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Dear John,
My parents always told me not to get involved in politics. “Bi-khial, zendegiye khodeto bekon, shad bash,” my mom would say (“Forget about it. Live your life and be happy).
 But at this moment in time, with our rights threatened at home and the risk of conflict abroad, my generation understands that Iranian Americans simply cannot avoid politics. That's why, after I graduated from college, I packed my bags and moved from San Diego to Washington, D.C.
For the past four months, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work in Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib’s office, thanks to NIAC’s Congressional Fellowship Program.
I’m reaching out to you today to ask for your help to grow this program in 2020 to equip the next generation of Iranian American leaders with the knowledge and experience needed to enter the field of public service and champion the priorities of our community.
>> Make a contribution to support NIAC's Congressional Fellowship program
My experience has been nothing short of transformative. Throughout my Fellowship, I’ve worked on issues of foreign affairs, trade, financial services, firearms, and government oversight. We work daily on critical issues facing the Iranian-American community and representing constituents’ voices on Capitol Hill. Working with political actors has empowered me to bring the principles and tools that I’ve gained throughout my Fellowship into practical application for decision making in the real world.
NIAC’s fellowship programs play an integral role in the cultivation of future Iranian-American leaders, and it positions the next generation to build political power for our community and have a voice in policy decisions. It’s important for Iranian Americans to get involved in civic life because our voices don’t play as big of a role in making policy that affects all our families here and in Iran.
I encourage you to support NIAC's Ali Youssefi Congressional Fellowship to provide more students with the opportunity to enter the field of public service and spearhead the priorities of our community.
Best,
Ethan Azad
NIAC Congressional Fellow
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NIAC's Congressional Fellowship was created in honor of the late Ali Youssefi. Youssefi served as NIAC’s board chair in 2016-17 and was an outstanding philanthropist, brilliant developer, and ardent supporter of the Iranian-American community who understood the value of public service. We hope the Congressional Fellowship will continue to inspire the next generation of Iranian-American leaders to pursue a career in public service by working on Capitol Hill.
Help support this program here >>
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