raphael eissa

Attended seminars and events concerning religious freedom and sectarianism in the Middle East/North African (MENA) region whilst logging and researching daily sectarian incidents of varied manifestations against religious, ethnic, and cultural minorities in Egypt, Syria, and Iraq. Weigh, investigate, and analyze reports of sectarian incidents published throughout foreign news outlets to author minority profiles and research briefs for dissemination.

Spearheaded project contextualizing human rights violations in Israel with the 1973 International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid. Participated in a panel discussion on Liberation Theology and interfaith advocacy work at the 6th National Leadership Retreat in Portland, OR. Collaborate, author, and engage in discourse on various topics, such as social justice advocacy and state violence, with a diverse array of individuals and communities. Launched and organize annual Armenian Genocide Awareness Week for several years with community-wide participation and marches/vigils attended by 100+.

Developed analytic and writing skills related to policy issues concerned with religious minorities in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region, interacting with a wide variety of civil society and government actors. Cultivated relationships with post-Arab Spring expatriates and engaged in research on social movement narratives.

Coordinating Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) addressing the school-to-prison pipeline and systems change with local youth members of Action Research Team. Maintaining external communications across mediums, including social media, website, and press releases. Advocating for youth justice in schools, courts, and other local spaces by spearheading Policy Action Committee. Partnering with local and national experts to develop a YPAR toolkit for use in the Deep South. Authored first organizational policy brief on trauma-informed, healing-centered practices in local institutions.