At iACT, we have great appreciation for the wonderful volunteers who make our service work possible! In this Volunteer Spotlight Tasnim Islam tells us a little more about herself.
Q: Where are you from? How long have you been in Austin?
A: I’m from Lake Travis, Texas, but I’ve basically lived in Austin for most of my life!
How long have you volunteered with iACT?
I’ve been volunteering at iACT for 6 years, ever since I was a freshman in high school.
What made you want to volunteer with iACT?
My family is composed of refugees and immigrants, and I did not feel my family or I was accepted at my high school. Therefore, I wanted to get involved with an organization that helps other families that had similar experiences to mine.
What do you enjoy the most about working with iACT?
I enjoy using creative solutions for every issue iACT works around, specifically when it comes to refugee issues in politics. There are many ways to tackle these issues, from event planning to grassroots organizing, and the list of solutions can always expand.
What’s the most challenging thing about working with iACT that you experienced?
The most challenging thing about working with iACT is keeping up with the awful, useless policies Texas politicians keep implementing against refugees. These policies take away focus, energy, and time from the helpful work we are trying to do for the refugee community in Austin itself.
What’s the most rewarding thing about working with iACT that you experienced?
The most rewarding moment was seeing how engaged middle schoolers were at an educational event the iACT Youth Council planned at the Blanton Museum. When asked the question if they’ve ever had a chance to have conversations around refugees, immigrants, and asylees, almost every middle school student shook their head saying no. I will continue striving to build a world where underrepresented souls can live without fear of being accepted for who they are.
Why would you encourage others to perform similar volunteer work with iACT?
I truly think you can utilize any of your skills and experiences to do work with iACT. It can be a one-time event of providing dinner to years of galvanizing work, and both types of support are necessary to keep the work that iACT is doing run smoothly.
