Zayna Abusada, JV Program Coordinator (she/her, they/them)
Hello! My name is Zayna and I’m originally from the Midwestern college town of Iowa City, Iowa. I went on to get my undergraduate degree in History and Theological Studies with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies at Saint Louis University. After graduation, I joined JVC Northwest as a JV for my first year in Ashland, Montana, serving with Indigenous students on the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Reservations. I loved being a JV so much that I decided to do a second year, this time serving with immigrant and refugee English-Language learners in Anchorage, Alaska.
My two JV years solidified a drive to continue to work in advocacy, social and ecological justice, and the empowerment of fellow communities of color, particularly focusing on the advocacy for missing and murdered Indigenous women alongside the decolonizing of oppressive systems and institutions. I was so happy to continue to be a part of JVC Northwest and its community as the traveling recruiter since 2019. I now am excited to step into the Big Sky Program Coordinator Role, supporting JVs in Montana, Boise, and Spokane.
Much of my other time is spent reading, listening to and singing new music, taking many ridiculous pictures to wherever I travel to, and watching tv shows when I can catch up with them. I also enjoy every season for its uniqueness, national parks, adventurous walking, water topography, and a good bowl of chili.
Want to contact Zayna? Email her or give them a call at 971.353.6847
