Our Team
STEERING COMMITTEE
Ramah Awad, Chair & Programs Director
Welcome! My name is Ramah Awad and I am the Programs Director at the Majdal Center and Chair of the Steering Committee. I was born and raised in the San Francisco-Bay Area and graduated from Stanford University in 2017 with a B.A. in History and a minor in Anthropology. My studies and research focused on the Middle East, social movements, and refugee rights, specifically the plight of Palestinian refugees displaced from Syria. Throughout college, I was a student organizer with Students for Justice in Palestine and since graduating, I have continued my work with youth-led community organizing in my Palestinian community. I am excited to find home and contribute to building local community power in El Cajon and the wider San Diego area.
Contact: ramah@majdalcenter.org
Selma Hassane, Co-Chair
Salaam w Marhaba! My name is Selma. I was born and raised in Algeria for the first few years of my life. I currently live in San Diego, on occupied Kumeyaay land. While attending UC Irvine, I was involved in establishing the on-campus FRESH Basic Needs Hub, which serves students in helping them meet their food and housing needs. Since graduating with a B.A. in International Studies and Sociology, I currently serve as the Host Homes Coordinator at Home Start, and work on identifying housing resources for youth in East County. I also serve as the Development Associate with the San Diego Organizing Project. I am co-chair on the Majdal Center Steering Committee and am excited to support work around developing resources and tools of empowerment for our communities in El Cajon.
Contact: selma@majdalcenter.org
Nadine Hassoun, Finance & Fundraising Coordinator
Salam! I’m Nadine Hassoun, one of the co-founders of the Majdal Community Center. I currently serve as the Finance and Fundraising Coordinator on the Steering Committee. I was born in San Diego, raised abroad, and moved back to attend San Diego State University, where I first became involved in student organizing with Students for Justice in Palestine. I received an MSc in Development Economics from SOAS, University of London, and I currently work as an Economic Development professional for local government. When I’m not community organizing, I’m experimenting in the kitchen by baking cakes, cookies, and more, hiking and exploring our beautiful coast, or hanging out with my two cats, Che and Katafani.
Contact: nadine@majdalcenter.org
Rinad Taha, Youth Outreach Coordinator
As-salamu alaykum, My name is Rinad and I am the Youth and Community Outreach Coordinator with Majdal Center. I was born in California, and lived in Palestine for five years growing up. I graduated from University of California San Diego with a B.A. in Political Science. I’m currently a graduate student studying to become a licensed Clinical Social Worker. I love hiking, traveling, baking, and trying new things. I look forward to building relationships with our El Cajon community.
Yasmeen Obeid, Advocacy Coordinator
Assalamu Alaikum everyone! My name is Yasmeen Obeid and I am a Muslim-Palestinian community organizer and Advocate. I was born in Los Angeles, and raised in Palestine until I graduated high school. I am a recent Ethnic Studies graduate from the University of California, San Diego, and currently serve as the Advocacy & Campaigns coordinator with Majdal center. I also serve as an advisory board member for Borderlands for Equity, a pro-bono civil rights organization, as well as the Community Partnerships Chair with Feminist Front, an anti-racist organization led by women of color committed to fighting white supremacy, anti-Blackness and settler colonialism. I currently work as a Neighborhood Captain with Mid-City CAN, where I focused this past year on ensuring City Heights residents are civically aware and engaged by participating in the Census and elections. In my free time, I love being outdoors and in nature, especially hiking. I also love listening to audiobooks and spending time with family and loved ones. I look forward to continuing the work with our Arab communities in El Cajon, Insha’Allah!
Contact: yasmeen@majdalcenter.org
STAFF
Doaa Alazzawi, Community Health Worker
Hello, my name is Doaa Al-Azzawi, and I’m a Community Health Worker with the Majdal Community Center. I was born in Baghdad, Iraq and moved to the United States in 2017. In Iraq, I was working as a legal lawyer, but due to the war and the situation in the country, I had to leave. When I moved to the United States, I started working to help the Arab community by supporting refugee families with Arabic interpretation and translation. I also gained a lot of experience helping families while working with the Department of Children and Families in Kansas. I look forward to joining and supporting the San Diego community through the Majdal Center.
Contact: doaa@majdalcenter.org
Subrein Damanhoury, Youth Programs Coordinator
Salam! My name is Subrein. I was born and raised in San Diego and spent most of my summers in Palestine with my family. I graduated from San Diego State University with an Interdisciplinary degree in Arabic, Political Science, and History with a focus in the Middle East. During college, I studied abroad at the American University of Sharjah to learn more about the Arabic Language, its different dialects and the political economic structures of the region. After graduating, I worked for Youth Will where I advocated for youth rights on a local level after learning how little our youth are being supported. When I’m not working, you can find me reading about Palestine and its beautiful, vast history and culture. I also love photography, drinking coffee, and have recently started painting. I’m looking forward to supporting the Arab community in El Cajon and getting our youth more involved!
Contact: subrein@majdalcenter.org
Mohammed Abdulkareem, Resource Coordinator
Hi, my name is Mohammed, and I am a Community Health Worker with the Majdal Community Center. I was born in Iraq, Baghdad and moved to the US in 2015. In Iraq, in 1999, I was studying electronic engineering but due to the war in my country I had to stop. When I moved to the US, I started working with the Syrian Community Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where I supported refugee families with Arabic interpretation and translation. I also worked with the Immigration Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) in Ontario, Oregon, and from that I gained a lot of experience about helping families. I’m looking forward to joining and supporting the San Diego community through the Majdal Center.
Contact: mohammed@majdalcenter.org (619) 357-6758
Farida Erikat, Youth Organizer
Marhaba jamia'an! My name is Farida Erikat, and I am a Palestinian-Muslim born and raised in San Diego. I recently graduated from UC Irvine where I studied Psychology and Education. In my time in university, I discovered my passion for working with youth as a mentor, camp counselor, teaching assistant, and tutor. As such, I'm thrilled to be joining Majdal's team as a Youth Justice Fellow, where I hope to create a space of empowerment for the Arab youth in our community. I currently work at the San Diego Refugee Communities Coalition as a Project Specialist, where I work with Community Health Workers to address institutional health inequities. In my free time, I enjoy reading, listening to Arabic music, trying new desserts, and spending time with my large family, including my two lively cats. I grew up spending much of my spare time in El Cajon visiting family, so I'm looking forward to learning how to better serve this community!
Contact: farida@majdalcenter.org
FELLOWS
Rami Ibrahim, Economic Justice Fellow,
Summer 2021
Marhaba everyone! My name is Rami and I am a fellow with the Majdal Center through the Center on Policy Initiative’s Students for Economic Justice Program. I was born and raised in San Diego to Jordanian and Palestinian immigrants, and I recently graduated from UC San Diego in 2021 with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Ethnic Studies. Throughout college, I was a member of the UC Student Association and lobbied all levels of government for greater higher education funding and access, organized with the campus labor commission and graduate students for a Cost of Living Adjustment, and worked as a research fellow with the U.S. Immigration Policy Center. I am so excited to expand my organizing skills for the next 6 weeks and learn from all the wonderful organizers at the Majdal Center, as well as build community support networks and help establish greater Arab political power in the El Cajon and greater San Diego community.
Rima Alkhateeb, Economic Justice Fellow, Summer 2022
Hi! My name is Rima, and I am a sophomore at the University of San Diego. I have been involved in my community since my family and I came to San Diego from Syria. I am interested in meeting new people and hearing their stories. I have been a member of the Majdal Center’s Youth Leadership Council through which we organize events and work to make a positive difference in my community. I am very excited to work with the Majdal Center for the summer as a Student for Economic Justice (SEJ) intern with the Center on Policy Initiatives.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Hatem Mohtaseb
Hatem Mohtaseb is a community organizer and construction engineer based out of San Diego, California. Hatem is one of the founding members of the Majdal Center of San Diego. He previously served as the Regional Organizer for the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), a San-Diego based organization advancing refugee rights. In his free time, Hatem enjoys playing soccer, reading books on history and politics, and spending time with his wife and family.
Loubna Qutami
Loubna Qutami is an assistant professor in the department of Asian American studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Loubna's research is based on community based participatory research methods with local and transnational Palestinian, Arab and Southwest Asian and North African communities and movements. Loubna was a co-founder of the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) and the former executive director of the Arab Cultural and Community Center (ACCC) in San Francisco. She also currently serves as a member of the Palestinian Feminist Collective (PFC) and SWANAConnect.
Lallia Allali
Lallia Allali received her Bachelor in Electronics from the Institute of Technology in Algeria, Master of Arts in Leadership Studies from University of San Diego and a Leadership Coaching credential from the University of San Diego, where she is currently a PhD student. Since 2013, Lallia has been the voice of the English Learners in San Diego Unified School District through the District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) as ELAC Liaison, Parliamentarian, and Chairperson.
Lallia is also a member of the San Diego Unified School District Ethnic Studies Advisory Committee to promote diversity and inclusiveness. Lallia is leading the Committee to support an inter-religious and intercultural team of educators committed to addressing Islamophobia and its impact on Muslim students in the San Diego School Districts. Lallia is passionate about providing equitable educational opportunities for English Learners and Muslim students across San Diego.
Mohammad Alhasan
Mohammad (Moe) Alhasan holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Jordan University of Science and Technology and a Master of Business Administration from Southern States University. Moe currently works as a Senior Software Verification and Validation Engineer at Hologic. Before Hologic, he worked as a Software Test Engineer at Qualcomm for several years. Moe is a current board member of Southern States University. Between 2017-2019, he also served on the board of directors for Get Charged Up, a nonprofit with a mission to empower underserved communities through energy access and education while protecting the environment.
Asmaa Khierallah
Asmaa Khierallah is a community member who resettled to San Diego County from Syria in 2016 with her husband and three children. Asmaa has been involved with the Majdal Center since its establishment, and has been foundational in the development of the Center’s vision, strategy, and programs.