Over the past year and half, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw an increase in hate targeted at many communities, including the Asian/Asian-American Community. Structural Engineers Association of Illinois is proud to partner with CAIR-Chicago (the Chicago Office of the Council on American Islamic Relations), a Chicago based civil rights nonprofit that works to combat hate and discrimination and empower communities.
Please join us on Tuesday, January 11 2022 at 12:00pm as the CAIR-Chicago team provides an interactive, online Bystander Intervention Training.
Participants will:
- Learn about the types of disrespect and dangers that Asians, Asian-Americans, and Muslims are facing right now and throughout history — from microaggressions to violence.
- Understand what to look for in scenarios and the positive impact that bystander intervention has on individuals and communities.
- Talk through five strategies (5Ds) for intervention and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening.
- Practice using the 5Ds so that participants are confident intervening the next time they witness Islamophobic or Anti-Asian harassment.
About the Speakers
Sufyan Sohel - Deputy Director and Counsel
CAIR-Chicago
Sufyan Sohel serves as CAIR-Chicago’s Deputy Director & Counsel. Sufyan is a trained mediator and facilitator, and speaks frequently on topics of social justice, civil rights, and diversity. Before CAIR-Chicago, he worked with DePaul University‘s International Human Rights Law Institute and the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights where he researched global human rights abuses, with a focus on gender violence, and helped develop rule of law, community education, and advocacy programs alongside international partners.
Sufyan earned his undergraduate degree from Tulane University and holds a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) and a Master of Science in Finance (M.S.) from DePaul University. Sufyan is on the board of directors for the ACLU of Illinois, the Greater Chicago Legal Clinic, and Chicago Access Network Television (CAN-TV). He proudly serves on the Chicago City Clerk’s Civic Engagement Advisory Council, the Red Cross of Illinois Diversity & Inclusion Task Force, and the DePaul Law Diversity Council, and is a volunteer magician with Open Heart Magic. Sufyan is a recipient of the Chicago Bar Association’s Vanguard Award, the DePaul College of Law Young Alumnus Award, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Community Leadership Award, and is a 2018 Fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago.
Saadia Pervaiz - Communications Coordinator
CAIR-Chicago
Saadia Pervaiz is one of CAIR-Chicago's Communications Coordinators. She recently graduated with a Masters of Arts in History from the University of Chicago in 2017. Since 2014, Saadia has been working with various organizations in documenting oral histories of first generation Partition survivors in the United States. In addition to her historical work, Saadia has been tapped by numerous institutions for graphic design and illustrative commissions, including premier sports start-up ClutchPoints. She has helped curate exhibits focusing on the South Asian diaspora in collaboration with the Field Museum and Indian American Heritage Museum. Her artwork has been published in-print and online on multiple media platforms.