Pursuing diverse interests

January 17, 2024 - Beth Brauer

Student Spotlight: Ateeyah Abdul-Wasi 

Ateeyah Abdul-Wasi (they/them) is a third-year student majoring in social relations and policy in James Madison College with minors in LGBTQ+ Studies, Arabic, and Muslim Studies. Ateeyah wears many hats on campus including working for the ComArtSci Office for DEI as a student social media assistant, working as a math student success support staff member for Math 101, as a Resident Assistant in East Neighborhood, and is the co-director of Creative Beauty for VIM Magazine.

Hometown: Southfield, MI

Which JMC course has been most influential or exciting for you intellectually?

I love what I learn in JMC! I am very interested in policy, but not sure if I want to do something within the legislature or elsewhere. I think the classes that have really stood out for me are MC 281: Immigrants, Minorities and American Pluralism with Professor Macías Mejía and MC 380: Social Policy with Professor Ahlquist. 

I hadn’t looked into immigration and foreign policy prior to 281, so this was my introduction. The readings pushed my thinking about immigration issues related to both foreign and domestic policy. We explored the ways that identities are formed, categorized and recategorized within the context of immigration. We also talked about how economic condition is weaponized to pit people apart. 

Social Policy was just so good. We were introduced to a wide range of topics: housing instability, the healthcare system, food insecurity, and more — I began learning about the ways that all of these are interrelated, and the policies that have codified this. The material we read allowed us to look beyond the construction of social policies, and into the lives of those affected by these policies; “$2.00 A Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America” is one of the books that illustrates this. The students in the class had so much insight to provide that truly enriched the course as well. Personally, when I am in my Madison classes, class is never long enough.

What classes are you taking this semester?

This semester I am taking two JMC classes: MC 338: Environmental Justice and Global Change and MC 320: Problems and Paradoxes in Global Development. I am also taking Intro to Geographic Information, ARB 302 (Arabic), and a theater class: Sex, Sexuality and Theater.

Have you studied abroad, or do you plan to?

I haven’t, but I did an internship based in Lebanon working for Riders’ Rights. The focus of the organization, which is based in Beirut, is mobility justice, streamlining transportation to make it more accessible. Through my continued collaboration with the organization post-internship, I had the honor of assisting in getting our organization accepted in COP 28, the annual UN climate change conference.

I still want to study abroad and am hoping to be able to do the Amsterdam program.

You are involved with such a range of hobbies and activities. Last semester, you were one of the co-founders of an event held here in Case Hall called Bridging the Gap. Describe what that event was about and why you were motivated to put it together. 

I am involved with the program IGNITE which is held through the ComArSci Office for DEI. It was through an alumni panel that I met Gabby Reed, a communications specialist for the Michigan Senate Democratic Caucus. In our conversations, I shared a bit about the culture of Madison. Those conversations led us to think about ways that we can create opportunities to help people of marginalized identities connect and establish pathways to work in the political sector.

 
Panelists from Bridging the Gap with Ateeyah Abdul-Wasi (middle right). Photo by Mackenzie Elroy.

 

I reached out to Jeff Judge in August and started working on making the event a reality when the school year began. Originally, I tried to get Senator Sarah Anthony here as the keynote, but she was not able to make it. On a whim, I reached out to Michigan Senator Sam Singh and, to my surprise, he was available and interested! I worked alongside Gabby to prepare a panel of professionals in and around the political field to bring a diverse set of people to the conversation. The event occurred on November 14, 2023 and was a success! The panel, Senator and the audience were all very engaged and eager to learn from each other! For a first-time event and never having planned anything of this magnitude, it was very exciting to generate such interest.

I’d like to see this become an annual event the college sponsors, gain sponsorship and hold it somewhere bigger like the Union Ballroom to get greater participation across the university. If this is something you or your organization is interested in collaborating on feel free to reach out via email: abdulwas@msu.edu.

Senator Sam Singh speaks to MSU students during Bridging the Gap. Photo by Brandon Williams.

 

Sounds like you are a natural when it comes to event planning or project leadership. Is that something you’d like to do full-time?

I’d had lots of thoughts as to what my plans are post-grad, and the answer changes every time! What I am sure of is that whatever endeavors I set off on I come with curiosity and drive; new experiences excite me! Whether that’s in a position of leadership, creative pursuit, or anything else, I look forward to it all.