Today we’d like to introduce you to Lida Azim.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
As the daughter of refugees from a war-stricken country, politics was, and continues to be, an active topic in my household; the Soviets, the Taliban, and American intervention were familiar and oft-repeated terms. This is where the curiosity I exhibited towards empowering minority communities began. I studied history and political science to try to understand current political situations. I continued my education and received a Master’s degree in International and Intercultural Communications that has reinforced my beliefs of the need to create a more prosperous and inclusive world for all and equipped me with the knowledge to contribute toward a more equitable society. Throughout this process, I met an amazing group of Afghan-Americans with similar passions and interests as mine and willing to put the time and effort into cultivating our community into one that is more civically engaged.
We created the Afghan Diaspora for Equality and Progress (ADEP) in 2016 and since then had a three-day training at the University of California, Irvine where 30 Afghan-Americans came from across the country to learn more about the struggle of other minority communities, the importance of media representation and sharing your public narrative. We also translated the 2018 and 2020 California propositions into two different languages spoken in our community, Dari and Pashto, in hopes to help the senior members of our community be able to fully exercise their right to vote. We have done a lot of work up to this point but its just the start, we hope to continue our efforts through the next administration.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We definitely took the scenic route but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. We had to manage different schedules and levels of commitment since this is an all-volunteer organization. We also had to be realistic with our ideas, we would love to do so much more but there’s only so much we are able to do with limited time and financial burdens. We had to figure out what was the most useful for our community and had some tough conversations but I think that showed us how committed we were to this space and we are a better organization and team because of it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I want to spend some time talking about another related passion of mine and so grateful that it’s my 9-5. America Indivisibles a non-partisan, non-profit coalition that aims to prevent bias and prejudice against members of Muslim, Arab, Sikh, and South Asian American communities by reinforcing the American values of equality, pluralism, and strength through diversity. AI supports officials in municipal, county, and state government with engaging members of local Muslim communities and those who appear to be Muslim from Arab, Black, Sikh, South Asian American, and other communities impacted by injustice to ensure that they understand those communities’ needs.
We provide tool-kits and digital guides and offer briefings, round-tables, individual and community empowerment, and a leadership development program, the Public Leaders for Inclusion Council (PLC). Something that stood out for me before I worked for America Indivisible was our coalition. It’s filled with 25 organizations that all combat anti-Muslim bigotry, Islamophobia, and hate for not only Muslims but those who are perceived to be Muslim, such as Arabs, Sikh, South Asian, and Black communities. It was obvious how much the organization really tapped into them for new projects and initiatives. We work together and put some of the greatest minds and passions together and it has really shown me all the impactful work we can create and are currently creating.
What I’m most proud of actually challenges me the most. The Public Leaders for Inclusion Council (PLC) is a leadership development program which equips public servants in elected, appointed, and professional positions in local, county, and state government to explore practices and policies that challenge anti-Muslim bigotry and other forms of hate while building inclusion and social resilience in their communities. I want to make sure this program gives them the necessary tools and resources to really set themselves up for success because this program has the potential to make an impact across the country. It’s challenging because everyone is at a different starting point, so I want to make sure the information is useful and impactful for all of our members. By the end of it, you really see the personal relationship each member has with each other and most of all, you see the overall changes in their thoughts and in their actions. That’s the best part.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I really do believe my successes all started with the decision to attend the Afghan-American Conference in 2015 at the University of California, Berkeley. That was where the beginning of my journey of bridging my two identities, Afghan and American, together started. I attended the Afghan-American Conference every year since 2015 at various capacities and it has given me a community in which I serve, some of my closest friends, and also the creation of the Afghan Diaspora for Equality and Progress as mentioned earlier. It was a domino effect that I’m still following till this day and wondering if the chain of events will ever stop. The role of luck has played a huge part in it. If I didn’t go to the Conference if I didn’t meet the same people that I met, where would I be right now? How would I be channeling my passions? Questions that will never be answered and I’m totally okay with that.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
- Website: americaindivisible.org / adeprogress.org
- Instagram: instagram.com/america.indivisible instagram.com/adeprogress
- Facebook: facebook.com/americaindivisible facebook.com/afgdep
- Twitter: twitter.com/afgdiasporaep
Image Credits
Wayve Media – Omar Kohgadai
