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{{Short description|Iranian-American attorney and activist}} |
{{Short description|Iranian-American attorney and activist}} |
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{{Infobox person |
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'''Nadia Shahram''' is an [[Iran|Iranian]] [[mediation]] [[Lawyer|attorney]], [[author]], and women's rights [[advocate]]. She is the founder and president of the Coalition for the Advancement of [[Muslims|Muslim]] Women (CAMW), an organisation promoting equality for [[Women in Islam|Muslim women]].<ref name= |
'''Nadia Shahram''' is an [[Iran|Iranian]] [[mediation]] [[Lawyer|attorney]], [[author]], and women's rights [[advocate]]. She is the founder and president of the Coalition for the Advancement of [[Muslims|Muslim]] Women (CAMW), an organisation promoting equality for [[Women in Islam|Muslim women]].<ref name=WBFO2023>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wbfo.org/wbfo-brief-season-4-2023/2023-03-15/buffalo-whats-next-advocating-for-women-in-iran-pushing-for-a-higher-minimum-wage-in-nys |title=Buffalo, What's Next? {{!}} Advocating for Women in Iran, Pushing for a Higher Minimum Wage in NYS|website=[[WBFO]] |publisher=[[NPR]] |date=March 15, 2023 }}</ref> At a CAMW convention, Shahram and the CAMW unveiled the Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women during the 2014 Convention Days in [[Seneca Falls, New York]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://glitternight.com/2014/06/12/a-shoutout-about-the-upcoming-declaration-of-equalities-for-muslim-women/|title=A Shoutout about the Upcoming Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women |first=Edward |last=Wozniak |date=2014-06-12 |website=Balladeer's Blog|access-date=2017-02-05}}</ref><ref name=Chesler2014>{{cite interview |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/343772 |title=The Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women |date=June 23, 2014 |interviewer=Phyllis Chesler |first=Nadia |last=Shahram |work=[[Arutz Sheva|Israel National News]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://themuslimtimes.info/2014/07/06/local-attorney-to-present-declaration-of-equalities/|title=Local Attorney to Present "Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women"|last=Shah|first=Zia H.|date=2014-07-06|website=The Muslim Times|access-date=2017-02-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Declaration of Equalities |date=July 21, 2014 |publisher=Zonta Club Buffalo |url=http://zontaclubbuffalo.org/tag/declaration-of-equalities/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505231459/http://zontaclubbuffalo.org/2014/07/21/declaration-of-equalities/ |archive-date=May 5, 2017 |website=zontaclubbuffalo.org |language=en-US}}</ref> One year later, Shahram presented the Declaration to the [[Women's Rights National Historical Park]] in Seneca Falls, where it now hangs on permanent display in the Visitor Centre.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.lsed.org/blog/from-the-declaration-of-sentiments-to-the-declaration-of-equalities-for-muslim-women-towards-expanding-global-womens-movement |title=From the “Declaration of Sentiments” to the “Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women”: Towards Expanding Global Women’s Movement |first=Fidèle |last=Menavanza |date=2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304074717/http://www.lsed.org/blog/from-the-declaration-of-sentiments-to-the-declaration-of-equalities-for-muslim-women-towards-expanding-global-womens-movement/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 4, 2016 |website=www.lsed.org}}</ref> |
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Shahram is a board member of the Family Justice Centre of Erie County,<ref>{{Cite news |title=Board of Directors - Family Justice Center |url=http://www.fjcsafe.org/family-justice-center/Board-of-Directors/5 |url-status= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221124001/http://www.fjcsafe.org/family-justice-center/Board-of-Directors/5#expand |archive-date=2015-02-21 |access-date=2017-02-05 |newspaper=Family Justice Center |language=en-US}}</ref> a member of the [[New York Women's Bar Association|Women's Bar Association]] of the State of [[New York (state)|New York]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wbasny.org/member-list|title=Member List|newspaper=wbasny|access-date=2017-02-05|language=en-US}}</ref> and a board member of the New York State Council of Divorce Mediation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nyscdm.org/about-nyscdm/nyscdm-board-of-directors/|title= |
Shahram is a board member of the Family Justice Centre of Erie County,<ref>{{Cite news |title=Board of Directors - Family Justice Center |url=http://www.fjcsafe.org/family-justice-center/Board-of-Directors/5 |url-status= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221124001/http://www.fjcsafe.org/family-justice-center/Board-of-Directors/5#expand |archive-date=2015-02-21 |access-date=2017-02-05 |newspaper=Family Justice Center |language=en-US}}</ref> a member of the [[New York Women's Bar Association|Women's Bar Association]] of the State of [[New York (state)|New York]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wbasny.org/member-list|title=Member List|newspaper=wbasny|access-date=2017-02-05|language=en-US}}</ref> and a board member of the New York State Council of Divorce Mediation.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nyscdm.org/about-nyscdm/nyscdm-board-of-directors/ |title=NYSCDM Board of Directors |publisher=The New York State Council on Divorce Mediation |website=nyscdm.org |language=en-us |access-date=2017-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160212155403/http://nyscdm.org/about-nyscdm/nyscdm-board-of-directors/ |archive-date=2016-02-12 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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==Early life and education== |
==Early life and education== |
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Shahram |
Shahram, born in [[Tehran, Iran]], was one of six daughters. Her parents had an extensive library, and as a child she was encouraged to read the classics. Her father was an activist for civil and human rights. He was jailed by the Secret Police ([[SAVAK]]) for his outspoken views, and Shahram recalls her father being taken from their home in the middle of the night.<sup>[''[[Wikipedia:Citation needed|citation needed]]'']</sup> Her family left Iran in the late 1970s, and Shahram finished high school in [[Toronto]] before moving to Buffalo.<ref name=Watson2004>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/878249028/?match=1&terms=%22Nadia%20N.%20Shahram%22 |title=Iranian professor airs concern, criticism for land of birth |first=Stephen |last=Watson |date=June 21, 2004 |work=[[The Buffalo News]] |via=newspapers.com }}</ref> Inspired by [[Barbara Walters]], she wanted to become a broadcast [[journalist]] but was dissuaded by others due to her heavy accent.<ref name=MyStory>{{cite web |url=https://www.bfbmystory.org/nadia-shahram |title=Gender Liberation, Homeland, and Iran |first1=Venera |last1=Kalinina |first2=Grace |last2=Wilding |website=www.bfbmystory.org |publisher=#MyStory |access-date=January 26, 2025}}</ref> She received her B.S. in Business Administration in 1988 and her [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] in 1997 from the [[State University of New York at Buffalo]]. During these years, Shahram married and had two daughters.<ref name=wix>{{cite magazine |title=One Voice - Nadia Shahram fights for equality |url=http://media.wix.com/ugd/ba8d3a_69ce4f04eab549e8992314f78621c089.pdf |first=Grace A. |last=Lazzara |date=Winter 2005 |magazine=Hilbert Connections Magazine |publisher=[[Hilbert College]] |pages=6-10 |access-date=10 March 2021}}</ref> |
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Shahram travelled to the [[United States]] with the ambition of becoming a broadcast [[journalist]]. She received her B.S. in Business Administration in 1988 and her [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] in 1997 from the [[State University of New York at Buffalo]].<ref name="law.buffalo.edu">{{cite web |title=Graduates Honored as Women of Influence|url=http://mgt.buffalo.edu/about/news.host.html/content/shared/mgt/news/womenofinfluence.detail.html |website=University of Buffalo |access-date=10 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref> During these years, Shahram married and had two daughters.<ref name=wix>{{cite web |title=One Voice - Nadia Shahram fights for equality |url=http://media.wix.com/ugd/ba8d3a_69ce4f04eab549e8992314f78621c089.pdf |website=media.wix.com/ |publisher=Hilbert Connections Magazine |access-date=10 March 2021}}</ref> |
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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Shahram trained as a family mediator at the Rochester Mediation Centre and has been a practicing mediator in the field of Matrimonial [[Mediation]] since 2001.<ref |
Shahram trained as a family mediator at the Rochester Mediation Centre and has been a practicing mediator in the field of Matrimonial [[Mediation]] since 2001.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.buffalomediation.com/about-us |title=About Us {{!}} Nadia N. Shahram |website=www.buffalomediation.com |access-date=January 26, 2025 }}</ref> She focused her legal practice on matrimonial mediation after observing and studying alternative dispute resolution methods, especially the success of family mediation as practiced in European and Asian countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/civiljustice/adr/adr_ec_en.htm|title=European Commission - European Judicial Network - Alternative dispute resolution - Community law|website=ec.europa.eu|language=en|access-date=2017-02-05}}</ref> |
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Shahram was an adjunct professor in the Law and Government Program at [[Hilbert College]] from 2001 through 2007 |
Shahram was an adjunct professor in the Law and Government Program at [[Hilbert College]] from 2001 through 2007<ref name="wix" /> and taught as an adjunct professor at the Buffalo State University Law School.<ref name=Watson2004/> She has organized and chaired conferences and symposiums on Divorce Mediation in western New York.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/divorce-mediation-is-topic-of-conference-today-20130906 |title=Divorce mediation is topic of conference today |first=Matt |last=Gryta |date=September 6, 2013 |work=[[Buffalo News]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911090307/http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/divorce-mediation-is-topic-of-conference-today-20130906 |archive-date=September 11, 2013 |access-date=December 15, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wbasny.org/content/2012-convention-landing-page |title=Speaker at WBASNY 2012 Annual Convention: Expanding Cultural Horizons: Assisting Islamic Families in Matrimonial and Family Law }}{{Dead link|date=February 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |
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==Awards and recognition== |
==Awards and recognition== |
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Shahram has received the "Women of Influence" award from Buffalo [[Business First]] in 2011<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2011/08/17/women-of-influence-winners-announced.html|title=Women of Influence winners announced |website=bizjournals.com| |
Shahram has received the "Women of Influence" award from Buffalo [[Business First]] in 2011<ref name="law.buffalo.edu">{{cite web |title=Graduates Honored as Women of Influence |url=http://mgt.buffalo.edu/about/news.host.html/content/shared/mgt/news/womenofinfluence.detail.html |website=University of Buffalo |first=Jacqueline Molik |last=Ghosen |date=August 15, 2011|access-date=March 10, 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2011/08/17/women-of-influence-winners-announced.html |title=Women of Influence winners announced |website=bizjournals.com |publisher=Buffalo Business First |date=August 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170206104208/http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2011/08/17/women-of-influence-winners-announced.html |archive-date=2017-02-06 |access-date=2016-01-28 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the "Legal Elite" Award of Western New York in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/blog/buffalo-law-journal/2013/09/introducing-the-complete-class-of-2013.html|title=Introducing the final honorees of the 2013 Legal Elite of WNY |website=bizjournals.com|access-date=2017-02-05}}</ref> Shahram is the founding member of "Raising Hope", an annual fashion show fund-raiser to benefit the Family Justice Center.<ref name=WNED>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wned.org/community/makingbuffalohome/watch/our-home-our-stories/ |title=Community Filmmaker Series: Community Filmmaker {{!}} Jamshid Vafai |date=May 15, 2020 |work=[[WNED-TV|WNED]] |publisher=[[PBS]] |access-date=January 28, 2025 }}</ref> During the years 2012 through 2014 this project raised over $100,000 for women victimized by domestic violence in the Western New York area.<ref name=WNED /> In 2018, she was selected as one of fourteen Attorneys of the Year in [[Western New York]] by ''The Daily Record'' for dedication to the legal profession and tireless commitment to the community.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nydailyrecord.com/2018/09/26/the-daily-record-announces-2018-attorneys-of-the-year/ |title=The Daily Record announces 2018 Attorneys of the Year |work=The Daily Record |date=September 26, 2018 |access-date=January 28, 2025 |id={{Proquest|2134999911}} }}</ref> |
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==Activism== |
==Activism== |
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After the events of September 11, 2001, Shahram re-examined her Islamic faith, the role of Muslims in the international arena, and the perceptions of Islam in the West.<ref name=wix /> She later developed a course at the University of Buffalo Law School, "The Effects of Religion and Culture on Family Laws."<ref name="law.buffalo.edu"/> Shahram is a critic of women's inequality and misogyny in Muslim culture.<ref> |
After the events of September 11, 2001, Shahram re-examined her Islamic faith, the role of Muslims in the international arena, and the perceptions of Islam in the West.<ref name=wix /> She later developed a course at the University of Buffalo Law School, "The Effects of Religion and Culture on Family Laws."<ref name="law.buffalo.edu"/> Shahram is a critic of women's inequality and misogyny in Muslim culture.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://artvoice.com/issues/v10n20/letters_to_artvoice |date=May 2011 |title=Letters to Artvoice {{!}} Islamophobia |first=Nadia N. |last=Shahram |work=[[Artvoice]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524030952/http://artvoice.com/issues/v10n20/letters_to_artvoice |archive-date=May 24, 2011 |access-date=December 15, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://artvoice.com/issues/v12n30/letters_to_artvoice/iran_elections |date=July 25, 2013 |title=Iranian Elections: Hold Your Breath and Hope |first=Nadia |last=Shahram |work=[[Artvoice]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729154841/http://artvoice.com/issues/v12n30/letters_to_artvoice/iran_elections |archive-date=July 29, 2013 |access-date=December 15, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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Shahram unveiled the first Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women on July 19, 2014, during Convention Days in Seneca Falls, New York.<ref |
Shahram unveiled the first Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women on July 19, 2014, during Convention Days in Seneca Falls, New York.<ref name=Chesler2014/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nadia Shahram shares the story of the Muslim Declaration of Sentiments at Declaration of Sentiments |date=August 2, 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyU5cEXwv1A |language=en |access-date=2022-06-08 |via=YouTube }}</ref> Seneca Falls Convention, where the [[Seneca Falls Convention|first Women's Rights Convention]] was held in 1848. |
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Shahram's Declaration aspires to address laws and cultural practices which are unjust and discriminatory to women in Islamic countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.biography.com/people/elizabeth-cady-stanton-9492182|title=Elizabeth Cady Stanton - Biography|website=biography.com|language=en-us|access-date=2017-02-05}}</ref> |
Shahram's Declaration aspires to address laws and cultural practices which are unjust and discriminatory to women in Islamic countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.biography.com/people/elizabeth-cady-stanton-9492182|title=Elizabeth Cady Stanton - Biography|website=biography.com|language=en-us|access-date=2017-02-05}}</ref> |
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Shahram has a number of small groups of graduate students who make ongoing presentations throughout the [[New York State University]] system to inform people about the Declaration to secure additional signatures.<ref |
Shahram has a number of small groups of graduate students who make ongoing presentations throughout the [[New York State University]] system to inform people about the Declaration to secure additional signatures.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.coalitionfortheadvancementofmoslemwomen.org/events |title=Nadia Shahram, Esq. representing the Coalition For The Advancement of Moslem Women at High Falls Film Festival in Rochester, New York |website=www.coalitionfortheadvancementofmoslemwomen.org |access-date=January 26, 2025 }}</ref> Shahram herself continues to promote the Declaration and educate people around the State of New York. She presented the Declaration at the "Declaration of Sentiments: The Remix, A Celebration of the 200th Birthday of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Women's Suffrage Centennial" on November 12, 2015,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-11-12 |title=Declaration of Sentiments: The Remix, A Celebration of the 200th Birthday of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Women's Suffrage Centennial |url=https://www.ellevatenetwork.com/events/4735-declaration-of-sentiments-the-remix-a-celebration-of-the-200th-birthday-of-elizabeth-cady-stanton-and-the-women-s-suffrage-centennial |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=www.ellevatenetwork.com |language=en}}</ref> and again at the High Falls Film Festival in High Falls, NY on November 15, 2015.<ref>{{Citation|title=Honor Diaries – with Audience Q&A|url=https://highfallsfilmfestival.com/2015/films/honor-diaries/|language=en-US|accessdate=2017-02-05}}</ref> |
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==Media== |
==Media== |
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While visiting her native country of [[Iran]] in 2004 and 2005, Shahram conducted hundreds of interviews and attended Islamic courtrooms as part of a research project.<ref name=wix /> After Shahram returned from her trip she was the focus of a feature article in the [[Hilbert College]] quarterly Connections Magazine.<ref name=wix /> Shahram published her first novel ''Marriage on the Street Corners of Tehran'' in 2010.<ref>Marriage on the Street Corners of Tehran |
While visiting her native country of [[Iran]] in 2004 and 2005, Shahram conducted hundreds of interviews and attended Islamic courtrooms as part of a research project.<ref name=wix /> After Shahram returned from her trip she was the focus of a feature article in the [[Hilbert College]] quarterly Connections Magazine.<ref name=wix /> Shahram published her first novel ''Marriage on the Street Corners of Tehran'' in 2010.<ref>Review of ''Marriage on the Street Corners of Tehran'' |
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*{{Cite news |last=Vogel |first=Charity |date=April 25, 2010 |title=Women in the shadows Attorney Nadia Shahram's novel tells the true stories of Iranian women exploited by 'temporary marriage' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news/163459497/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308234512/http://www.buffalonews.com/Women_in_the_shadows_Attorney_Nadia_Shahramaposs_novel_tells_the_true_stories_of_Iranian_women_exploited_by_apostemporary_marriageapos.html |archive-date=2016-03-08 |access-date=2025-01-20 |work=[[The Buffalo News]] |language=en |url-status=live }} |
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*{{cite journal |title=Fiction Reviews {{!}} Marriage on the Street Corners of Tehran: A Novel Based on the True Stories of Temporary Marriage, Unhooked Books, Nadia Shahram |journal=[[Publishers Weekly]] |location=New York |volume=263 |issue=26 |date=June 27, 2016 |id={{Proquest|1800511993}} }}</ref> This book was based on research and the autobiographical stories of Iranian women with whom she conducted interviews during her time in Iran.<ref name=wix /> |
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Shahram lectures and gives presentations across New York State |
Shahram lectures and gives presentations across New York State<ref>Convention Days 2015: http://www.nps.gov/wori/planyourvisit/convention-days-2015.htm. WGRZ:http://hamburg.wgrz.com/news/arts-culture/islamic-women-s-rights-expert-activist-speak-hilbert/53599{{Dead link|date=February 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and has been interviewed by various media sources for her opinions about [[family law]] and [[Islam]].<ref>{{cite news |date=July 11, 2013 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/877791869/?match=1&terms=%22Nadia%20Shahram%22 |title=My View {{!}} True tenets of Islam are being distorted |first=Nadia |last=Shahram |work=[[Buffalo News]] |via=newspapers.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Domestic violence conference focuses on honor killings - City & Region |work=[[The Buffalo News]] |first=Matthew |last=Spina |date=May 19, 2023 |url=http://www.buffalonews.com/20130519/Domestic_violence_conference_focuses_on_honor_killings.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309121819/http://www.buffalonews.com/20130519/Domestic_violence_conference_focuses_on_honor_killings.html |archive-date=2016-03-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Women are subject to violence and discrimination by both the state and society - Opinion |first=Nadia |last=Shahram |date=February 17, 2013 |work=[[The Buffalo News]] |url=http://www.buffalonews.com/20130217/Women_are_subject_to_violence_and_discrimination_by_both_the_state_and_society.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918225044/http://www.buffalonews.com/20130217/Women_are_subject_to_violence_and_discrimination_by_both_the_state_and_society.html |archive-date=2015-09-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. must side with the people in Mideast protests - Viewpoints |first=Nadia |last=Shahram |date=February 20, 2011 |work=[[The Buffalo News]] |url=http://www.buffalonews.com/U.S._must_side_with_the_people_in_Mideast_protests.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309121814/http://www.buffalonews.com/U.S._must_side_with_the_people_in_Mideast_protests.html |archive-date=2016-03-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 26, 2015 |title=Jury Convicts New York TV Executive of Beheading Wife |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/jury-convicts-new-york-tv-executive-of-beheading-wife |author=Associated Press |orig-date=February 7, 2011 |website=www.foxnews.com }}</ref> |
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== References == |
== References == |
Latest revision as of 10:53, 10 February 2025
Nadia Shahram | |
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Born | |
Education | B.S. in Business Administration (1988) J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo (1997) |
Occupation(s) | Attorney-Mediator Adjunct Professor Author |
Known for | Iranian-American women's rights advocate |
Children | 2 |
Awards | "Women of Influence" from Buffalo Business First (2011) "Legal Elite" Award of Western New York (2013) |
Nadia Shahram is an Iranian mediation attorney, author, and women's rights advocate. She is the founder and president of the Coalition for the Advancement of Muslim Women (CAMW), an organisation promoting equality for Muslim women.[1] At a CAMW convention, Shahram and the CAMW unveiled the Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women during the 2014 Convention Days in Seneca Falls, New York.[2][3][4][5] One year later, Shahram presented the Declaration to the Women's Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, where it now hangs on permanent display in the Visitor Centre.[6]
Shahram is a board member of the Family Justice Centre of Erie County,[7] a member of the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York,[8] and a board member of the New York State Council of Divorce Mediation.[9]
Early life and education
[edit]Shahram, born in Tehran, Iran, was one of six daughters. Her parents had an extensive library, and as a child she was encouraged to read the classics. Her father was an activist for civil and human rights. He was jailed by the Secret Police (SAVAK) for his outspoken views, and Shahram recalls her father being taken from their home in the middle of the night.[citation needed] Her family left Iran in the late 1970s, and Shahram finished high school in Toronto before moving to Buffalo.[10] Inspired by Barbara Walters, she wanted to become a broadcast journalist but was dissuaded by others due to her heavy accent.[11] She received her B.S. in Business Administration in 1988 and her J.D. in 1997 from the State University of New York at Buffalo. During these years, Shahram married and had two daughters.[12]
Career
[edit]Shahram trained as a family mediator at the Rochester Mediation Centre and has been a practicing mediator in the field of Matrimonial Mediation since 2001.[13] She focused her legal practice on matrimonial mediation after observing and studying alternative dispute resolution methods, especially the success of family mediation as practiced in European and Asian countries.[14]
Shahram was an adjunct professor in the Law and Government Program at Hilbert College from 2001 through 2007[12] and taught as an adjunct professor at the Buffalo State University Law School.[10] She has organized and chaired conferences and symposiums on Divorce Mediation in western New York.[15][16]
Awards and recognition
[edit]Shahram has received the "Women of Influence" award from Buffalo Business First in 2011[17][18] and the "Legal Elite" Award of Western New York in 2013.[19] Shahram is the founding member of "Raising Hope", an annual fashion show fund-raiser to benefit the Family Justice Center.[20] During the years 2012 through 2014 this project raised over $100,000 for women victimized by domestic violence in the Western New York area.[20] In 2018, she was selected as one of fourteen Attorneys of the Year in Western New York by The Daily Record for dedication to the legal profession and tireless commitment to the community.[21]
Activism
[edit]After the events of September 11, 2001, Shahram re-examined her Islamic faith, the role of Muslims in the international arena, and the perceptions of Islam in the West.[12] She later developed a course at the University of Buffalo Law School, "The Effects of Religion and Culture on Family Laws."[17] Shahram is a critic of women's inequality and misogyny in Muslim culture.[22][23]
Shahram unveiled the first Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women on July 19, 2014, during Convention Days in Seneca Falls, New York.[3][24] Seneca Falls Convention, where the first Women's Rights Convention was held in 1848.
Shahram's Declaration aspires to address laws and cultural practices which are unjust and discriminatory to women in Islamic countries.[25]
Shahram has a number of small groups of graduate students who make ongoing presentations throughout the New York State University system to inform people about the Declaration to secure additional signatures.[26] Shahram herself continues to promote the Declaration and educate people around the State of New York. She presented the Declaration at the "Declaration of Sentiments: The Remix, A Celebration of the 200th Birthday of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Women's Suffrage Centennial" on November 12, 2015,[27] and again at the High Falls Film Festival in High Falls, NY on November 15, 2015.[28]
Media
[edit]While visiting her native country of Iran in 2004 and 2005, Shahram conducted hundreds of interviews and attended Islamic courtrooms as part of a research project.[12] After Shahram returned from her trip she was the focus of a feature article in the Hilbert College quarterly Connections Magazine.[12] Shahram published her first novel Marriage on the Street Corners of Tehran in 2010.[29] This book was based on research and the autobiographical stories of Iranian women with whom she conducted interviews during her time in Iran.[12]
Shahram lectures and gives presentations across New York State[30] and has been interviewed by various media sources for her opinions about family law and Islam.[31][32][33][34][35]
References
[edit]- ^ "Buffalo, What's Next? | Advocating for Women in Iran, Pushing for a Higher Minimum Wage in NYS". WBFO. NPR. March 15, 2023.
- ^ Wozniak, Edward (2014-06-12). "A Shoutout about the Upcoming Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women". Balladeer's Blog. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- ^ a b Shahram, Nadia (June 23, 2014). "The Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women". Israel National News (Interview). Interviewed by Phyllis Chesler.
- ^ Shah, Zia H. (2014-07-06). "Local Attorney to Present "Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women"". The Muslim Times. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- ^ "Declaration of Equalities". zontaclubbuffalo.org. Zonta Club Buffalo. July 21, 2014. Archived from the original on May 5, 2017.
- ^ Menavanza, Fidèle (2015). "From the "Declaration of Sentiments" to the "Declaration of Equalities for Muslim Women": Towards Expanding Global Women's Movement". www.lsed.org. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
- ^ "Board of Directors - Family Justice Center". Family Justice Center. Archived from the original on 2015-02-21. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- ^ "Member List". wbasny. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- ^ "NYSCDM Board of Directors". nyscdm.org. The New York State Council on Divorce Mediation. Archived from the original on 2016-02-12. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- ^ a b Watson, Stephen (June 21, 2004). "Iranian professor airs concern, criticism for land of birth". The Buffalo News – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Kalinina, Venera; Wilding, Grace. "Gender Liberation, Homeland, and Iran". www.bfbmystory.org. #MyStory. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Lazzara, Grace A. (Winter 2005). "One Voice - Nadia Shahram fights for equality" (PDF). Hilbert Connections Magazine. Hilbert College. pp. 6–10. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "About Us | Nadia N. Shahram". www.buffalomediation.com. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
- ^ "European Commission - European Judicial Network - Alternative dispute resolution - Community law". ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- ^ Gryta, Matt (September 6, 2013). "Divorce mediation is topic of conference today". Buffalo News. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ "Speaker at WBASNY 2012 Annual Convention: Expanding Cultural Horizons: Assisting Islamic Families in Matrimonial and Family Law".[permanent dead link ]
- ^ a b Ghosen, Jacqueline Molik (August 15, 2011). "Graduates Honored as Women of Influence". University of Buffalo. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ "Women of Influence winners announced". bizjournals.com. Buffalo Business First. August 18, 2011. Archived from the original on 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2016-01-28.
- ^ "Introducing the final honorees of the 2013 Legal Elite of WNY". bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- ^ a b "Community Filmmaker Series: Community Filmmaker | Jamshid Vafai". WNED. PBS. May 15, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
- ^ "The Daily Record announces 2018 Attorneys of the Year". The Daily Record. September 26, 2018. ProQuest 2134999911. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
- ^ Shahram, Nadia N. (May 2011). "Letters to Artvoice | Islamophobia". Artvoice. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ Shahram, Nadia (July 25, 2013). "Iranian Elections: Hold Your Breath and Hope". Artvoice. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ "Nadia Shahram shares the story of the Muslim Declaration of Sentiments at Declaration of Sentiments". August 2, 2016. Retrieved 2022-06-08 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Elizabeth Cady Stanton - Biography". biography.com. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
- ^ "Nadia Shahram, Esq. representing the Coalition For The Advancement of Moslem Women at High Falls Film Festival in Rochester, New York". www.coalitionfortheadvancementofmoslemwomen.org. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
- ^ "Declaration of Sentiments: The Remix, A Celebration of the 200th Birthday of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Women's Suffrage Centennial". www.ellevatenetwork.com. 2015-11-12. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ Honor Diaries – with Audience Q&A, retrieved 2017-02-05
- ^ Review of Marriage on the Street Corners of Tehran
- Vogel, Charity (April 25, 2010). "Women in the shadows Attorney Nadia Shahram's novel tells the true stories of Iranian women exploited by 'temporary marriage'". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
- "Fiction Reviews | Marriage on the Street Corners of Tehran: A Novel Based on the True Stories of Temporary Marriage, Unhooked Books, Nadia Shahram". Publishers Weekly. 263 (26). New York. June 27, 2016. ProQuest 1800511993.
- ^ Convention Days 2015: http://www.nps.gov/wori/planyourvisit/convention-days-2015.htm. WGRZ:http://hamburg.wgrz.com/news/arts-culture/islamic-women-s-rights-expert-activist-speak-hilbert/53599[permanent dead link ]
- ^ Shahram, Nadia (July 11, 2013). "My View | True tenets of Islam are being distorted". Buffalo News – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Spina, Matthew (May 19, 2023). "Domestic violence conference focuses on honor killings - City & Region". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09.
- ^ Shahram, Nadia (February 17, 2013). "Women are subject to violence and discrimination by both the state and society - Opinion". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 2015-09-18.
- ^ Shahram, Nadia (February 20, 2011). "U.S. must side with the people in Mideast protests - Viewpoints". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09.
- ^ Associated Press (March 26, 2015) [February 7, 2011]. "Jury Convicts New York TV Executive of Beheading Wife". www.foxnews.com.