Our Interns
Karly Darland
Outreach Extern - Fall 2018
Karly Darland is a fall outreach extern at CAIR-Chicago. She graduated from Wheaton College in the spring of 2017 with a degree in Political Science and HNGR, or Human Needs and Global Resources. During her time at Wheaton, she became active in political advocacy, education, and interfaith dialogues, organizing events and gatherings that demonstrated solidarity with refugee communities and Muslim communities that face discrimination. She enjoys hearing stories, in person or through art, and loves to witness how storytelling can empower, educate, and connect people across diverse walks of life.
Karly is looking forward to working with CAIR-Chicago and participating in conversations around human rights, religion, culture, advocacy, political engagement, and social justice.
Bayan Fares
Outreach Fellow - Fall 2018
Bayan, 22, is an Outreach fellow at CAIR-Chicago. She is a Master’s student at the School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago. She graduated from Valparaiso University with a Bachelor of Social Work where she served as a United Way of Porter County Intern, President of the MSA, and Founder of Banat (a professional women’s networking group). Over the years, she has traveled to six countries (including Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria). These experiences have helped build her passion for human rights, service, and networking which led her to this CAIR-Chicago internship.
Adriana Caballero
Government Affairs Intern - Fall 2018
Adriana, 21 is an international student from Mexico City, Mexico. She is a senior Global and International Studies major with a double minor in Political Science and Islamic World Studies at Loyola University Chicago. She is working towards a career in the field of Diplomacy and Intergovernmental Organizations focused on Human Rights. However, her involvement as the Vice President of the Student Government of Loyola Chicago has increased her interest in domestic politics and its effects on foreign affairs.
Adriana’s interest on international politics has inspired her to learn different languages and is able to speak Spanish, English, French and is currently learning Arabic. During her free time, Adriana enjoys listening to podcasts, play volleyball and spending time with her friends. She is very excited to be working at CAIR as a Government Affairs Intern because she believes CAIR’s work truly shows the intersection between research and activism, which she considers to be the best combination for political change.
Sawleh Waraich
Research Intern - Summer 2018
Sawleh is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and this upcoming fall year he will be a senior at New Trier High-school. Although Sawleh is only a high-school student, he is passionate about civil-rights and realized an internship at CAIR-Chicago would be the perfect thing to do with his summer. He hopes this internship will give him a taste of what the real world work environment is like, and will prepare him for college as well. Some of his hobbies include going to the gym, traveling and being a captain on his track team. Sawleh will also be helping out with the outreach team this summer, because he has a passion for raising awareness about injustices going on in the world around him. For the past 9 years, Sawleh and his older brother have held a bowling fundraiser for different non-profits that were helping people in need and they have raised over $80,000 so Sawleh hopes his fundraising skills can transfer over and get perfected during his internship.
Crystal Lameka
Government Affairs Intern - Summer 2018
Crystal joined CAIR-Chicago because she admires CAIR-Chicago’s initiatives, especially counteracting discrimination through making connections on an individual level. She was a volunteer activist from DePaul University's Steans Center in the Winter 2018 term. Some of her hobbies include exploring nature and catching up on philosophical literature. She loves to play piano, spends her free time dancing, and plans on going to festivals throughout the summer.
Joah Rosing
Government Affairs Intern - Summer 2018
Joah Rosing, a rising high school senior, joined CAIR-Chicago because he very interested in government affairs and human rights. He visited the organization last summer and was very impressed. He is also interested in domestic and foreign topics surrounding the Muslim community. He previously encountered CAIR-Chicago with the JCUA's Or Tzedek program in the summer of 2017. Some of his hobbies are sports, politics, history and archaeology. All in all, he wants to further understand a professional environment and contribute to an effective workplace and further his knowledge in the professional workplace and prepare for a college environment.
Yousef Maarouf
Operations Intern - Summer 2018
Yousef Maarouf is currently attending Depaul University and is majoring in Cybersecurity. For most of his life he lived in Abu Dhabi. There he attended ACS (The American Community School of Abu Dhabi). In ACS he found a passion for technology and soccer. Due to his admiration towards CAIR-Chicago and his passion towards technology he decided to apply for an internship . As an intern he hopes to aid CAIR-Chicago with security infrastructure, risk management, and threat analysis.
Waleed Attasi
Outreach Intern – Summer 2018
Waleed Atassi has been living the Chicagoland area his whole life. As a Muslim-American, he feels very blessed to be living in such a large and diverse community. After helping at Mecca Center, he’s ready to help out the Chicagoland community as a whole.
Dara Parsi
Research Extern – Summer 2018
Dara Parsi is a recent graduate of USC with a BA in Political Science. He is an incoming Masters Student at The University of Chicago. As a research intern, Dara hopes to explore Islamophobic groups and help change the negative perception of the Muslim community.
Dana Adhab
Government Affairs Intern – Summer 2018
Dana Ahdab is a rising junior at Georgetown University majoring in International Politics with a certificate in International Business Diplomacy. As a Chicagoland Native, she is passionate about fighting the discrimination faced by her fellow Muslims.
Anushah Malik
Outreach Intern – Summer 2018
Anushah Malik will be a senior at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign this coming fall. She is studying psychology and social work in hopes of pursuing further graduate coursework in social work. Anushah has a passion for habitually aiding those in need and is constantly being in service to others. She hopes to be a part in the empowerment of Muslim Americans in her time at CAIR-Chicago.
Rohail Salman
Law Clerk – Summer 2018
Rohail is a summer law clerk in the civil rights division of CAIR-Chicago. He is currently a rising 2L at The John Marshall Law School. He graduated with honors from DePaul University with a Bachelor’s in Political Science. At DePaul, he was a member and volunteer for United Muslims Moving Ahead (UMMA). He is thrilled to be working with CAIR on projects that advocate for justice and ensure the civil rights of Muslims and all those experiencing racial and religious discrimination. He is interested in using his legal experience in immigration law as he worked with clients and attorneys assisting with H1B visas in order to protect immigrants’ civil rights. Additionally, he has been exposed to employer violations through interning at a Workers’ Compensation firm. Interning in both of these fields exposed him to legal work that touched upon civil rights and the need for broader systemic support for immigrants and citizens from marginalized backgrounds, among them those who identify as Muslim. Rohail is a Chicago native and enjoys reading, playing basketball and tennis, visiting new restaurants and telling jokes.
Inas Mahmood
Law Clerk – Summer 2018
Inas Mahmood is a Law Clerk for the summer session of 2018. She’s a rising 2L at DePaul University College of Law and is passionate about civil rights issues and combating racial and religious discrimination. As a future attorney, she wants to pursue a career in public interest law, specifically immigration/asylum, international human rights, or civil rights. Like many South Asian children, she was initially coaxed into pursuing a pre-med route in undergrad but quickly realized she had no passion (or even a fraction of the required math/science abilities) for the STEM arena. During her time studying abroad in Jordan in her junior year of undergrad, she had an eye-opening and life-changing experience visiting and assisting in several Syrian and Palestinian refugee camps. This lead to an epiphany that drove her fierce zeal and dedication to serve as a voice for the voiceless. Inas decided to join CAIR-Chicago because their mission statement is perfectly aligned with what she wants to accomplish in terms of her personal and professional goals. Confronting perpetrators of discriminatory practices, assisting refugees in dire need of asylum, actively documenting and denouncing hate crimes, and defending the Constitutional rights of aggrieved minorities are just a few of the cases Inas gets to work on at CAIR, and she could not be more enthralled to contribute to this organization. In her free time (which is virtually non-existent because of law school), Inas likes to binge-watch Netflix shows, try new restaurants around Chicago, and sleep as much as humanly possible.
Joseph Milburn
Law Clerk - Summer 2018
Joe Milburn is a law student at DePaul University College of Law. He is originally from St. Louis where he went to Saint Louis University and double majored in Criminal Justice and Political Science. In college, Joe served as community service chair for his MSA. When Joe lived in St. Louis, he was a Government Affairs intern for CAIR-Missouri and co-founded a soup kitchen at West Florissant Masjid in St. Louis. Joe hopes to become a civil rights attorney that is of service to all marginalized communities while having a focus on fighting against Islamophobia as well as discrimination against those with disabilities (especially those who have Autism). In Joe’s free time (which is almost never due to the pressures of law school) Joe likes to work out, binge watch Law & Order: SVU, go mosque hopping (especially in Ramadan), learn about Islam, and go kayaking. Staying true to his Saint Louis roots, Joe being a Cardinals fan does not wish well for the Cubs! Staying true to his Scottish heritage, Joe is eager to wear his kilt at just about any occasion! Joe is currently in the process of teaching himself how to speak both Bosnian and Arabic.
Sufyan Shaltaf
Communications/Civil Rights Intern - Summer 2018
Sufyan Shaltaf is a Palestinian-American Muslim who is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois at Chicago pursuing dual degrees in Biochemistry and Political Science. Sufyan was born to Jordanian-Palestinian immigrants in East Chicago, IN, and raised with a strong moral and work ethic. He is an aspiring attorney and hopes to begin law school in the Fall of 2019. Sufyan is involved in various efforts in the Chicagoland area geared towards reducing the health, economic, and educational disparities which exist for marginalized, underrepresented, and underprivileged communities. In his personal life, Sufyan is the proud companion of 3 cats: Yogi, Pretty, and Einstein. He enjoys reading, watching nature documentaries and (basically all) sports, running, playing basketball, and listening to reggaeton and classical music.
Mary Norkol
Communicatons Intern - Summer 2018
Mary Norkol is a rising junior at Loyola University Chicago studying journalism and global and international studies. During her time at CAIR-Chicago, she hopes to learn how to remain fair, credible and objective in her reporting. She is committed to recognizing and fighting bias in the media as a communications intern and eventual reporter. Ultimately, she hopes to become a reporter for a major metropolitan newspaper. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mary loves dogs, books, coffee and travel.
Sydney Epstein
Communications Intern - Summer 2018
Sydney Epstein is an intern in CAIR Chicago's Communication Department. She is an undergraduate student at the University of Miami, where she studies Public Health and minors in both Spanish and Sociology. This past semester she studied Modern Standard Arabic and Darija, the Moroccan dialect, in Fes, Morocco. In the summer of 2017, she interned with the Nationalities Service Center, a refugee resettlement organization in Philadelphia. This combination of experiences, as well as the current political climate, has prompted her to work to protect the rights of marginalized communities in our society. She was drawn to work with CAIR Chicago because of its history of successfully defending civil rights, fighting against bigotry and promoting tolerance.
Marin Scott
Communications Intern - Summer 2018
Marin Scott is a rising junior studying Journalism, Women’s and Gender Studies, and Spanish at DePaul University. Hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Marin hopes to become an investigative journalist focused on uncovering the little-known injustices of our time. During her time at CAIR-Chicago, Marin wants to perfect her skills with news writing, as well as try her hand at podcasting. Her interests include writing, dance (which she has done for 7 years now), photography and painting.
Rifqa Falaneh
Operations Intern - Summer 2018
Rifqa is a rising junior at DePaul University and interns at CAIR because of her passion for social justice. CAIR plays an important role in the lives of American Muslims and ensures that our voices are heard and we are represented in politics and in the media. She believes it is important to uplift organizations such as CAIR because without them, our concerns would be overlooked and swept under the rug. A few of Rifqa’s involvements include Radio DePaul, the campaign of Take On Hate, and Students for Justice in Palestine. Aside from this, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching The Daily Show, and traveling.
Julia Asfour
Government Affairs Intern - Summer 2018
Growing up in Chicago, Julia Asfour has worked with numerous communities. While interning at a senator’s office, she has coordinated and led events and activities for various communities. Julia has spent her time consulting individual constituents and registering community complaints while interning for a state representative. In high school, Julia led the Students for Humanitarian Club. She conducted projects that provide aid to children in Chicago and to refugees in Syria. Growing up as a Palestinian, Julia has always felt a close connection to Middle Eastern politics. She has volunteered with multiple Arab organization that promote awareness about the current situations occurring in the Middle East. Currently, Julia is a sophomore at Tufts University pursuing a major in Community Health and a minor in Colonialism Studies. By interning at CAIR-Chicago, Julia plans to participate in outreach programs designated to assess and ensure community well-being. She hopes to strength the voice of the vulnerable Muslim population in Chicago, and hopes to build bridges between the Muslim community and surrounding communities.
Yusra Khan
Communications Intern - Winter/Summer 2018
Yusra Khan is standing senior at DePaul University, months away from graduating in June with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Communications along with a minor in Public Relations and Advertising. A few of her professional goals are to become a passionate communicator and a respectable leader.She joined CAIR-Chicago because she realized that she was not fully aware or informed on current events targeting the Muslim community. CAIR-Chicago gives her the opportunity to be alert when such events target the Muslim community both on a global and national level. Her favorite hobbies are to spend time with her friends and families by either watching a good movie or a CW show, such as the Flash, Riverdale, or the Arrow.
Sarah Miyahara
Government Affairs Intern - Winter/Spring 2018
Sarah Miyahara is currently enrolled in a 5 year accelerated BA/MA program at Loyola where she plan to graduate with Bachelor’s Degrees in International Studies and Political Science in May of this year, as well as a Master’s in Global Politics in the Spring of 2019. Ultimately, Sarah thinks she would like to write public policy as a means of implementing effective change for marginalized groups of people within the political system. She might also be interested in doing some sort of Foreign Service or embassy work, as well. She studied abroad in Rabat, Morocco just over a year ago (fall of 2016) and was exposed to Islam and Muslim cultures in a new light. Sarah wanted to join CAIR-Chicago to be able to learn more about the Muslim experience in the United States through a legislative lens. She admires the way in which CAIR-Chicago utilizes a variety of strategies to defend civil rights and promote tolerance, and looks forward to being a part of this progress. Sarah's hobbies include traveling, photography, and water sports (swimming, paddle boarding, surfing, etc.).
Laurel Hill
Civil Rights Intern - Winter Spring 2018
Bio Coming Soon
Brian Huff
Law Clerk - Winter/Spring 2018
Brian Huff is recent graduate of Loyola School of Law. Brian worked in CAIR-Chicago’s civil rights division as a Law Clerk for the Spring 2018 session, and is returning under a fellowship from the South-Asian Bar Association while he studies for the Illinois bar. He is an Indiana native who completed his undergraduate studies at Indiana University – Bloomington. Prior to joining CAIR, Brian studied criminal appellate advocacy while clerking at the Legal Resources division of the Cook County Public Defender’s Office, and the Office of the State Appellate Defender. Brian originally intended on practicing criminal law, but recent trends in U.S. politics have shifted his interests to immigration and civil rights. He saw joining CAIR as the perfect opportunity to practice in these areas of the law, and familiarize himself with the issues facing the Muslim community. Brian has taken great pride in his time at CAIR, and has enjoyed helping respond to the legal needs of the Chicago Muslim community. Upon being licensed, Brian hopes to begin his career by continuing to advocate for immigrants and aggrieved minority groups through non-profit organizations like CAIR. In his free time, Brian enjoys sketching, caring for his cat Molly, internet debates, and forcing people listen to him talk about comic books and how he would have written the last few Superman movies. Even when they don’t want to.
Matthew Boey
Government Affairs Intern - Winter/Spring 2018
Matt Boey is a senior at Loyola University Chicago, majoring in international studies and participating in Loyola's B.A./M.A. program for political science. As a student, Matt served as a retreat leader and Resident Assistant, hoping to foster tolerance and political engagement through student development. He joined CAIR-Chicago to learn to be a better advocate for intersectional social justice and translate that knowledge into concrete policy changes for marginalized groups. Outside of work and school, Matt can be founding watching/debating movies, learning random bits of history, busting a move in Zumba classes, or playing piano and guitar (both air and real).
Zachery Taylor
Aizik Wolf Fellow
Zachery recently graduated from the University of Chicago, having majored in Geographical Studies and Comparative Race & Ethnic Studies, with a minor in Human Rights. During his time at UChicago, he was active in Palestine solidarity advocacy and wrote his undergraduate thesis on the construction of the public in Israel through urban planning, land laws, and citizenship. With support from the Pozen Family Center for Human Rights, Zach was awarded the Dr. Aizik Wolf Post-Baccalaureate Fellowship in Human Rights. He chose to work with CAIR-Chicago because he is motivated by the role of the legal profession in advancing the human rights of disenfranchised members of our society. Following his fellowship, Zach hopes to matriculate to law school and pursue a career in immigration law and anti-poverty work.
Mohammad Waqas Farooqi
Outreach Fellow
As a Muslim student living in the Netherlands Waqas noticed an increase in Islamophobia, intolerance and discrimination. Not only in the Netherlands but in the West in general, especially in the United States. It is why he chose to study Public Management, so he can help his community. In the Netherlands he saw a few bright individuals that came forward, however he noticed that there were very few organizations that came forward with a reply to this bigotry. The organizations that did are often lacking on many levels. Thus, when the Public Management program that he currently is studying under offered the opportunity to do an internship, he chose to do it at CAIR-Chicago. CAIR-Chicago has shown how to effectively defend civil rights, fight bigotry and promote tolerance. His goal is to learn how CAIR-Chicago works and to connect with other organizations in the American Muslim community in order to have a proper understanding of the organizational structures, professionalism and networks that are present. After finishing his internship he will return to the Netherlands with the hope to benefit the Dutch Muslim community, improve and help the existing organization and maybe start his own NGO.