COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS - CHICAGO OFFICE | DEFENDING CIVIL RIGHTS. FIGHTING BIGOTRY. PROMOTING TOLERANCE.
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Civil Rights Intern - Summer '07

Billy Georgakis is a Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. He just finished his second year of law school at Chicago-Kent College of Law where he is a columnist for his law school’s newspaper The Commentator. He will be working on employment discrimination cases as well as the other legal projects CAIR specializes in. Billy has previous experience in employment discrimination when he worked at Chicago-Kent’s Labor and Employment Clinic during the Summer of 2006. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2005 with degrees in History and Economics.

Civil Rights Intern - Summer '07

Christopher E. Lentz is a Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. He is a student at the University of Chicago Law School, where he serves as President of the American Civil Liberties Union Law chapter and Vice President of the Public Interest Law Society. Chris graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University in 2003 with a Bachelor’s degree in both Political Science and Philosophy. Chris is from Bethlehem, PA, though he has also lived in Santiago, Chile and Lampang, Thailand. His professional interests include international human rights, civil liberties, religion, and cultural studies.

Civil Rights Intern - Summer '07

Farha Ahmed is a Law Clerk at CAIR-Chicago. She graduated from DePaul University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She is currently a law student at the University of Illinois College of Law. She is the treasurer of the Muslim Law Students Association and the Alumni Coordinator for the Asian American Law Students Association at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Communications Intern - Summer '07

Amina Butt is a senior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she is majoring in Political Science and minoring in Sociology. In 2004 she was one of the founding members of CAIR-UIUC, the first university chapter of CAIR. Since then she has served as that chapter’s executive director and communications director. In these positions she has worked to mobilize Muslims on civil rights issues. In 2005 she interned at a legal aid foundation in Southern Illinois providing free legal representation to the underprivileged. In 2006 Amina and her husband traveled to Aceh, Indonesia to teach at an orphanage for victims of the 2004 tsunami. She will be working at CAIR as a Communications Intern for the summer of 2007.

Communications Intern - Summer '07

Lori Slimp joins CAIR-Chicago as a summer Communications Intern. Lori completed her sophomore year at American University in Washington, DC where she is an international studies major with concentrations in the Middle East and Islamic studies. Lori speaks French, has studied Arabic for two years, and hopes to eventually speak Persian and Turkish. She loves to read, and first became interested in Islam and Muslims because her favorite book series is set in Egypt. Her other interests include theater, cooking, and playing games with her friends and family. She plans to study in Egypt at the American University in Cairo.

Communications Intern - Summer '07

Mirza Baig recently graduated from Benedictine University with a degree in Political Science and joins CAIR-Chicago as a summer Communications Intern. His interest in CAIR and communications evolved from studying and learning about the media. Mirza is planning to pursue an MBA this fall, and would like to work in a position that includes a global perspective. Mirza’s interest in writing was sparked when the first news article he submitted to his university’s newspaper for publication went straight to the front page. Mirza enjoys traveling and would like to see as much of the world as he can.

Communications Intern - Summer '07

Muhammad Akbar is a summer Communications Intern at CAIR-Chicago. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in creative writing from North Park University. He is pursuing his Juris Doctorate degree at John Marshall Law School. Muhammad is an active member of Young Muslims, a organization that teaches youth to understand their faith and mentors them so that they can become active contributors to the larger society. Muhammad’s passion is to strive for justice and true understanding between people of different faiths and backgrounds to live up to the Quranic maxim “[t]hat God created us in different nations and tribes so that we may know one another.”

Communications Intern - Summer '07

Musab Siddiqui rejoins CAIR-Chicago as a Communications Intern. He is a sophomore in undergraduate studies at Claremont McKenna College. Musab is currently trying to sustain his successes from the first year of college which included creating and editing a new student newspaper, acting in two plays, and being elected vice president of his school's initially defunct, but now active MSA chapter. Musab uses his free time for creative expression, to stay in shape, and to follow his ambitions to become a movie director. He finds that the time he spent at CAIR last summer served to ground and motivate him for the year to come, and he hopes for the same.

Communications Intern - Summer '07

Whitney Nickels opted for a communications internship with CAIR Chicago because it addresses what she feels most passionately about: the public’s perception of Islam and Muslims. She hopes to demonstrate her capability in helping CAIR to fulfill its goals associated with media monitoring. Whitney recently graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelors degree in Religious Studies and a minor in Islamic World Studies. She intends to continue in her academic study of Islam with a goal of becoming a professor of Islamic Studies.

Governmental Relations Intern - Summer '07

Chris, 21, is a native of Des Moines, Iowa. He is a senior History major at DePaul University, and although his career path has yet to be fully formed, Chris has taken an interest in scholarship, education, politics and communication. Civil and human rights have become of particular importance to Chris. By the end of 2007, his involvement in service through DePaul University Ministry will have taken him to Denver, Los Angeles, and Nogales, Mexico.

Chris has spent the past year acting as College Student Liaison to Community Building Tutors, a Chicago non-profit focused on the development of educated, civic-minded young people. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, playing bass guitar, running and hanging out with friends. Chris is excited to be working with CAIR this summer as a Governmental Relations intern.

Governmental Relations Intern - Summer '07

Safia Quadri is an undergraduate joining CAIR-Chicago as a Government Relations Policy Research intern. She is obtaining a Bachelors degree in history at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds a great interest in the Muslim diasporas and hopes to transform this interest into a career in law and civil liberties.

Outreach Intern - Summer '07

Abeer Azam is a sophomore at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is majoring in English and minoring in Political Science. Abeer joined CAIR-Chicago as an outreach intern because of the opportunity it provides for reaching out to the Muslim community. She plans on pursuing family and immigration law to continue aiding the community. She loves playing tennis and enjoys reading and spending time with her sisters.

Outreach Intern - Summer '07

Kweon Kook Tak joins CAIR-Chicago’s Outreach Department as a Community Service Intern where he assists in finding diverse volunteer opportunities in the local community. He is a graduate student at Depaul Business School, majoring in Computational Finance to understand financial models and implement these models in the form of computer programs. He is interested in investment banking and hopes to be a quantitative analyst or a CFA(Chartered Financial Analyst) after graduation. Kweon is from South Korea and hopes to acquire valuable volunteer experience.

Communications Intern - Fall '06

Uzma Bawany is a senior at DePaul University who has joined CAIR-Chicago as a Communications Intern. She is on track to earning her Bachelors Degree in Commerce with a concentration in Marketing and minor in Sociology this spring. Fortunately through both current and previous work experience she has been able to familiarize herself in various aspects of marketing by taking active responsibility in consumer research, promotions, strategic analysis and sales. Her most previous work opportunity includes working with the Harris Bank corporate marketing team doing strategic analysis and assisting in development of a future promotional program. Her true passion is working with people and she believes true balance in life is achieved by matching your financial and career successes with efforts toward betterment of the global community.

Visiting Volunteer - Fall '06

Mai Mahmoud Staiti is an apprentice with the AFSC (American Friends Service Committee) and a visiting Volunteer with CAIR-Chicago. She is in her third year studying marketing at the Arab American University in Jenin. She is a coach of the Popular Achievement program in Palestine, an AFSC initiative in Jenin. She instructs youth on many concepts including democracy, effective communication, team work, and non-violence. Mai encourages the youth that she instructs to implement what they have learned in their communities in order that they may themselves guide others in the future. Members of her group have gone on to contribute to their communities by opening a library, planting trees, and imparting the values they have learned to their peers.

Her group known as Watanna – meaning our home – also produced and performed a play in order to work toward the revival of the arts and culture community of Jenin, due to the city's decline during the Intifada, in which all entrances to the town were closed by the Israeli army. Mai is here visiting organizations in several cities of the U.S. to share her experiences and learn more in the way of activism to better serve her work in Palestine.

Civil Rights - Fall '06

Marwah Serag is in her third year of law school at DePaul University, College of Law and joins CAIR-Chicago as a Civil Rights Intern. She is concentrating her study of the law on Immigration Law and International Human Rights Law. She is pursuing an internship at CAIR-Chicago because she wants to protect and promote the rights of Muslims. In the future she hopes to work in the international community upholding human rights.

Civil Rights Intern - Fall '06

Amy Chiang is in her second year of law school at Chicago-Kent College of Law and joins CAIR-Chicago as a Civil Rights Intern. She has an interest in Immigration Law, Civil Rights Law, and Family Law. She has worked for a family law firm for the past three years. She is a graduate of DePaul University where she majored in Business Administration and Economics. Amy is an avid Steelers fan and hopes to cheer them on to another Super Bowl victory this year.

Law Clerk - Fall '06

Rachel Rondy is in her second year of DePaul University College of Law J.D. program. She recently joined CAIR-Chicago as a Law Clerk in the civil rights department. Rachel’s main interests are international human rights law and civil rights. She spent the summer working on a land law development project in Cambodia.

Civil Rights Intern - Fall '06

Ross Zambon is in his third and final year at the John Marshall Law School, as a joint J.D./LL.M. student in taxation. He has recently joined the CAIR-Chicago team as a Civil Rights Intern, with an undecided future in the legal community. By means of his degree in finance from the University of Illinois, Mr. Zambon is interested in international business, foreign policy, and worldwide civil rights. As an avid football fan, Mr. Zambon has not missed a Bears game in 19 and one half years!

Civil Rights Intern - Fall '06

Maria Banjo is in her first year of law school at John Marshall Law School and joins CAIR-Chicago as a Civil Rights Intern. She has a strong interest in International Law, Human Rights Law, and Civil Rights Law. As an undergrad at Agnes Scott College, she majored in Political Science and minored in Africana Studies. Maria hobbies and interests include dance choreography and track and field.

Operations Intern - Fall '06

Rashad Tahir joins CAIR-Chicago as an Operations Intern. He is currently pursuing a degree in Finance from DePaul University. Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Rashad has a strong interest in the fields of finance and accounting, and hopes to gain valuable knowledge and experience in assisting the community. Outside of school, he enjoys reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Communications Intern - Summer '06

Ndidi Amatullah Okakpu has joined CAIR-Chicago as a Communications Intern. She is completing a Bachelors of Science in Finance and Communications at DePaul University, while serving as VP of Marketing for the National Association of Black Accountants and Social Action Chair for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. - Lambda Chapter. She has also completed one academic year of Arabic and Islamic studies at the Abu Nour Institute in Damascus, Syria.

Ndidi has served as organizing secretary for The Mosque Cares National Youth Dawah Organization, is the founder of For Brothers & Sisters Mentoring and has promoted interfaith relations with the Chicago Focolare Movement and the Washington, DC Metropolitan Interfaith Conference. While her interests are in finance, she excels in marketing and communications. She admires CAIR-Chicago's dedication to Muslim civil rights and hopes to aide to the best of her capacities.

Graphic Design Intern - Summer '06

Manar Jamal has joined CAIR-Chicago as a Graphical Design Intern. Manar graduated from Saint Xavier University with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems (MIS), and was accepted as a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS). After taking courses in graphic art and working in the University's Art and Design lab and Art Gallery, she decided to try out a career in Graphic Design.

She is also interested in marketing, management, web design and multimedia. Manar enjoys reading,learning new software and helping other Muslims. Manar hopes to attend DePaul's Graduate School of Business in the near future.

Operations Intern - Summer '06

Sadaf Hameed has joined CAIR-Chicago as an Operations Intern. Sadaf graduated from Islamic Foundation School in Villa Park this past spring, and currently volunteers at Loyola University Medical Center as an Emergency Room Unit Aide. Sadaf is going to attend the College of Dupage this fall and plans on tranferring to Depaul University in 2 years. Sadaf holds a high brown belt in Tae Kwon Do and is planning on pursuing a degree in journalism and law.

Communications Intern - Summer '06

Tannia Dubon received her bachelor’s in English Literature and French from DePaul University, and has joined CAIR-Chicago as a Communications Intern Her academic interests in language, culture, and history have led her to pursue a career in civil rights and immigration law. She was previously an intern at the Economic Department of the French Consulate and more recently at the Silk Road Theatre in Chicago. Her internship at CAIR has been a great experience thus far; she has found CAIR to be a safe, intellectually stimulating, and positive environment in which to learn and work. In the Communication department she is able to do what she enjoys most— research, critical analysis, and writing.

Governmental Relations Intern - Summer '06

Jack Ritchey joins the CAIR Chicago team as a Governmental Relations Intern, and is excited about the opportunity. He is a junior at DePaul University currently pursuing a major in Political Science and a minor in philosophy. Among his interests are civil rights, foreign policy, and the philosophical investigation of democracy. Jack enjoys writing, spending time with his Fraternity brothers, and is an avid St. Louis Blues fan. "Lets go Blues!"

Civil Rights Intern - Summer '06

Sarah Sipe joins the CAIR-Chicago family as a summer intern in the Civil Rights Department. Sarah currently attends law school at the University of Dayton, and received her undergraduate degree in Cultural Studies at DePaul University. Sarah is getting married in August, and enjoys watching sports in her spare time. While Sarah is still deciding on which direction to take her future law career, she is happy to be involved with a passionate organization like CAIR-Chicago.

Civil Rights Intern - Summer '06

Samina Sulemanjee is a senior at Northwestern University where she is pursuing a bachelors degree in Political Science and International Studies, focusing on the Middle Eastern region. Samina has joined CAIR-Chicago as a civial rights intern in order to contribute towards the empowerment of the Muslim community and to combat negative stereotypes concerning Muslims. She is also interested in gaining experience in legal affairs. Samina spent the past spring semester studying in Cairo, Egypt, where she took classes on the Arabic Language and Middle Eastern Politics. While in Cairo, she also had the opportunity to work with Sudanese Refugee Children through a tutoring program. Samina's interests include reading, music, traveling, and volunteering in the community. During the school year, she is actively involved with the Campus Kitchens at Northwestern University.

Governmental Relations Intern - Summer '06

Erin Hartnett joins CAIR-Chicago this summer as a Governmental Relations Intern. She is a senior at DePaul University studying history with a pre-law concentration and is interested in politics, international law, foreign policy and the promotion of cultural and religious understanding both domestically and abroad. This summer she will also be attending the United States Foreign Policy Institute at the George Washington University and doing policy research for local congressional candidates while completing the law school application process

Operations Intern - Summer '06

Amir Drljevic joins CAIR-Chicago as an Operations Intern. Amir is a student at the University of Dzemal Bijedic in Bosnia and spent the past year studying psychology at the University of Alabama, Huntsville on a U.S State Department–sponsored scholarship. Amir, who is in the process of earning an Bachelor’s Degree in information technology and certification in Cisco systems, is a valuable addition to the technology team at CAIR-Chicago. Amir speaks several languages and is also interested in world travel, graphic design, and meeting new people.

Governmental Relations Intern - summer '06

Sana Mahmood is a rising senior at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia where she is pursuing a double major in International Studies and Middle Eastern Studies and a minor in Arabic Language. She intends to study abroad at the American University of Cairo in the fall where she hopes to further develop her language skills. Sana has long been involved in community service and outreach and hopes to embark on a career in public service in the future. She has recently joined CAIR-Chicago as a Governmental Relations intern for the summer.

Civil Rights Department: Travel Free Project - Fall '05

Susan DeCostanza recently finished her first year of law school at DePaul University. This summer she is coordinating CAIR-Chicago’s Travel Free Project in the Civil Rights Department. Susan completed her undergraduate work at Boston College in 2001 with a double major in English Literature and Elementary Education. Susan is also the Public Interest Coordinator at DePaul’s Law Career Services Office. Susan loves her dog, Stanley.

Civil Rights Departmen: Prison Project - Fall '05

Ausaf Farooqi joins the CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Department as the Prison Project Coordinator. Ausaf is beginning his second year of law school at the Chicago-Kent College of Law this fall. Ausaf encourages all Muslims to join in the fight for Muslim Civil Rights and would like to remind his fellow brothers and sisters of the activities of early Muslims when they lived as a minority in Mecca. Much of their early activity with the surrounding community consisted of advocating and defending their ability to practice their religion freely. Once again, Muslims have sometimes found themselves in hostile circumstances as a result of their faith. Insha'Allah, all Muslims should stand to fight abuses to the civil rights of Muslims.

Civil Rights Intern - Summer '06

Sarah Terman is a second year student at Northwestern University School of Law and has joined CAIR-Chicago as a Civil Rights Intern. She previously interned with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department in Washington D.C. and also volunteers with the American Civil Liberties Union here in Chicago. She speaks some Farsi and has traveled extensively in Iran, where much of her family resides. Sarah hopes to pursue a career in impact litigation after graduating from law school.

Communications Intern - Summer '06

Ahsan Latif joins CAIR-Chicago as a summer intern in the Communications Department. Ahsan is currently enrolled in Northwestern University’s School of Law and hopes to one day conduct complex litigation even he cannot begin to understand. Known to often carry the diploma for his B.A. in English Literature from the University of Missouri at Kansas City in his back pocket, Ahsan is currently engaged and will be wed in August. Throughout his undergraduate career he wrote and edited the campus newspaper, occasionally landing himself on the nightly news or the Missouri State House of Representatives. In addition to discovering every Arab themed restaurant in Chicago’s metropolitan area, he plans to make the most of the coming weeks by indulging his interest in sports, obscure music and writing. He fully expects that after August he will no longer be afforded such luxuries. When asked why he joined CAIR: “I desperately wanted to be a part of a homonym".

Cafe Finjan Program - Summer '06

Susan Safiya Stoffel has recently joined CAIR-Chicago to work on the Cafe Finjan program. Cafe Finjan is a series of interfaith arts exchanges between the Jewish and Muslim communities in the Chicagoland area. Safiya converted to Islam in high school and attended Depaul University from 1993 - 2003 on a track and field scholarship. Safiya will be pursuing a Masters in Social Work next spring at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is also an active volunteer for both the Special Olympics and the Chicago Boys and Girls club.

Communications Intern - Summer '06

Shazia Bux is a first year law student at the Northern Illinois University College of Law in DeKalb. She recently joined CAIR Chicago as an intern in the Communications Department. Shazia was born in India but has been raised here in the US. She has lived all over the country but primarily grew up in upstate New York where she received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Pittsburgh. Shazia would like to practice civil rights and public interest law after graduating from law school. She currently lives in DeKalb with her husband and three children.

Governmental Relations Intern - Summer '06

George Tobin is a sophomore at Loyola University Chicago, where he is pursuing a degree in Poltical Science and a degree in Communications. George joined CAIR-Chicago as a Governmental Relations Intern due to his interests in diversity and government, and hopes to use this opportunity to gain immersion experience in a possible career path for the future. He plays Ultimate Frisbee, reads, and enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

Communications Intern - Summer '06

Musab Siddiqui joins CAIR-Chicago as a summer intern in the Communications Department. Musab is currently finishing off his senior year at North Shore Country Day High School. He will start film school at Claremont-mcKenna College in California this fall. His interests include football, surfing and drama; he is currently acting in Romeo and Juliette. He was drawn to CAIR-Chicago because "it promises to stretch my mind."

Communications Intern - Summer '06

Laura Etheredge has joined CAIR-Chicago as a Communications Department Intern. Laura is a MA candidate in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago. She graduated in 2005 from McGill University in Montreal with an Honors degree in Middle Eastern Studies where she also served as an editor for the annual MESSA (Middle Eastern Studies Students' Association) journal. Laura is a self-taught artist with an interest in utilizing the universal nature of artistic vocabulary to communicate and exchange cultural material, and has presented in several shows over the years. Her MA thesis will be a translation and illustration of a piece of Arabic literature for children to promote positive cultural expression and encourage culture-based questions and interest.

Governmental Relations Intern - Spring '06

Shira Tevah is a first-year student at the University of Chicago who has joined CAIR as a Governmental Relations Intern. She is considering a major in Political Science, Public Policy, or International Studies. She has lived in many places, including Jerusalem for a short while. She is currently taking mostly required classes, and studying the Arabic language. She hopes to become a journalist, diplomat, or peace worker.

Public Service Intern - Spring '06

Usra Ghazi joins CAIR-Chicago as a Public Service Intern, while pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Religion, Ethics, and Social Justice at DePaul University. She serves as a board member of Chicago-based Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) and is actively in involved in local community organizations serving the Muslims of Chicago, and particularly the youth. Born in Karachi, Pakistan and raised in Skokie, IL, Usra is fluent in Urdu, Hindi, Pig-Latin and is currently studying the languages of Arabic and Guitar.

Communications and Outreach Intern - Spring '06

CAIR-Chicago board and staff would like to thank Caitlin Yoshiko Buysse for her exemplary services as she prepares to graduate CAIR-Chicago. "Caitlin is leaving us for an almost equally prestigious institution: Harvard University," said CAIR-Chicago Executive Director, Ahmed Rehab. This spring she graduates Northwestern University with a degree in religion, at Harvard she will pursue a graduate program in Islamic studies. "Caitlin Buysse is not an ordinary intern; she is a piece of CAIR-Chicago history. Exactly a year ago, Caitlin became CAIR-Chicago's very first intern," Rehab said, "she has seniority over 70% of our staff." Since then dozens of Chicago-area top students have followed in her footsteps.

Caitlin Buysse began interning with CAIR-Chicago in April 2005. During this time, she has worked with the Outreach and Communications departments on interfaith programming, service projects, sensitivity training, and volunteer/intern recruitment. Her academic interests include African-American Islam, Malcolm X, and the dynamics of individual faith and conversion. We look forward to witnessing Caitlin's promising career (and claiming a stake in it). We will certainly miss the professionalism, commitment, and dedication she brought to CAIR-Chicago.

Civial Rights Intern - Spring '06

Azam Khan is a second year law student at DePaul University, College of Law. Azam currently has an article in review for publication in DePaul's Journal of Art and Entertainment Law; he will serve the journal as its Editor-in-Chief in the upcoming academic year. Azam has also studied law at the University of London and obtained his BA in International Relations from Boston University in 2003. Azam is currently working with CAIR-Chicago as a Civil Rights Extern. Azam plans to pursue a career in International Law.

Governmental Relations Intern - Spring '06

Haady Taslim has joined CAIR-Chicago as a Government Relations Intern. Haady is currently pursuing a Master's degree in public policy at the University of Chicago, with a focus on international policy. Before coming to Chicago, he taught early elementary school for two years in inner-city New Orleans with Teach for America. He holds a B.A. from the George Washington University in Political Science and French Language and Literature. In his spare time, Haady sings and plays guitar, reads and listens to music.

Volunteer Attorney - Spring '06

Rima Kapitan has joined the Civil Rights Department as a Volunteer Attorney. Rima is a volunteer attorney, assisting the legal defense team on the Muhammad Salah case. She graduated from DePaul University’s College of Law in May of 2005. In addition to her education in the U.S., Rima studied abroad at the American University in Beirut, Birzeit University in the West Bank, and the American University in Cairo.

Community Service Intern - Spring '06

Yara Yousef is a recent graduate of Loyola University Chicago, where she majored in psychology and minored in history. She has recently joined CAIR as a Community Service Intern, and is active in the Bridgeview community, Mosque Foundation, and Muslim Youth Center. Yara will be returning this fall to Loyola's graduate school to pursue a master's degree in applied social psychology. She enjoys reading, writing, shopping, and spending time with friends and family.

Govenmental Relations Intern - Spring '06

Serim Cetin is a 4th year undergraduate student at the University of Chicago studying Political Science. He joined CAIR-Chicago as an intern with the Governmental Relations Department. He has an interest in local as well as International Politics and History. His favorite pastime is watching and playing soccer. He is originally from Istanbul, Turkey and hopes to return and be active in politics of his home country. He enjoys helping the Muslim community in anyway he can and plans on continuing his involvement after he graduates.

Governmental Relations Intern - Spring '06

Emaan Nafees is a 4th year undergraduate student at the University of Illinois at Chicago studying English Literature. She is a CAIR-Chicago intern with the Governmental Relations Department. She has an interest in Politics, History, Poetry, and pretty much anything else she finds remotely intriguing. She plans on teaching English abroad after graduation and thinks about grad school at times as well.

Communications Intern - Spring '06

AbdelRahman Murphy is a freshman Secondary Education for the Social Sciences major at the College of Dupage. AbdelRahman is interning in the Communications Department at CAIR-Chicago. His desire to help the Muslim community keeps him honest in working hard for CAIR. Other than keeping active in the community, AbdelRahman likes to keep active in the pool. He swims for COD and plays Water Polo for the Northern Illinois Polo Club.

Communications Intern - Spring '06

Sumiah Aduib is a senior at Columbia College Chicago where she is pursuing a bachelors degree in print journalism and a minor in Literature. As an aspiring journalist, she has joined the CAIR team as a Communications Intern to get exposure and experience in her field of study. Sumiah is an avid reader who enjoys working out, writing, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her husband of two years, family, and friends. She is also an active volunteer at the Mosque Foundation as well as the Muslim Youth Center in Bridgeview.

Civil Rights Intern - Spring '06

Nathan Wells is a senior at the University of Illinois at Chicago as an undergraduate student majoring in political science with a minor in international studies, and is considering a legal career in International Law. He is also completing his seventh year as a Sergeant in the Army National Guard after a 15 month deployment to Iraq. Nathan has joined CAIR-Chicago as a Civil Rights Intern because of his interest in the Islamic faith and to take an effective role in countering the mistreatment of the Muslim community caused by misinformation and stereotypes. Nathan plays the violin, breakdances, DJ's, plays percussion, competes in mixed martial arts, tries to learn Urdu and is often referred to as a funny guy.

Governmetal Relations Intern - Spring '06

Farah Khan is a junior at Loyola University Chicago where she is pursuing a major in biology and a minor in journalism. She has joined CAIR-Chicago as a Government Relations Intern and has had experience being active in several local activist organizations and the community at large. She hopes to work with CAIR-Chicago to help give resonance to the voice of Chicago-area Muslims.

Governmental Relations Intern - Spring '06

John Rush is a governmental relations volunteer at CAIR. He is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute with a Master's in Urban Studies (M.A.) and Wheaton Graduate School with a Master's degree (M.A.) in Biblical and Theological studies and a Master's degree (M.A.) in Religion in American Life. John served as a Pastor in a non-denominational Christian church for five years and a homeless shelter for three prior to his concentrated interests in pursuing the possibility of PhD work and/or research at the University of Chicago. Currently, John's interests are encompassed in a triad focus on religion, the academy and politics. This past summer John had the opportunity to present a paper in Cambridge on Islamic conceptions of political peace. His preparation for the presentation fostered an interest in comparative studies between Christianity and Islam. Most recently he has been working on Freud and Augustine on concupiscence and Bonhoeffer's response to totalitarianism. While John has strong inclinations towards academic work he desires to remain connected and involved in a local Christian church while also remaining active in various social and politically involved organizations (such as CAIR-Chicago) where he can engage in interfaith dialogue and assist in serving for the common good. John's interests exist within a context where they are held in relative balance with a large and growing family, his wife Debbie and seven children-- John, Timothy, Daniel, Andrew, Samuel, Sarah, and Rebekah.

Civil Rights Extern - Spring '06

David Sweis, a second year law student at The John Marshall Law School, is CAIR-Chicago's first Extern working in the Civil Rights department. His expected graduation date is May, 2007. Mr. Sweis is looking forward to his forthcoming publication in the New York International Law Review this summer. Mr. Sweis earned a B.A. in Political Science at DePaul University and is considering a legal career in International Law and Civil Rights.

Civil Rights Intern - Spring '06

Azhar Kothawala is currently an undergrad at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he is majoring in neuroscience. Even though he hopes to pursue a career in medicine, Azhar joined CAIR because he was impressed with the crucial work CAIR does for the Muslim community and because he appreciates the experience of working as a Civil Rights Intern.

Governmental Relations Intern - Spring '06

Jennifer Lyda is a senior at Loyola University Chicago who had joined CAIR-Chicago as a Government Relations Intern. She is an international studies major and asian studies minor. she enjoys traveling and meeting funny people. she also loves to read mysteries and draw with pencils.

Governmental Relations Intern - Fall '05

Fahad Khan is a junior in Pre-med, psychology major at the University of Illinois in Chicago. Fahad is interning in the Operations Department at CAIR-Chicago. Fahad has been involved with numerous organizations, and is also the Assistant to the Director of Convention for ISNA. Fahad is assisting the Operations Department with office related tasks and is also volunteering his time with preparing for CAIR-Chicago's Annual Event.

Civil Rights Volunteer - Fall '05

Sabih Quadeer completed his undergraduate degree in Philosophy at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Sabih is a recent graduate of John Marshall Law School - Chicago. He is a licensed attorney in Illinois and is allocating his free time to CAIR-Chicago's Civil Rights Department. With his legal background and personal interest, he is excited to work with CAIR-Chicago on protecting the civil liberties of members of the Muslim community.

IT Intern - Fall '05

Aemun Askari has recently joined CAIR-Chicago as an IT intern working under the Civil Rights and Operations departments. Aemun is currently a sophomore at the University of Illinois (Honors College). Her major is neuroscience/premed. Her duties at CAIR-Chicago currently involve managing and structuring new databases for all departments. She is also assisting with compiling chapter monthly reports for the Civil Rights department.

Police Project Misconduct Intern - Fall '05

M. Hasan Ali has recently joined CAIR-Chicago as an intern working in the Civil Rights Department. Hasan, is currently a 4th-year History major at the University of Chicago, focusing his research on Muslims in America. Hasan is also the President of the University of Chicago's Muslim Students' Association. Throughout his college years he has been involved in numerous on-campus organizations seeking to increase awareness of Islam and increase Muslim campus presence. He hopes interning at CAIR-Chicago will provide him a solid base for a future career in law and civil rights. Hasan is currently heading the Civil Rights Department's Police Misconduct Project to address complaints of Muslims being mistreated by the police.

Community Service Intern - Fall '05

Jumana Azam, a sophomore at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is a business management and marketing major. She has joined CAIR-Chicago's Outreach Department as a Community Service Intern. She will be interning with Outreach Coordinator, Dina Rehab, and will be assisting with recruiting volunteers as well as organizing outreach and community service events.

Jumana has already successfully coordinated our Oct. 22nd event at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, where volunteers assisted in sorting and repackaging food for those in need. Jumana will also be working on maintaining and updating our volunteer database.

Operations Intern - Summer '05

Aminah Malik, a sophomore at Mt. Holyoke College and an International Relations major, has recently begun interning at CAIR-Chicago's operations department. She intends to complete a Middle East Studies Certificate as well as a minor in French.

Outreach Coordinator Intern - Summer '05

Shahenaz Abdelrahim is a junior at Northeastern Illinois University majoring in Special Education. She hopes to become a special educator upon her graduation. Shahenaz has joined CAIR-Chicago's outreach department and will be interning with Dina Rehab.

Governmental Relations Intern - Summer '05

Menna Khalil, a senior at DePaul University is an international studies and pre-law major with minors in French and economics. She has joined CAIR-Chicago’s governmental relations department based on her interest in politically empowering and mobilizing the Muslim community. She will be interning with Fadi Farhan, director of the governmental relations department.

Civil Rights Intern - Summer '05

Zaineb Mohammed is a junior at Brown University with a major in International Relations. She has joined CAIR-Chicago’s civil rights department and will be interning with Christina Abraham.

Governmental Relations Intern - Summer '05

Bitta Mostofi has joined the CAIR-Chicago team as an Intern in the Governmental Relations Department. Bitta, an Iranian-American, has been involved in activism and social work for years. She has participated in a wide variety of social justice work, ranging from human rights campaigns to tutoring Spanish-speaking prisoners with such groups as Amnesty International and the ACLU. For the past two years Bitta has been active with Voices in the Wilderness. Upon completion of a Bachelors degree in Political Science from DePaul University in Chicago, she helped coordinate the Iraq Peace Team and traveled to Iraq in November and December of 2002. Bitta is currently a third year law student at DePaul University. Her focus is international human rights law, including asylum, immigration, and conflict resolution.

Communicatons Intern - Summer '05

Suleiman Khan is a graduate of Lake Forest College with a double major in sociology and Middle Eastern studies. Suleiman, an avid writer and a community activist will be attending law school this coming fall. Suleiman has joined Ahmed Rehab as a lead-intern at CAIR-Chicago’s Media Monitoring and Outreach project.

Civil Rights Intern - Summer '05

Assia Boundaoui, a junior at DePaul University is a pre-law major with a demonstrated interest in Muslim civil rights issues. She has joined CAIR-Chicago’s civil rights department and will be interning with Christina Abraham.

Outreach Intern - Summer '05

Caitlin Buysse, is a junior at Northwestern University with a major in Religion. Caitlin has joined Dina Rehab in CAIR-Chicago’s Outreach Department as an interfaith outreach intern.




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