Meet DC Intern Aseel Abulhab

July 2, 2014


Aseel Abulhab, an Iraqi-American from Troy, Michigan, currently studies History at Williams College in rural Massachusetts. Despite its small student body, the remarkable, driven and tight-knit Muslim community at Williams College inspired her to join the Muslim Public Affairs Council. Having spent the past five months studying abroad at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, she feels better prepared to take on the vibrant city of Washington D.C. and bring her newfound skills outside of the classroom and to real policy work.

Following her first week interning at MPAC’s DC office, Aseel participated in the Young Leaders Government Summit, an experience which significantly impacted her. In her words:

MPAC’s Government Summit was truly an unparalleled experience. I realized that there is still so much to learn when it comes to government and how it functions. It's easy to be cynical about the political process, to simply dismiss the sometimes annoying bureaucratic aspects of it, but it's more important to engage with the process in order to improve it.

Seeing Muslims in prominent places and meeting impressive Muslims from across America has re-energized me to become involved in the process, even when it seems hopeless or like a wasted effort. Meeting with allies is just as crucial as being exposed to those whose hearts and minds we want to change, because we need to understand the reality of what we are facing. I know now that I want to be at the table, we've all been on the menu long enough.”

After finishing her degree at Williams College, Aseel hopes to enroll in law school and continue to serve the American Muslim community. She firmly believes that the American Muslim community will continue to be an integral part of the American government system and that their voices are crucial to achieving peace both here at home and abroad. Specifically, Aseel plans to marry her devotion to the Muslim community to her passion for the Deaf community. She recently founded a club at Williams College dedicated to the study of American Sign Language and Deaf rights, leaving her excited to pursue human rights as a career.




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