|
Aisha
Chapra is a bright young Pakistani woman, newly settled
in Washington DC, and pursuing a career in political lobbying
and community relations. As the Executive Director of the
Pakistani American Liaison Center, Aisha is perhaps in
one of the most exciting jobs for a recent graduate. We
met with Aisha to find out more about her background, job,
and aspirations; and walked away impressed with her determination
and sense of purpose in doing something meaningful for
Pakistan and its people right from the beginning of her
career..
Tell
us a bit about your background...
I
was born in the US, but my parents moved back to Pakistan
when I was two weeks old. They did not quite enjoy the
experience of living here as much as they thought they
would. So I grew up in Karachi. I graduated from the American
High School in Karachi and then went to McGill University
in Montreal, Canada for my bachelors in social work and
English Literature. A few months ago, I moved to DC in
search of a good career opportunity in line with my interests
and education.
How
did your career progress in DC and where are you working
now?
When
I first moved to DC, I hadn't planned on any particular
employer or job as such. I had a fairly good idea that
I wanted to do something that builds upon my social work
education and where I can have an impact on society. I
started my career in DC working with the Pakistan Embassy.
I worked as the Executive Director of the Rising Leaders (a
youth organization focused on building a stronger and more
influential Pakistani American community). I recently moved
to the Pakistani American Liaison Center, which
focuses on first generation Pakistani Americans and is
working towards building a stronger presence for our community
on Capitol Hill.
More...
|
