ISF focuses on American Muslim scholars studying and working in fields with the greatest impact on public opinion and public policy: law, media/journalism, film, and policy/government. Its stated goal is to “improve negative portrayals of Muslims in the news, increase the number of Muslim policymakers, and invest in the creation of positive and engaging stories about American Muslims.”
The very first recipient of the Al-Kadri Social Justice Scholarship already has a number of outstanding achievements to her credit. Isir received her bachelor’s degree in Political and Social Thought from the University of Virginia, where her academic and research interests ranged from human rights, globalization, and world literature to politics and ethics. Isir’s other awards and distinctions include two Critical Language Scholarships, an IPE Ethics Internship Grant, internships at the United Nations Permanent Mission of Somalia and the University of Virginia’s Institute of the Humanities and Global Cultures; and a fellowship at White & Case LLP.