2025 Civic Leaders Summer Summit Recap

From July 13-19, the Civic Leadership Program (CLP) hosted our fourth annual Civic Leaders Summer Summit in Washington, D.C. where Iranian American high schoolers and counselors came together for a transformative week of civic engagement, leadership training, and community building.

The Civic Leaders participated in interactive workshops and discussions, led by Saya Ameli Hajebi, to articulate their shared values and formulate public narratives. The Summit students worked together to formulate their personal stories into public narratives and advocated for the Iranian American community through specific legislation such as the Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA) and the Internet Reach and Access Now (IRAN) Act.

Students also engaged in a series of thought-provoking lectures and discussions. Sina Azodi provided a historical overview of U.S.-Iran relations. Holly Dagres offered insight into the experiences of students in Iran and their efforts to resist government repression. Through her lecture, “Women, Life, Freedom: Protests & Iran’s Gen Z,” she highlighted the pivotal role of technology and youth in shaping modern activism and encouraged students to connect their personal narratives to digital advocacy. A Careers & College Q&A session featured seasoned Iranian American professionals in Washington D.C., including Dr. Neda Bolourchi, Samira Burns, Behnam Ben Talebu, and Kian Rajaeian, who shared personal stories and guidance. Students were also joined by Layla Sharaf, who delivered a powerful lecture on the enduring impact of the Iranian American community on U.S. civic life over the past century. Her session explored the history and evolution of the Iranian diaspora in the United States, tracing the three major waves of Iranian American immigration and examining how identity, belonging, and representation have evolved across generations.

Throughout the Summit, students explored their Iranian American identity through conversations with peers, visits across the nation’s capital, and meaningful engagement with community leaders. Students and future leaders left with a deeper understanding of how to be active participants in their communities while staying rooted in their heritage.

Throughout the week Summit students participated in a series of trainings, working toward the Capitol Hill Day:

The students visited the U.S. Capitol, where students met with 10 Congressional offices to advocate for two key pieces of legislation: the IRAN Act and the TFVA. By meeting with their Members of Congress, students actively participated in the democratic process and lent their voices to meaningful policy discussions. Student leaders heard from Senator Alex Padilla, who spoke about the critical role of youth in civic engagement, and they met with Representatives Dave Min and Brad Sherman to discuss prominent issues facing the Iranian American community in California.

After a busy and powerful day on Capitol Hill, students were left with a renewed passion to participate in pressing matters for our community and country.

Since the inception of the Summer Summit, Saya Ameli Hajebi, has designed the Public Narrative Curriculum at the core of the initiative. Public Narrative is a framework for public speaking and leadership originally developed by Professor Marshall Ganz at the Harvard Kennedy School. Having worked with Professor Ganz and his team directly to lead national climate policy advocacy initiatives, Saya has adapted a curriculum with over 10 hours of interactive workshops and lectures that is deployed at the Summit. Public narrative fundamentals are divided into three training segments: “Story of Self”, “Story of Us”, and “Story of Now.” Through these segments and others, the Summit's curriculum helps guide Iranian American high school students explore their identity through civic leadership with competence and pride.

"Being Iranian American means politics is never distant; it shapes our identity and our future. At the Summit, through Saya’s lecture I learned how to turn personal stories into personal stories into brilliant narratives and use them on Capitol Hill. It was surreal to feel how our voices could influence real change in our community and for the people of Iran." - Uriya, Virginia

On Capitol Hill, Summit leaders also met with Representative Yassamin Ansari, the first Iranian American Democrat elected to Congress. Our students were grateful to have meaningful discussions with a noteworthy leader from the Iranian American community.

Congresswoman Ansari conversed with students on leadership, education, and what the future generations of leaders may look like. The students heard from Kian Rajaeian, a Legislative Correspondent in Congresswoman Ansari's Office, learning his pathway as an Iranian American working on the Hill.

"The experience of being in the Civic Leadership Summer Summit has been so enjoyable. Meeting Congresswoman Ansari showed me that even people like me can use their voice to make change. And that was what the Hill day felt like, making positive change for Iranian Americans. Advocating for the Iran Act and the TFVA is so important especially in times like this. Being in DC for a week helped me solidify what I want to do when I get older, whether that's regarding U.S. politics or even international affairs." - Olive, New York

Throughout the week, students explored Washington, D.C., while celebrating their Iranian American heritage and examining how culture and democracy intersect. At Georgetown's Peacock Café, students heard from Chef Maziar Farivar on the role of culinary diplomacy. Chef Farivar spoke on his involvement in the White House Nowruz celebration and the State Department’s Diplomatic Culinary Partnership Initiative. While enjoying an incredible meal, students witnessed the intersection of cuisine, culture, and diplomacy within Iranian American relations in the heart of D.C.

At the Summit, the students also explored Washington D.C on a Capitol tour, at the US Department of State, and a prominent think-tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)-Americas.

At the Capitol, the tour guide, Jessica, walked our leaders through the historic elements. Each student gained knowledge on their state's statues while viewing art and architecture dating back to the founding of the United States. At the Summit, our students and counselors, who came from five states across the nation gained rich experiences in the Nation's Capitol, immersing themselves into our democratic institutions.

By attending two panel discussions at the U.S. Department of State, students gained valuable insight into the wide range of roles and career paths within the diplomatic corps. The panels featured accomplished Iranian American professionals and veteran Persian-language officers, who offered career guidance and engaged students in meaningful conversations about the mission and impact of the State Departments work.

At IISS-Americas, Leigh Morris Sloane and Michael Schiffer spoke with students about the role of think tanks in shaping policy and advancing informed public debate. They highlighted how strategic research and analysis can influence national and global decision-making, and encouraged students to consider how their own interests and expertise can drive civic impact. The session emphasized the importance of evidence-based policy, nonpartisan research, and the role think tanks play in bridging academia, government, and the public.

“During the summit, everyone grew so close together, I truly made friends who will last a lifetime. I was exposed to so much new information and all the unique experiences we had gave me much more insight into how government functions and what career I want to pursue in the future.” - Donna, California

"The Civic Leadership Program Summer Summit by far exceeded all my expectations. Not only were we given the opportunity to connect with like-minded youth, but we also gained real world experience across fields of government and global affairs and were fortunate enough to hear from so many incredible speakers. The summit allowed me to not only make lots of new friends but also grow closer to old ones!" - Kara, California

“This summit was extremely important to me because it allowed me to get closer to my community and establish bonds with everyone there. The way we were all able to collaborate for Capitol Hill and help each other with our narratives and how our stories worked so well together. Additionally, Saya’s lectures were one of the highlights for me because they were not only inspiring but taught us how to bring personal stories into advocating for bills that we we’re passionate about in Congress.” Heeva, Virginia

"The Summit was so important to me because I was able to build a sense of community with everyone there. I found that we all have the same humor and interests, as well as passion. We all were able to work together for the important moments such as speaking at Capitol Hill, but in every moment, we were able to bond, making each other laugh and smile." Layla, California

The 2025 Civic Leaders Summer Summit was a transformative experience for our students. They left Washington, D.C. with the skills and confidence to turn their personal stories into powerful public narratives. Throughout the week, they saw firsthand that advocacy and civic engagement are vital pillars of a thriving democracy, and they actively took part in shaping their communities. The young Iranian American leaders who took part in this year’s Summit are poised to help shape the future of democracy in our country.

Explore how to become involved in the Civic Leaders Program and other opportunities for young Iranian Americans at iacivicleaders.org and subscribe to PAAIA’s newsletter at PAAIA.org. As a nonprofit organization, our work is only possible through your generous financial support. Please consider making a contribution to the Civic Leadership Program today.

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