December 31st 2024.
For Nina Shoman-Dajani, helping the Arab American and Muslim American community is more than just a job – it's a way of life. As the assistant dean of Learning Enrichment and College Readiness at Moraine Valley Community College, she has dedicated herself to making a positive impact in the lives of those around her. And now, with the opportunity to participate in a Cultivate: Women of Color Leadership cohort fellowship, she hopes to enhance her leadership skills and become even more effective in her mission.
This eight-month program, based in Chicago but serving the entire region, offers personal and professional development through executive coaching and leadership workshops. It also provides a platform for women of color, including nonbinary individuals, to network and connect with others who share a passion for social, gender, and racial justice. Nina was chosen to be part of this group due to her volunteer work as the executive director of the Chicago Palestine Film Festival for the past four years.
Nina's parents immigrated from Palestine in the 1960s, and her personal connection to the community has only fueled her drive to uplift and celebrate Arab and Palestinian culture. Through the film festival, she aims to combat the negative stereotypes often portrayed in films and media, and instead showcase the true narrative of the Palestinian people. As the largest concentration of Palestinians in the U.S. is in the Chicago area, Nina believes it's crucial to have outlets for cultural celebration and education.
But Nina's contributions to the community go far beyond the film festival. She is also a board member of the Syrian Community Network, a refugee resettlement organization, and is involved with the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. At Moraine Valley, she serves as an advisor for the Arab Student Union and previously served on the board for the Arab American Studies Association. She is also an adjunct professor in Middle Eastern Studies at Saint Xavier University and has taught Arab-American studies at the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Nina's dedication to social justice and her unique perspective as a Palestinian-American were key factors in her selection for the Cultivate fellowship, according to Nouha Boundaoui, program manager of Crossroads Fund. As a previous Cultivate member herself, Nouha knows firsthand the transformative power of the program. She believes that the fellowship will not only benefit Nina in her professional and volunteer roles, but also allow her to build a strong network of like-minded leaders that can support and empower each other.
Cultivate is a joint effort by several organizations, including Crossroads Fund, Chicago Foundation for Women, Woods Fund Chicago, Walder Foundation, and the Chicago Community Trust. This collaboration focuses on promoting racial, social, and economic justice within the community. And for Nina, the diversity and inclusivity at Moraine Valley has been a major perk of working there for the past 15 years. She has been able to bring together the Arab Student Union and the Chicago Palestine Film Festival for screenings at the college, showcasing the power of collaboration and community support.
Nina's colleagues at Moraine Valley are also thrilled about her acceptance into Cultivate. They recognize her as a leading voice in supporting Arab-American students in higher education and believe that her personal and professional development through the fellowship will greatly benefit the college's Adult Education program and the postsecondary educational outcomes of Arab-American students.
But for Nina, this work is not temporary – it's a continuous journey. She knows that there will always be more to do in the community, and programs like Cultivate provide the opportunity to re-center her energy and sustain her passion. As she puts it, the work can be challenging and emotionally draining, but it's work that she is deeply passionate about. And for that reason, she is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the fellowship and continue making a positive impact in the lives of those around her.
In her own words, "There's always going to be work to do in the community, so this isn't something that has an end date – it's continuous work. Programs like Cultivate provide us the opportunity to re-center our energy to sustain this work. This can be very labor-intensive and emotionally draining work, but it's work that I'm passionate about." And for Nina, that passion will continue to drive her in all her endeavors, both at Moraine Valley and in the community.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
