Fadila Traore, COL ’26, North Caldwell, NJ
Working as a policy analyst for the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) office in Philadelphia was an incredibly rewarding experience that helped solidify my confidence in exploring new career paths after leaving the pre-med track. One of the highlights of my summer was participating in the Muslim City Council Day in Philadelphia, where we engaged with council members to discuss pressing issues affecting the Muslim American community in the city. Meeting Curtis Jones, who represents the 4th district and is one of two Muslim members of the City Council, was particularly inspiring. His passion and dedication to public service deeply resonated with me and reinforced my commitment to making a positive impact through policy work.
A significant project I undertook during my time at CAIR was drafting a legislative agenda for the upcoming State Capitol Day that the organization will be hosting in the fall. This task involved extensive research on state legislation and representatives, focusing on their legislative records concerning issues specific to Muslim Americans. I also followed up on previous lobbying efforts by CAIR, assessing the progress of those policy changes. This project was a valuable learning experience, allowing me to apply analytical skills in a real-world context while gaining a deeper understanding of the legislative process and the challenges of advocating for minority communities.
Overall, my experience with CAIR was extremely positive and reaffirmed my interest in potentially pursuing a career in public policy after graduation. The opportunity to work on meaningful projects and engage directly with policymakers provided me with insights that I believe will be invaluable as I continue to explore different career paths. This experience not only enhanced my understanding of policy work but also helped me recognize the importance of advocacy and representation in shaping equitable policies for marginalized communities.
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2024 Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they spent their summer. You can read the entire series here
