Age: 18

Hometown: New Canaan, CT

Last Academic Institution Attended: The George Washington University

Academic Status: Sophomore, Undergraduate

About Me: I study English at The George Washington University and am also pursuing a minor in music. My dream job is to be a Crime Scene Investigator but I am content with pursuing my more realistic goal of becoming a lawyer. I am a pianist of 14 years, a fashion magazine journalist, a Special Olympics and Red Cross volunteer, an avid tennis player and I love to draw, paint, read and write. I perform on a Persian dance team at my school called Aatash and I am also a member of GW’s Co-ed Pre-Law Fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta, and PR Director of the Iranian Cultural Society.

Favorite Musical Artist: Keri Hilson, Beyoncé, Lady GaGa, Britney Spears, 50 Cent, T.I., Lil’ Wayne, Mayday Parade, Taylor Swift, 3OH!3, Ne-Yo, Jason Mraz, Pitbull, Nancy Ajram, Arash, Beethoven

Favorite Physical Activity: Dance, Tennis

Favorite Pastime/Hobby: Painting landscapes, writing poetry, playing the piano, playing tennis, dancing and singing.

Favorite Quote:

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” – Marilyn Monroe

What motivated you join IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh staff: Having attended IAAB’s camp for three years, I understand the invaluable lessons the camp offers its participants. I, personally, gained confidence, great friends, and amazing experiences that assisted me in gaining a deeper level of understanding and appreciation for my dual identity, as well as bringing me closer to the Iranian-American community I so desired to find a place in. I expanded my knowledge of Iranian culture and determined what being Iranian-American meant to me personally through cultural, creative, physical and academic activities. I joined IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh staff team because I hope to make the same positive impact on the lives of Iranian-American youth attending Ayandeh this summer and with the help of the rest of the camp staff I look forward to creating an enjoyable, inspiring and life-changing week for campers.

Nickname: T-

Age: 19

Hometown: Trumbull, CT

Last Academic Institution Attended: University of California, Santa Barbara

Academic Status: Sophomore

About Me: I moved from Connecticut three years ago and now live in Danville, California. I’m a Biology major. I love watching movies- my favorite is Slumdog Millionaire, learning different languages, and I’m very close to my family.

Favorite Musical Artist: Keane

Favorite Physical Activity: Hiking

Favorite Pastime/Hobby: Listening to music

Favorite Quote:

“There are millions of people in the world, and the spirits will see that most of them, you never have to meet. But there are one or two you are tied to, and the spirits will cross you back and forth, threading so many knots until they catch and you finally get it right.”

What motivated you to join IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh staff: I was a camper at Camp Ayandeh for the past two years and I absolutely fell in love with the experiences I had. I learned so much about myself and gained so many valuable friendships. Becoming part of the staff is my way of giving back to IAAB and helping other campers have the same amazing experience I had.

Nickname: Maz

Age: 19

Hometown: San Diego

Last Academic Institution Attended: University of California, San Diego

About Me: I was born under the mountains of Alborz in a normal family, with normal friends, and with a normal life. However, all that changed when I moved to the U.S. when I was 12, nothing was anymore but everything was still great. I consider myself as an Iranian American because I understand the Iranian Culture while embracing the American culture as well.

Favorite Musical Artist: GOOGOOSH, Farhad

Favorite Pastime/Hobby: I love to draw

Favorite Quote:

“Eyes shall be washed, they shall see differently” -Sohrab Sepehri

“Cheshmhara bayad shost joori digar bayad did”

What motivated you join IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh staff: IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh was the highlight of my summer 2 years ago, it thought me life lessons that I use on a daily basis and I wish to be a part of it this year and have an influence on a student like my counselors did on me.

Age: 19

Hometown: Springfield

Last Academic Institution Attended: University of Illinois (Springfield)

Academic Status: Sophmore

About Me: Its game time and I’m ready to play

Favorite Musical Artist: Usher / Enrique Iglesias

Favorite Physical Activity: Working out / Boxing

Favorite Pastime/Hobby: Reading

Favorite Quote:

Hate is love in denial

What motivated you join IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh staff: After attending the camp for four years, its time to pass on the wisdom of past counselors onto upcoming fresh campers.

Nickname: Bromeed

Age: 20

Hometown: Mission Viejo, CA

Last Academic Institution Attended: Boston University

Academic Status: Junior

About Me: Omeed Askari attends Boston University where he is pursuing a B.A. in International Relations, and is a proud member of the Chi Phi Fraternity and the BU Persian Club. In his hometown of Mission Viejo, CA, he is an active volunteer with the California Young Democrats. He is also a volunteer in the Boston community. In 2007, he assisted the staff at the Salvation Army Day Care, helped understaffed schools prepare for the new school year, and worked at a government-subsidized day care in Jamaica Plains, MA. In his first year at Boston University, Omeed was invited to IAAB’s Student Summit at Wellesely College, where he became first acquainted with the organization. The following summer, he participated in IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh, and has since been involved with IAAB. In his spare time, Omeed reads and writes poetry, keeps himself informed with international politics, repairs computers and, of course, is always involved with the Iranian community.

Favorite Quote:

“Every rose has a thorn”

What motivated you join IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh staff: Watching our youth grow and succeed. The kids are truly amazing. I have difficulty finding the words to describe the emotion that you get during camp. Rest assured you will express it via tears at least once during the week.

Nickname: Seppy

Age: 18

Hometown: Farmington, CT

Last Academic Institution Attended: Boston College

Academic Status: Sophomore

About Me: I love watching and making films. I’m in an a capella group and I love to play music whenever I can. I also love thinking and talking about politics and philosophy.

Favorite Musical Artist: The Magnetic Fields

Favorite Physical Activity: Tennis, Soccer

Favorite Pastime/Hobby: Playing music and making films

Favorite Quote:

Sometimes a scream is better than a thesis.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

What motivated you join IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh staff: After attending camp for 3 years, I knew I had to join the organization that had given me so much and do my best to repay what I could. It’s a great group and I’m happy to be a part of it.

Age: 21

Hometown: Norman, OK

Last Academic Institution Attended: Northwestern University

Academic Status: Senior in college

About Me: I’m a Spanish major with a premed concentration. I like to laugh, usually at people, and I live for awkward moments. I also love to play/watch sports and to cook.

Favorite Musical Artist: Bon Iver, Snow patrol, Aqualung, Mansour, Pooya, Ehsan Khajehamiri…anything Iranian.

Favorite Physical Activity: Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, running, basketball, any sport really.

Favorite Pastime/Hobby: Eating, mostly my mom’s food, but pretty much anything edible.

What motivated you join IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh staff: I joined IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh staff because I believe that this is an amazing opportunity for Iranian-American youth to come together for a week to learn and relate to one another. As a past counselor, I was able to observe how campers grew so much in just one week’s time and that was such an awesome feeling.

Age: 25

Hometown: Sterling, VA

Last Academic Institution Attended: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Academic Status: 3rd yr med student. Class of 2010 (Whoohoo!)

About Me: I’m always ready and excited to meet new people, see new places or try new things but at the same time I enjoy the familiarity of home, family and old friends.

I like to listen more than I like to talk.
I love to learn and am a nerd in the sense that I really do enjoy school.
I love bright blue skies, a spring breeze, summer flowers but my favorite season is autumn and rain never depresses me.
I love chai with milk.

Favorite Musical Artist: Dave Matthews Band and SANDY!!

Favorite Physical Activity: Rock Climbing (ok, I’ve only done it once) Love hiking!

Favorite Pastime/Hobby: Road tripping. If I get a free weekend, I like to explore the unexplored.

Favorite Quote:

“Even after all this time,
The sun never says to the earth,
‘You owe me’.
Look what happens with a love like that.
It lights the whole sky.”

-Hafiz

What motivated you to join IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh staff: My free time is pretty limited so when I do have some time off I like to do new things or go places I haven’t been before. Camp Ayandeh allows me to experience a new place, meet a host of new people as well as catch up with old friends.

Nickname: Kisa, Kis, Nakkz

Age: 23

Hometown: Berkeley, CA

Last Academic Institution Attended: UC Berkeley

Academic Status: 2008 from undergrad, Class of 2012 for law school

About Me: I am a 23 year old female with a serious addiction to sports (namely basketball and football…Go Bears!), the US Supreme Court (I cringe even as I write it, knowing how it will be perceived), writing for fun (not fictional stories, more commentary on sports and politics), politics in general, and dancing. I teach SAT and LSAT test prep. I can’t imagine my life without imagining that I will be teaching for a long time to come. I start law school in the fall, probably at Georgetown but that’s still up in the air. I want to teach the law more than I want to practice it; I suppose that explains my interest in the Supreme Court. People are confused by the fact that the Lakers or Cal losing can actually ruin my whole day, and by my strange fascination with Supreme Court personalities. I talk a little too quickly for most people’s liking and I have an eclectic taste in music that even I myself can’t describe. I am open-minded to all different points of view and love to help whenever anyone needs help. I can be overly analytical but I try to keep that on hold when I actually need to get something done. I only get involved in things that I’m super passionate about, and IAAB is definitely one of those things.

Favorite Musical Artist: The Beatles, most 80s music (you know, New Order, Depeche Mode, Pat Benatar), Jason Mraz, Dave Matthews Band, classic hip hop (Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Nas, OutKast, J5), Augustana, Dylan, contemporary Persian music (like Hamed Nikpay)

Favorite Physical Activity: Dancing and pretty much anything that involves running around and playing

Favorite Pastime/Hobby: Watching the Lakers win the championship, exploring cities (like San Francisco), traveling to new places…reading Supreme Court cases…seriously, teaching

Favorite Quote:

“Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And it has made all the difference”

–Robert Frost

“Anytime you see someone more successful than you are, they are doing something you are not.”

-Malcolm X

What motivated you join IAAB’s Camp Ayandeh staff: 3 years ago, I was looking for an Iranian-American organization I could relate to when I heard about Camp Ayandeh. I applied and was accepted as a counselor. That week changed my life, and now I can’t imagine what my life would have been had I not found IAAB. From there I worked as IAAB’s Public Relations Coordinator and later as the Director of the Fourth International Conference on the Iranian Diaspora. Camp Ayandeh is the highlight of our summer, and I’m so excited to share it with all of you this year.

Age: 20

Hometown: If this mean where I am currently living, then Rockville, MD

Last Academic Institution Attended: York University, Toronto, Ontario

Academic Status: Entering Junior

About Me: I enjoy real things versus fake ones, dancing versus standing still, and silence versus talking. Some favorite things include trees, rain, sun, laughing, trail mix, libraries, and music.

Favorite Musical Artist: Everything but the Red Hot Chili Peppers have a very very special place in my life.

Favorite Pastime/Hobby: Dancing, yoga, music, dancing, running to music, and knitting.

Favorite Quote:

“Life creates the conditions that are conducive to life.”