Haute Hijab

Growing up in Detroit, Michigan to immigrant parents, Melanie Elturk found it challenging at times to fuse her Islamic culture with Midwestern American norms.  “Try finding a long sleeve shirt in a store during the summer in the United States.  It can be difficult to dress modestly,” she shared.  As an adult, she wanted to support young Muslim girls in their desire to fully identify as Muslim and American.  Her desire gave birth to Haute Hijab.

Non- Immigrant Visas: The Consular Officer’s Perspective

My colleagues and I are very aware of the stress and preparation that applicants go through before their non-immigrant visa interview.  We interact with applicants at outreach events and through Internet-based communication tools.  However, the applicants do not have a chance to view the process through our perspective and in an attempt to correct some of the misinformation that has infiltrated the Internet, here is my perspective on the U.S. visa application process.

“I Have a Dream” Through the Eyes of Abuja Students

High schools students in Abuja were tasked with interpreting the famous “I Have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King as part of activities celebrating his life.  And they did it with a bang.  The students drawn from ten high schools in the federal capital put up various performances to showcase their talent.

Hallowed Grounds

It’s Black History Month.  “Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American memories” is the theme for this year.  Announcing it, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History said, “The history of African Americans unfolds across the canvas of America, beginning before the arrival of the Mayflower and continuing to the present.  From port cities where Africans disembarked, from slave ships to the battlefields where their descendants fought for freedom, from the colleges and universities where they pursued education to places where they created communities during centuries of migration, the imprint of Americans of African descent are deeply embedded in the narrative of the American past.  These sites prompt us to remember, and over time, became hallowed grounds.”

2016 Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Silicon Valley

The 7th annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) will be held in Silicon Valley (the San Francisco Bay Area, California) on June 22-24, 2016. This strategic location highlights the important role that entrepreneurship plays in the U.S. economy, and also provides a unique platform to connect global entrepreneurs with prominent investors and mentors.