Rija Arshad serves as a Civic Justice Organizer for the Muslim Civic Coalition.

I am from Bowling Green, Kentucky and am moving to Chicago for this position! I graduated from the University of Kentucky where I received a bachelors in International Studies. I have worked with refugees in higher education and in resettlement for the past two years, where I focused on assessing and providing needs for my clients. More recently, I have been heavily involved in advocacy for Palestine in Kentucky, where I have led coalition building and communications with local and state leaders. I am very passionate about advocating for my communities, whether that be immigrant and/or Muslim. In my free time, I love to paint Arabic calligraphy, seek Islamic knowledge, and explore new restaurants with my friends!