October 2021 | Issue I
Upcoming Events

Have a safe and fun Halloween!
Did You Know?
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer death rates declined 40% from 1989 to 2016 among women. The progress is attributed
to improvements in early detection. Learn more about this disease and how you can support people in need here.
IAWF Mentees Meet in New York
IAWF mentors and mentees came together for their first meeting since 2019! One of our dear mentee alumna, Niyoosha Ahmadikhoo, organized and hosted a gathering on Sunday, Oct. 24th for our New York area mentees. We were grateful to have been joined by our NY Mentorship Program Chair, Laya Khadjavi, and our great supporter and mentor, Sue Bayat, for this evening of connection and sharing. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this gathering, and we look forward to our next event!
Los Angeles Chapter Gathers for Happy Hour
After almost a year and a half since our last in-person event, IAWF's Los Angeles Chapter finally gathered together for an evening of connection and cocktails. We were so happy to see our committee members and discuss plans for some exciting upcoming events! Thank you to our gracious host, Josiane Cohanim, for opening her beautiful home for this gathering, and to everyone who joined us for a fantastic night. We can't wait to share what we have planned for the coming months, and we are grateful for the amazing team members who help us fulfill our mission.
MOZAIK Philanthropy Launches Art Competition
OPEN CALL FOR ART: All U.S. Based Artists. All Mediums.
Submit to the 3rd MOZAIK #FutureArtAwards: Ecosystem X—An arts-based reimagining of life on planet Earth. 10 Featured artists will receive $5,000 awards, along with one student artist who will be awarded a $5,000 academic scholarship. All 11 artists will receive inclusion in the virtual exhibition, open free to the public. Submit by December 1, 2021, and you can learn more here.
Elica Vafaie Joins the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area in New Role
Elica Vafaie is the Interim Executive Director at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCRSF), a dynamic organization that works to dismantle systems of oppression and racism alongside a network of more than 1,000 volunteer attorneys. For over 50 years, LCCRSF has operated legal clinics to meet the urgent needs of marginalized communities, filed high-impact lawsuits, and trained the next generation of civil rights lawyers through in-house fellowships. LCCRSF's work focuses on racial justice, immigrant justice, and economic justice programs. In her interim role, Elica is centering wellness and sustainability in the workplace. She also serves several legal nonprofit board of directors including the Iranian American Bar Association (IABA) Northern California Chapter (President Emeritus), IABA National, California Access to Justice Commission (Commissioner), and the Legal Aid Association of California. She is a graduate of UC Davis School of Law, Sciences Po- Paris, and UC Irvine. Congratulations to Elica on this new role, and we wish her the best as she continues to advocate for such important causes!