IAWF NorCal Hosts "Preschool to PhDs" Event

August 2016 Newsletter

Issue I

IAWF NorCal Chapter Presents: Preschool to PhDs

Join IAW Foundation's Northern California Chapter on August 21st as we hear from Iranian American women changing the field of education, from pre-K to college. Our speakers include: Persis Karim, Yalda Modabber, Ana Homayoun, Mana Kharrazi and the event will be moderated by Anita Amirrezvani. Join us at the David Brower Center at 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA at 2:00 PM. Find more information about the event here.

IAWF Women's Leadership Conference Returns to Orange County

Iranian American Women Foundation is excited to return to Orange County for the 11th Women's Leadership Conference! The conference will take place on October 30th, 2016 at Hotel Irvine and will include influential speakers, such as Hon. Shahla Sabet, Gisue Hariri, and Leili Baghaei. Moreover, the conference will feature an array of diverse and empowering stories and various opportunities to connect with fellow members of the IAWF community. If you are interested in becoming an exhibitor or sponsoring the event contact fariba@iawfoundation.org. Find the full schedule here. We look forward to seeing you at this event!

Moms Against Poverty Fundraising Gala

Moms Against Poverty, a non-profit organization founded by IAWF member Delfarib Fanaie's Moms Against Poverty, will host its third annual fundraising gala in Orange County. The event will take place on August 27th, 2016 at Hotel Irvine. It will be a night filled with entertainment, dancing, and authentic Mediterranean cuisine. A portion of the proceeds from this event will go towards helping Moms Against Poverty establish an orphanage in Iran, as well as to support the mentorship program at the Blind Center in Orange County. The money raised to fund the orphanage will support 30 Iranian orphan girls. The mentorship program will help blind children develop the tools they need to learn and grow as independent adults. Click here to buy your tickets.

Chapter Member Spotlights


Mana Kharrazi New York Mana Kharrazi is the Executive Director of Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB), the largest Iranian-American grassroots organization dedicated to community building and youth empowerment. She started at IAAB as a counselor in Camp Ayandeh, a summer leadership camp for Iranian-American high school students. IAAB also organizes student summits for Iranian-American student leaders across U.S. university campuses. IAAB has been featured on CNN, the Washington Post, Huffington Post and PBS Frontline's Tehran Bureau. Prior to working for IAAB, Mana was a Field Organizer in Amnesty International USA's Southern Regional Office. Mana has also led numerous trainings and workshops, participated in university panels, and organized events with ACLU, NAACP and other nonprofit organizations. She received her B.A. from Emory University in International Studies and Middle Eastern Studies, alongside a minor in Persian. Visit Mana's IAWF profile here.	Delfarib Fanaie Northern California As a compassionate humanitarian and an advocate of children all over the world, Delfarib Fanaie co-founded Moms Against Poverty (MAP) in 2008. MAP is a 501(c)3 volunteer based nonprofit charity organization with the core vision to nurture and educate children in need to their fullest potential so that one day they can contribute and lead within their own communities; thus breaking the cycle of poverty. In 2001, fulfilling her life-long dream, Delfarib and her husband adopted their first child from Iran. This experience kept drawing Delfarib back to Iran where she adopted two other children and found the inspiration behind creating MAP. Delfarib has studied Business Management in London, England and has over 27 years of experience in Corporate and Real Estate Business Management. She uses her business and management experience to inspire and lead all MAP activities as a volunteer CEO. Visit Delfarib's IAWF profile here.	Shiva Farivar Southern California Shiva Farivar was born in Tehran and lived in Germany for 10 years. She received her B.A. in Political Science and German Literature from UC San Diego, and her Master's Degree in German Literature from UC Irvine. In 2006, Shiva became the Mayor's Executive Assistant, serving as the liaison to cultural, educational and non-profit institutions. The following year, she was appointed to the Community Services Commission, which she also chaired for five years. Shiva also chaired the Advisory Committee of Irvine's Strategic Plan for Children, Youth and Families, which addresses diverse needs of the community and their solutions. Shiva has coordinated efforts with other community leaders to have the City of Irvine proclaim March 21st as Persian New Year Day and this past spring, she directed the 1st Persian New Year Festival in Irvine. Shiva is currently running for a seat in Irvine City Council for the November 2016 election. Visit Shiva's IAWF profile here.

Circle of 100 Featured Member: Nadia Shahram

Nadia N. Shahram, Esq. received her B.S. in Business Administration (1988) and Juris Doctor (1997) from the State University of New York at Buffalo. In 2001, she completed her training as a Family Mediator from the Rochester Mediation Center and is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst. Nadia has been a Matrimonial Mediator in Western New York for the past 15 years. She is currently heading an advisory board developed to assist courts and attorneys in dealing with issues specific to the Moslem Community. Nadia is the founding member of Raising Hope, an annual fashion show fundraiser benefiting the Family Justice Center and in 2012, she established a scholarship to encourage and enable Moslem women to pursue higher education. She is the founder and the president of the Coalition for the Advancement of Moslem Women. She unveiled the first Declaration of Equalities for Moslem Women during Convention Days in Seneca Falls, New York in 2014. This document is currently on permanent exhibit at the Women's Rights National Historical Park. Nadia is also a performer in Persian dance and poetry. Visit Nadia's IAWF profile here.