Born in Russia, Alya studied music and dance as a child and never lost her passion for the arts. As a young woman, she pursued a career in journalism, earning a degree from Moscow State University, and worked as a correspondent for Russia’s leading network, Ria Novosti, covering several of the biggest stories of the day, including the Kursk submarine disaster in 2000 and the Beslan school siege in 2004.
Farhoud Meybodi is an award-winning writer, director, and executive producer focused on storytelling projects that inspire social change. Over the past decade, he has collaborated on a variety of television and digital projects that have been seen over two billion times, raised millions of dollars for terminal illness research, and even helped overturn an unjust Presidential Executive Order. At his core, Farhoud believes in the power of mainstream storytelling to entertain and help heal the political-social divide of the present day.
Serita Fontanesi, MSW, is an activist for Black women and femmes, by assisting systems, organizations, and individuals in making subtle changes that have big impact, so that the can thrive in a more holistic and culturally competent way. Healing generational wounds caused by centuries of systemic injustices requires change on an individual and macro level in order to create a new, more supportive path forward. Through the use of practical and energetic tools, Serita disrupts old ways of thinking that no longer serve the highest good, creating space for more productive practices.
Emily Shugerman pioneered the role of gender reporter for The Daily Beast, where she covers the intersection of politics, culture and gender. She previously covered breaking news and U.S. politics for The Independent of London. She is the recipient of the 2019 Front Page Award for Best New Journalist and the 2014 Excellence in Journalism Award from the Washington State Association for Justice.
Mashuq Mushtaq Deen is a New Dramatists company member, winner of the Lambda Literary Award, and first runner-up for India's Sulthan Padamsee Playwriting Prize. He has been supported with residencies at MacDowell, Bogliasco, Wurlitzer, Blue Mountain Center, New Harmony and others. He is represented by the Gurman Agency.
Sheetal is an award winning actress, author, producer, and activist who burst onto the scene with raves in the groundbreaking film, ‘ABCD’, playing the gutsy lead, a risky and memorable role as a young Indian American girl struggling with the ties of family and tradition.She broke out and won hearts in ‘Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World’ opposite Albert Brooks, as the female lead, Maya, winning the role after an extensive international casting search.
Salam al-Marayati is President and Co-Founder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council and is nationally recognized for his commitment to improving the public understanding of Islam and policies impacting American Muslims. He oversees MPAC’s groundbreaking civic engagement, public policy, and advocacy work. He is an expert on Islam in the West, Muslim reform movements, human rights, democracy, national security, and Middle East politics. He has spoken at the White House, Capitol Hill and represented the U.S.
with
Kristin Brown, Georgetown Law Center. Oxy 2008.
Kaitlin Kelly, Lewis & Clark Law. Oxy 2012.
Sophia von Bergen, Lewis & Clark Law. Oxy 2016.
CTSJ Los Angeles with The Representation Project present:
A Panel Discussion:
David Donatti, ACLU of Texas, Staff Attorney
John Erickson, City Councilmember, West Hollywood
Serita Fontanesi is the Executive Director of Emerge Texas
with Dr. Caroline Heldman, Prof. of Critical Theory and Social Justice and Executive Director of The Representation Project