Hi, I'm Joanne Moliski. For most of 2020-21, I worked closely with <a href="http://mystory.mojdehstoakley.com" target="_blank">Mojdeh Stoakley</a> leading mutual aid initiatives during the lockdown through the organization they co-founded, Social Practice Labs. They’ve worked so hard to fundraise for other community members. Now, let's help get this Black woman the funds they deserve to pay their tuition ASAP to qualify for the visa so they can get on a plane to do important research overseas! You should donate because I believe in Mojdeh! I've known them and seen their work for years.  Read her story here: <a href="http://mystory.mojdehstoakley.com" target="_blank">http://mystory.mojdehstoakley.com</a> We met when they Directed the National Poetry Slam. I was impressed by their team's investment in preparing for as many accessibility concerns as possible. The fact that they managed to secure all wheelchair-accessible venues in Chicago is impressive. Mojdeh even got into an ambulance with a poet to comfort them until someone could meet them at the hospital. They've been a public health and youth worker for a decade. Mojdeh is always willing to offer advice or write letters of recommendation for students, and they recruit alums to projects to jumpstart their careers or provide continued mentorship. They've spent over a decade running social practice arts organizations and being an active voice for change and wellness in Chicago. Currently, they're Co-Executive Director for Surviving the Mic, an arts org that serves survivors of gender-based violence.  Mojdeh is also an accomplished artist (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/themojdeh/" target="_blank">@themojdeh</a>). They were Chicago Poet Laureate Finalist after several nominations this winter. They've traveled the world as a performer and educator, generously offering adjusted rates or volunteering in communities that couldn't afford trauma-informed programs otherwise. In their art, they openly discuss being homeless as a kid and their gender identity. If you know about the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement that's been happening in Iran, you can imagine that being Black AND Iranian American has been hard in recent years. Mojdeh's been recruited to several research projects over the years, co-developing and facilitating interventions, but this Master's/Ph.D. program at an interdisciplinary Research Institute of Goldsmiths University is very unique and worth the big push to get them there!  You all know I do not have many spoons. I'm always doing everything I can to move us towards justice in whatever ways I can. Mojdeh is the type of person we WANT to contribute to academia. Don't just take my word for it.Here are a bunch of random things that I found while googling my friend: Dr. Erika Abad, Professor at Nevada State College, said:"Mojdeh has formalized artistic and methodological interventions that humanize the narrative and performative development of artist-practitioners…regarding how to critically and compassionately balance artistic intervention and technique…Mojdeh [brings] their extensive community engagement about key issues of the moment in conversation with interdisciplinary academic rigor… Mojdeh's adaptability and emotional intelligence [bring] a commitment to ethical training…[Mojdeh] is an exemplary voice needed to uplift and empower [cultural workers]..." Sheena Shukla, MSW, School Social Worker for Chicago Public Schools, said:"Working with Mojdeh has taught me the importance of adapting educational spaces to better serve the cultural and environmental experiences of the students, further validated by the Math and English Chairs, who both reported that through Mojdeh's program, the boys' confidence in public speaking improved their grades tremendously…Mojdeh is mission-driven, disciplined, and detail-oriented…She practices Servant Leadership and openly shares her knowledge with fellow educators…" Monika Aggarwal, Teacher for Lyden High School, said:"[Mojdeh's] ability to articulate [their] perspective is captivating, heart-wrenching, and hopeful all at once. I am here, as always, to help these causes however I'm able, whether it be donation-based, teaching-based,...or simply showing up...for all the work [they] do to help and elevate melanated voices, and for sharing [their] perspective and journey." Leigh Cavanaugh, English Teacher at Greyslake Central High School, said:"...[we] hope we can continue bringing [Mojdeh] back so that more students can benefit from [their] expertise!" Anjana Gupta, Trustee at Avati Schools and Finance Manager at English Heritage, says:"We are seeing that the 'work has just begun' for [many]… but following [Mojdeh's] career is a reminder that plenty of folks have been doing the work for a long time. It's time for the rest of us to [follow Mojdeh's lead] in the constant work towards justice and equity." Ian McMillan, Radio Host for the BBC Radio:"So much stayed with me... a watered hymn,... [the poem] was a hymn of prayers!" Tarah Dunbaugh, Youth Programs Manager at Urban Gateways, said:"Mojdeh has worked with our organization for many years and always delivers a poignant, dynamic [engagement]." Matt Mason, Nebraska State Poet and Executive Director of the Nebraska Writers Collective, said:"We brought Mojdeh for a festival and poetry slam and are glad we did. Mojdeh knows how to move an audience…The bonus is how Stoakley is also an experienced teacher who knows how to bring that out on stage as well as being able to be brought in for educational opportunities."

Hello <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip " style="background-color:rgb(248, 248, 255);border:1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255);border-radius:4px;color:rgb(42, 42, 196);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:1px 8px;font-size:11px;line-height:16px;overflow-wrap:anywhere;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit">First name <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{lastname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip " style="background-color:rgb(248, 248, 255);border:1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255);border-radius:4px;color:rgb(42, 42, 196);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:1px 8px;font-size:11px;line-height:16px;overflow-wrap:anywhere;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit">Last name, Thank you from the bottom of my heart. This donation greatly helps Mojdeh achieve their education, research, and visa goals. We will now be able to: If you would like to contribute further, contact Mojdeh directly through their website's contact page (mojdehstoakley.com), support in person by following their events (http://direct.me/themojdeh), or through their instagram account @themojdeh  THANKS AGAIN! Joanne

Hi, I'm Joanne Moliski. For most of 2020-21, I worked closely with <a href="http://mystory.mojdehstoakley.com" target="_blank">Mojdeh Stoakley</a> leading mutual aid initiatives during the lockdown through the organization they co-founded, Social Practice Labs. They’ve worked so hard to fundraise for other community members. Now, let's help get this Black woman the funds they deserve to pay their tuition ASAP to qualify for the visa so they can get on a plane to do important research overseas! You should donate because I believe in Mojdeh! I've known them and seen their work for years.  Read her story here: <a href="http://mystory.mojdehstoakley.com" target="_blank">http://mystory.mojdehstoakley.com</a> We met when they Directed the National Poetry Slam. I was impressed by their team's investment in preparing for as many accessibility concerns as possible. The fact that they managed to secure all wheelchair-accessible venues in Chicago is impressive. Mojdeh even got into an ambulance with a poet to comfort them until someone could meet them at the hospital. They've been a public health and youth worker for a decade. Mojdeh is always willing to offer advice or write letters of recommendation for students, and they recruit alums to projects to jumpstart their careers or provide continued mentorship. They've spent over a decade running social practice arts organizations and being an active voice for change and wellness in Chicago. Currently, they're Co-Executive Director for Surviving the Mic, an arts org that serves survivors of gender-based violence.  Mojdeh is also an accomplished artist (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/themojdeh/" target="_blank">@themojdeh</a>). They were Chicago Poet Laureate Finalist after several nominations this winter. They've traveled the world as a performer and educator, generously offering adjusted rates or volunteering in communities that couldn't afford trauma-informed programs otherwise. In their art, they openly discuss being homeless as a kid and their gender identity. If you know about the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement that's been happening in Iran, you can imagine that being Black AND Iranian American has been hard in recent years. Mojdeh's been recruited to several research projects over the years, co-developing and facilitating interventions, but this Master's/Ph.D. program at an interdisciplinary Research Institute of Goldsmiths University is very unique and worth the big push to get them there!  You all know I do not have many spoons. I'm always doing everything I can to move us towards justice in whatever ways I can. Mojdeh is the type of person we WANT to contribute to academia. Don't just take my word for it.Here are a bunch of random things that I found while googling my friend: Dr. Erika Abad, Professor at Nevada State College, said:"Mojdeh has formalized artistic and methodological interventions that humanize the narrative and performative development of artist-practitioners…regarding how to critically and compassionately balance artistic intervention and technique…Mojdeh [brings] their extensive community engagement about key issues of the moment in conversation with interdisciplinary academic rigor… Mojdeh's adaptability and emotional intelligence [bring] a commitment to ethical training…[Mojdeh] is an exemplary voice needed to uplift and empower [cultural workers]..." Sheena Shukla, MSW, School Social Worker for Chicago Public Schools, said:"Working with Mojdeh has taught me the importance of adapting educational spaces to better serve the cultural and environmental experiences of the students, further validated by the Math and English Chairs, who both reported that through Mojdeh's program, the boys' confidence in public speaking improved their grades tremendously…Mojdeh is mission-driven, disciplined, and detail-oriented…She practices Servant Leadership and openly shares her knowledge with fellow educators…" Monika Aggarwal, Teacher for Lyden High School, said:"[Mojdeh's] ability to articulate [their] perspective is captivating, heart-wrenching, and hopeful all at once. I am here, as always, to help these causes however I'm able, whether it be donation-based, teaching-based,...or simply showing up...for all the work [they] do to help and elevate melanated voices, and for sharing [their] perspective and journey." Leigh Cavanaugh, English Teacher at Greyslake Central High School, said:"...[we] hope we can continue bringing [Mojdeh] back so that more students can benefit from [their] expertise!" Anjana Gupta, Trustee at Avati Schools and Finance Manager at English Heritage, says:"We are seeing that the 'work has just begun' for [many]… but following [Mojdeh's] career is a reminder that plenty of folks have been doing the work for a long time. It's time for the rest of us to [follow Mojdeh's lead] in the constant work towards justice and equity." Ian McMillan, Radio Host for the BBC Radio:"So much stayed with me... a watered hymn,... [the poem] was a hymn of prayers!" Tarah Dunbaugh, Youth Programs Manager at Urban Gateways, said:"Mojdeh has worked with our organization for many years and always delivers a poignant, dynamic [engagement]." Matt Mason, Nebraska State Poet and Executive Director of the Nebraska Writers Collective, said:"We brought Mojdeh for a festival and poetry slam and are glad we did. Mojdeh knows how to move an audience…The bonus is how Stoakley is also an experienced teacher who knows how to bring that out on stage as well as being able to be brought in for educational opportunities."

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