Washington, DC — PAAIA’s Civic Leadership Program is thrilled to announce our Summer 2024 cohort of Pezeshkan Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP) Fellows: Ariana Ghafouri, Yasamin Khosh, and Lindsey Mazarei.
As part of our Civic Leadership Program, the CHIP Fellowship provides Iranian American college students and recent graduates with the opportunity to intern with members of Congress, gaining invaluable insight into the legislative process.
The program offers both financial assistance and mentorship from Iranian Americans in public service, empowering young Iranian Americans to pursue careers in public service and develop meaningful networks. This year marks a significant milestone for CHIP as we place a record 8 fellows, including 5 during the spring semester and our newest summer fellows below.
Ariana Ghafouri with Congressman Gerry Connolly’s District office
Ariana Ghafouri is a junior at Brown University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Decision Sciences. After undergoing a semester of immigration law training, she spent time interning with the Bremer Law Firm and the Patrick Long Law firms last Fall semester. Most recently, in the Spring of 2024, Ghafouri supported Brown University’s Mass Incarceration Lab by contacting and interviewing formerly incarcerated members of the New England community, documenting and adding their oral histories to the Mass Incarceration Archive for later analysis. On campus, she is an Associate Editor for the Brown Journal of World Affairs and Treasurer of the Brown Women’s Pre-Law Association. Ghafouri will be interning with Congressman Gerry Connolly’s district office this summer.
“Having seen the Iranian American community underrepresented in U.S. politics, I was under the false impression that this country’s leadership did not have space for me,” shares Ghafouri. “Being able to work with Congressman Connolly has changed this thought, empowering me both as an Iranian American, a constituent, and a young adult. Through PAAIA’s support, I can serve my community and myself at the same time.”
Yasamin Khosh with Congressman Maxwell Frost’s D.C. Office
Yasamin Khosh is a rising junior at Florida State University, pursuing a dual degree in Political Science and Media Communications. As a proud first-generation American, Khosh is steadfast in expanding representation for Iranian Americans across the nation. Her experiences range throughout state and federal politics, serving in both Congresswoman Kathy Castor’s district and DC offices and working for Florida State Rep Anna V. Eskamani for both the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions. This summer, she is interning with the D.C. Office of Congressman Maxwell Frost on Capitol Hill. Khosh is also the only woman from a university in the state of Florida to be named a Women’s Congressional Staff Foundation scholar this year.
“I am excited for the opportunity to continue learning about our legislative process and serving the constituents of FL-10,” Khosh explains. “Representation for Iranian Americans in government is so vital, and I am so thankful to the CHIP program for assisting me in reaching my career goals.”
Lindsey Mazarei with Congressman Adam Schiff’s District Office
A rising Sophom*ore at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), Lindsey Mazarei is majoring in Political Science with a concentration in American Politics. On campus, she serves on the Executive Board of the UCSB Persian Student Group, where she helps organize meetings for the largest campus cultural group! Additionally, Mazarei is the Sophom*ore Representative at UCSB for the Student Fee Advisory Committee for the Chancellor. Prior to starting her college career, Mazarei attended PAAIA’s Civic Leaders Summit in 2022 and served as a Counselor-in-Training in 2023, where she mentored 20+ young Iranian Americans and led discussions to articulate shared values, identity, and experiences. Mazarei will be interning with Congressman Adam Schiff’s district office this summer.
“I am more than thrilled to continue my engagement with PAAIA this summer as a CHIP Fellow and increase my knowledge of the American democratic process,” Mazarei said. “I look forward to interning for Congressman Adam Schiff and increasing my professional experience in policymaking and law. We are the future, and I am honored to be a part of it! Beyond this, I’m excited to work with my other like-minded and intelligent Fellows.”
Coming after our larger cohort this spring, the placement of our 3 summer fellows marks a significant milestone in CHIP’s history, as we celebrate the highest numbers of fellows placed in a calendar year.
