15
Alexis O'Connor is a Communications intern at CAIR-Chicago. She is a junior at Northwestern University and is double majoring in journalism and Middle East & North Africa studies. Alexis joined CAIR in order to encourage and facilitate inclusion, tolerance and dialogue. She is a shameless shutterbug and loves to photograph anything and everything. In the future, Alexis hopes to continue her work educating the public and creating platforms for discriminated communities to be heard. She is especially concerned with media representation of Muslims and their beliefs and is confident that CAIR will give her the professional tools to combat these injustices.
Amena Tayyab
Communications Intern – Summer ’15
Amena Tayyab is currently a Communications intern at CAIR-Chicago, and an Accounting major at the University of Illinois at Springfield. She is passionate in combating prejudices, overcoming stereotypes, and facilitating conversations which addresses these concerns. Amena has written for Springfield’s The State Journal-Register, and spends her free time volunteering at local political events and at the local mosque. In the future, she hopes to take her experiences at CAIR-Chicago and use them to enrich other Muslim communities by engaging in community outreach, as well as creating a prominent and positive Muslim presence.
Andrea DeVinney
Civil Rights Law Clerk – Summer ’15
Andrea DeVinney is a rising 3L at Northern Illinois University College of Law. Andrea is a born and raised Hoosier who attended Penn State University and received degrees in African American Studies and Political Science. Andrea is interning at CAIR Chicago because she believes in fighting for civil rights of all people, and believes in the mission of CAIR Chicago. She plans to receive her J.D. In May of 2016 and intends to work as a civil rights lawyer.
Asmah Daoud
Government Affairs Intern – Summer ’15
Asmah Daoud is a summer Government Affairs Intern at CAIR-Chicago. She is a student at Roosevelt University and majors in Political Science with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. She is a planning committee member of a student activist organization called RISE, where she is an avid volunteer for local campaigns and organizes events and actions around Chicago. She loves tea, all kinds of flowers, and in her free time she likes to ride her bike. As a Palestinian and a feminist, she is thrilled to contribute her unique perspective on political issues and civic relations. Asmah is a big fan of CAIR’s work and is honored to be a part of the team.
Brooke Sartin
Civil Rights Law Clerk– Summer ’15
Brooke Sartin graduated from Baylor University in Texas in 2013 with a major in Anthropology and a minor in Chemistry. She is entering her second year at DePaul University College of Law, where she is interested in international women's human rights. Brooke has volunteered with the Circuit Court of Cook County Domestic Violence Courthouse, where she assisted pro se litigants with forms and affidavits in seeking emergency orders of protection. Brooke is also an associate editor for the International Human Rights Law journal at DePaul. Brooke joined CAIR-Chicago in order to learn more about the Islamic community and to advocate for the respect of international human rights and the protection of fundamental rights of all persons. Additionally, she hopes to improve her legal skills while at CAIR-Chicago. Brooke's hobbies include watching movies, reading, learning Spanish, and international travel.
Fatma Walli
Operations Intern – Summer ’15
Fatma Walli studies International Relations and Economics at Roosevelt University. She is interested in Economic Development for underdeveloped countries. In her free time she enjoys reading non-fiction political books, exploring different neighborhoods and trying new Chicago eateries. She decided to join CAIR Chicago in order to effectively represent the American Muslim community as well as diversify her experiences.
Ghufran Salih
Operations Intern – Summer ’15
Ghufran Salih is currently an Operations Intern at CAIR. She is a senior at L.V. Berkner High School in Richardson, Texas and plans on majoring in Computer Science and Engineering in university. Ghufran loves getting involved in her school, she is the president of Key Club and the vice president of the National Honor Society at her school. She has a passion for civil rights, equality, community service, golf, football, books, and her vintage record collection. She joined CAIR this summer in order to become apart of an organization that makes a difference in the community; she wants to make her summer meaningful
Hanan Mohamed
Government Affairs Intern – Summer ’15
Hanan Mohamed is a Summer 2015 Government Affairs Intern at CAIR-Chicago. She is originally from Gurnee, Illinois and attends school in Los Angeles. She is a rising sophomore at Occidental College majoring in Diplomacy and World Affairs. She enjoys studying languages and speaks Spanish. She is also currently studying Arabic and plans to concentrate her studies on the Middle East. Upon graduation from Occidental, Hanan plans to attend graduate school, studying either International Relations or Law. She hopes to be involved in non-partisan development, social justice, or human rights work in the future.
Jazila Hussain
Operations Intern– Summer ’15
Jazila Hussain is a junior accountancy major at Northern Illinois University. She has a love for numbers and analyzing problems. She joins the CAIR-Chicago team as an Operations Intern because she is in unison with the values that the organization stands for. She will use this internship to grasp on to the inner workings of a non-profit organization in hopes of managing her own one day. Jazila enjoys volunteering for youth orientated groups so that she may give back to the future of tomorrow. In her free time she likes to read, paint, and bake.
Dyzio Guzierowicz
Civil Rights Law Clerk – Spring ’15
Dyz is currently a rising 3L at the DePaul University College of Law. His focus is in immigration and human rights. Dyz’s professional goals are to represent immigration and Asylum Clients in New York. He also wants to advocate for the respect of international human rights and protection of fundamental rights of every human being. Wanting to further his professional experience in immigration and civil rights law, Dyz decided to join CAIR-Chicago because he wanted to work with and serve a population that he had previously had limited experience with. He also wants to increase his knowledge and awareness of discrimination of the Islamic community and to help the fight against social discrimination. Some interesting facts about Dyz is that he is fluent in Polish and holds dual citizenship in US and Poland, he is a first generation American, and he founded and captained the rugby team of Duquesne University. His hobbies include watching and playing rugby and soccer, hiking, skiing, international relations, problems of the European Union and non-fiction novels.
Hassen Bashir
Government Affairs Intern – Spring ’15
Hassen Bashir is a senior at DePaul University majoring in International Studies. He joined CAIR-Chicago because of his passion for community outreach, political affairs, and overall enjoyment for connecting with people. In the future he plans on working in Sub-Saharan Africa mainly focusing on human rights and refugee policy. In his free time he enjoys reading and writing fiction and poetry, traveling, and engaging in political activism.
Bayan Takrouri
Outreach Intern – Spring ’15
Bayan Takrouri is an Outreach Intern at CAIR-Chicago. She attends the University of Illinois at Chicago with a double major in Political Science and Psychology. In the future, she plans to work internationally to protect and preserve Human Rights. She decided to join CAIR because of its effectiveness in serving the American Muslim community and because of its high level of credibility. Bayan is currently the Outreach Coordinator for Amnesty International UIC and an active volunteer for Islamic Relief USA. On the weekends she is an Arabic and Quran teacher at the Turkish American Society of Chicago Weekend School. Her interests include reading, politics, and volunteering.
Emily Anagnostos
Communications Intern – Spring ’15
Emily is a communications intern for CAIR-Chicago. She is a senior at the University of Chicago where she studies Middle Eastern politics, history, and Arabic and Farsi. She hopes to use these skills in the Foreign Service or working on foreign policy in the Middle East. She joined CAIR to learn more about Islam in America. She hails from Cleveland, Ohio and in her free time is part of her university rowing team. She doesn’t think much of Johnny Manziel, but supports Cleveland sports teams all the way.
Danish Murtaza
Government Affairs Intern – Fall ’14 / Spring '15
Danish Murtaza is a Government Affairs intern for CAIR-Chicago. He is currently a Senior at Loyola University Chicago and is studying political science. He has a passion for keeping up to date with current events, politics, and government. Danish is interested in pursuing a career in public policy. He joined CAIR-Chicago because of his interests in political affairs and in the American Muslim community. In his free time, Danish likes to read political non-fiction books, watch movies, and catch up with family and friends.