Selected Curriculum Vitae
Education
Villanova Interdisciplinary Immigration Studies Training for Advocates Module 1 & 2
Villanova University
Completed August 2022
Associate of Arts in Business Administration
Howard Community College
Graduated 2019
Certifications
Department of Justice Accredited Representative
Awarded March 2023, Expires March 2026
Microsoft Technology Associate
Awarded October 2020, No Expiration
Professional Experience
Legal Representative
International Rescue Committee
March 2024 - Present
Represent immigration clients before USCIS
Client intake and eligibility determination
Communication with clients to gather documents and evidence
Respond to inquiries from clients regarding case status and submission of inquiries on case status to USCIS and Department of State (DOS)
Maintain strict client confidentiality and observe all ethical legal practices
Stay current on United States immigration law and policy
Supervision of interns and volunteers
Administrative Assistant
Maryland Art Place
October 2023 - February 2024
Financial Stewardship; Maintained accurate records of all gifts, reconciled financial statements, and managed financial reporting.
Donor Relations; Helped cultivate strong relationships with individual and corporate donors, stewarding their generosity through personalized communication, event invitations, and recognition programs.
Sponsorship Solicitation; assisted with grant research and proposal writing, ensuring MAP's development efforts align with strategic programming priorities.
Event Support through inventory management and preparation, thereby ensuring a seamless experience for artists and guests.
Organization of MAP’s physical and digital records, ensuring easy access to historical documents and accurate documentation of current activities.
Executive Director, Lead Facilitator
Found in Translation
June 2020 – Present
Founder of Found in Translation, a community-building facilitation initiative centering the Afrodiaspora in the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) region
Partnership development and relationship-building with like-minded institutions in the local arts community
Facilitation of artist talks with local artists and storytellers
Facilitation of narrative interviews with American immigrants from the global Afrodiaspora
Soup-to-nuts event development, promotion, and coordination
Development and orchestration of Year-to-Date programming calendars in line with the mission and goals of the organization
Lead moderator of several group discussions engaging community members in analysis and discussion of art and modern media
Team leadership, staff supervision, and strategic planning
Fiscal development lead; currently in the process of negotiating sponsorship through a 501(c)(3) community partner
Continued training of facilitation best practices
Department of Justice Accredited Representative
Luminus Network for New Americans
January 2022 – Present
Legal department system development; fundamental team member in the process of integrating existing paper filing system into a streamlined, digital cloud-based repository
Preparation of critical legal documents such as client declarations, official statements, and application cover letters
High-level legal research and case analysis
Extensive preparation of immigration application forms
Client-facing communication; primary point of contact for client inquiries and updates on case management
Observation and documentation of client meetings conducted by other representatives and attorneys
Group moderator of February 2022 Afghan Alliance Summit; facilitated small group strategizing around basic need provision for Afghan refugees in the local area
Project Management Experience
Community Movie Night
June 2022 - Present
Coordination of an ongoing series of community movie nights at various art community spaces in the DC-Baltimore metro area. Following the screenings, I facilitate group conversations where attendees engage in robust discussion of these films and the messages communicated through them
The Found in Translation Podcast
June 2020 - December 2022
Luminus Staff Training Fund
February 2023 - April 2023
Team Lead in successfully advocating for the implementation of a Staff Training Budget to be allocated to each Luminus employee on an individual basis. This budget was approved and covers expenses related to role-related training, educational conferences, and enrichment opportunities in line with employee job functions and career growth opportunities.
Luminus Cultural Competency Trainings
January 2023 - July 2023
Office-wide cultural competency project coordinator; developed a multi-faced initiative addressing the need for a work culture where staff are more empowered to voice perspectives, concerns, and solutions, as well as offering the opportunity for a stronger understanding of the social and cultural systems that impact the lives of the communities we serve.
Luminus IT Redevelopment Project
May 2022 - October 2023
Office-wide IT redevelopment project coordinator; evaluated strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots apparent in pre-existing office IT infrastructure. Directly assisted senior leadership in holistically enhancing technology systems, ultimately resulting in a significantly improved experience for all staff
Presentations & Panels
Moderator, God Hates Us: The Death of Chocolate City
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
July 2023
Presenter, Unlearn University: Teaching Truth
Columbia Community Care & Anti-Racist Education Alliance
June 2023
Moderator, Afotèz: Paper, Cotton, Stone
Von Ammon Co.
October 2022
Moderator, 2022 Afghan Alliance Summit
Luminus Network for New Americans
February 2022
Organizational Affiliations
Sisters Freehold
Board Member
December 2022 - Present
Luminus Staff Training Committee
Team Lead
August 2022 - Present
NUNAR Magazine
Board Member, Events Co-Director
July 2023 - Present
Howard Community College Rouse Scholars
August 2016 - January 2018
Howard Community College Business Fellowship President
August 2016 - June 2018
Howard Community College African Student Association Board Member
August 2017 - June 2018
Awards & Publications
The Politics of Guava island (2019)
bigFacts Magazine
May 2022
Bard Scholar Award
Howard Community College
June 2017