Shariq holds a master’s degree in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution from Columbia University, focused on peacebuilding. His passion is finding intersections between communities for collaboration and mutual growth. He married his best friend, has three children, and is looking for a PhD program that will have him.

Seyi is passionate about empowering others and contributing to mission-driven work. She loves creating structure and finding ways to make a lasting impact in the communities and organizations she serves.

Julianne is passionate about helping underprivileged communities amplify their voices and address structural change. She plans to complete her Master’s in Public Policy Analysis. Julianne was inspired to work at the Minaret Foundation because of their efforts to unite people and organizations to fight for a common cause. 

Angie believes every voice is impactful, and is worth being heard. She has a passion for storytelling and representing the community. In her free time, Angie loves to cook food from her culture and beyond.

Ishita has always been drawn to the idea of building a just society through applied principles of faith and hopes to spread those ideals further through her work at Bridges. She is especially passionate about immigrant rights (proud second gen Indian American!) and reforming the prison system. 

Nadia is passionate about being useful to those around her, whether that be at home or in her community. She believes that coming to someone’s aid is the essence of humanity. She also believes that service is the most meaningful when it is rooted in empathy, respect, and genuine care. 

Justin was drawn to work at Bridges because of its commitment to cultivating peace, making neighbors better neighbors in everyday communities. Guided by the call to love one’s neighbor as oneself, Justin is passionate about hospitality, peacemaking, and partnering with God to make this place look more like Heaven.

Meghan leads with faith at the forefront of her life, in music and in community. She sang in a gospel choir in NYC for ten years, and music continues to be her way of connecting with faith, with people, and with purpose. She’s passionate about healing the world and making it better, whether through her music career or simply being a source of light in people’s lives. 

Kayla is also a huge animal lover and has four cats! 

Simran is serving as Bridges’ Public Policy Intern for Texas’ 90th legislative session! She’s currently a junior at Rice University studying Political Science and Social Policy Analysis on the Pre-Law track. She’s excited to learn more about how policy work gets done in politically divided arenas.

Moukthika loves using research and outreach to inform policy solutions and bring different communities together. She is originally from New Jersey, but goes to school in Pennsylvania, where she studies Political Science and Economics. In Moukthika’s free time, she loves to read, cook, and go to the beach!

Arya is a senior at Tufts University studying International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies. She joined Bridges because of her passion for non-profit work and human rights that center local voices and local leaders — a value shaped by growing up in St. Louis, Missouri.

Jay is a student at the University of Oxford focusing on Ethics, Political Philosophy, and Religion in the Modern Age. In high school, his chief, extracurricular project was on interfaith dialogue. He sought to incorporate that element into his work experience, which is how he found out about Bridges.