CAIR-Chicago Welcomes New Staff Members
Welcome Hoda Katebi (left) as our new Communications Coordinator and Tsedenya Bizani (rights) as our new Operations Coordinator!
Hoda Katebi graduated with honors in both International Studies/Relations and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago in 2016. Her research focused on the politics of the modern underground fashion movement in Iran and the intersections of feminism, self-fashioning, and nationhood. Hoda is an activist fashion blogger and author and photographer of the book Tehran Streetstyle, the first-ever collection of modern streetstyle photography from Iran. In 2013 she started JooJoo Azad, an online platform focusing on self-representation and narrative reclamation through fashion, writing, and photography; challenging Islamophobia and Orientalism; promoting an ethical and minimalist wardrobe; and celebrating beauty that extends beyond that which is narrowly defined by Western mainstream media. Hoda’s work has been featured across various in-print, online, and television media, internationally.
Hoda can be reached on Twitter and Instagram at @hodakatebi or by email at hkatebi@cair.com
Tsedenya Bizani graduated from University of Kansas with degrees in International Studies and Political Science with a minor in Middle East Studies. She was an Intern and a Fellow with CAIR-Chicago before taking on her current role. Tsedenya also works with the organization Mercy Without Limits, which is focused on tackling the current Syrian Crisis. She served as an Event Coordinator in her universities “Students for Justice in the Middle East” and has since then expanded on that through her involvement with various organizations. She chose to be involved with CAIR due to its multilayered purpose to bring awareness, represent, and defend victims of intolerance and believes it is one of the most effective non-profits serving the Muslim population today. CAIR fits her personal and professional goals as it emphasizes a community oriented culture that pushes its members to utilize and advance their talents to bring about tangible change. Tsedenya enjoys reading, watching foreign films, and reading funny memes on her free time. She can be reached attbizani@cair.com.