Rising Leaders Summer Conference

On July 19th, 2004, Rising Leaders hosted its inaugural Summer Leadership Conference at the Embassy of Pakistan. The theme of the conference was “Young Americans of Pakistani Heritage Working to Build a Better America.” It focused on encouraging young Pakistani-Americans to pursue careers on Capitol Hill and sought to create a network of such politically-oriented Pakistani Americans. Attendance was twice that expected.

Speakers included, Ambassador Qazi, , DCM Sadiq, Congressional Chiefs of Staff, Congressional staffers, former Congressman Charlie Wilson and renowned community activist Dr. Nasim Ashraf.

DCM Mr. Sadiq opened the event by delivering the welcoming remarks. He invited Ambassador Qazi to make his farewell speech to the youth. Ambassador Qazi commented on the achievements of the Pakistani-American community and urged the youth to increase their political participation and influence.

A two-part panel discussion entitled Working on the Hill followed the Ambassador’s address. The first panel consisted of Chiefs of Staff Mark Walker (Burton, R-IN, Co-Chair of the Pakistan Caucus), Leon Buck (Jackson-Lee, D-TX, Co-Chair of the Pakistan Caucus) and Jameel William Aalim-Johnson (Meeks, D-NY). The Chiefs of Staff discussed how they became involved in politics, the opportunities available for young people on the Hill and what they look for in hiring interns and staffers.

The second panel comprised of Pakistani-American Congressional staffers Assad Akhtar, Nayyera Haq, Omar Khawaja, Umair Khan and Arif Haque. They discussed their experiences working with members of Congress and answered questions about what to expect in pursuing political careers.

Former Congressman Charlie Wilson and Dr. Nasim Ashraf emphasized the need for young Pakistani-Americans to get involved with domestic as well as international politics. Mr. Wilson outlined strategies for young people who aspire to run for elected office. Keynote speaker Dr. Nasim Ashraf added that local participation can be a stepping stone to a successful political career.

The evening ended with a brief question and answers session and was followed by dinner. The event was covered by DAWN, Washington File, Washington Report, Diplomat, GEO, PTV Prime, and Voice of America. The evening was a success for Rising Leaders as it brought together a set of strong and successful speakers with a very talented group of young Pakistani-Americans.

July 20, 2004

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