Contact Us!
Des Moines Office:(o)515.288.0881
Iowa City Office:
(o)319.538.5207
contact@muawi.org
Helpline
If you or anyone you know is in need of our assistance, please call us at our new helpline number at 1.866.881.4641.
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Staff
Our organization is run by talented and dedicated staff and volunteers.
 | Mira Yusef
Executive Director
Mira Yusef is the co-founder and current executive director of Monsoon United Asian Women of Iowa. She was a December 2007 recipient of a Masters in Social Work with specialization on Community Organizing and a Masters in Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Please contact her for any questions related to partnerships, sponsorships, or event planning.
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|  | Lata D'Mello
Assistant Director
Lata D’Mello came to the United States from Mumbai, India, in 1996 to attend a women’s studies graduate program at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. She has had about 22 years of experience as a journalist in newspapers in India, Singapore and the United States. Lata began volunteering with Monsoon United Asian Women of Iowa in 2003, soon after it was founded, and joined the organization in 2009 as a multilingual advocate and outreach coordinator. Lata’s interests are social and economic justice, community health, and arts and culture.
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| | Hibo Jama
Nisaa African Women's Project Coordinator
Hibo Jama born in Somalia, East Africa, I left Somalia when the civil war broke in 1990, lived and schooled in Kenya, I came to US in 2000, I am married and I have five children two girls and three boys, I have been volunteering and working with refugees for over 9 years, my passion is to assist community members with immigration paperwork, organize activities and work with them meet their needs, my hobbies are reading books and having fun time with my family.
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| | Hieu Pham
Eastern Iowa Multilingual Advocate & Outreach Coordinator
Hieu Pham immigrated to the United States in 1987 from Vietnam. She studied journalism and mass communications at University of Iowa, where she also established an interest in community development and Asian American issues. She became a student advocate for change, participating in organizations such as UI Asian American Coalition as president, Vietnamese Student Association, and writing about the Asian American experience as a columnist for Iowa City Press-Citizen. Upon graduation she was the government news reporter for Press-Citizen, and has written for Agence France-Presse and Little Village magazine, where she also served as features editor. Hieu’s interests are exploring cultures through food, literature and the arts.
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| | Del Phi
Multilingual Advocate & Outreach - Des Moines
Del Phi was born in Thailand, Maesot. I lived in refugee camp since I was born. I graduated high school in 2006. I worked with ARC/CHE in 2007 to 2008. I came to USA on June 2008. I married and have one lovely son. I had volunteer at church teaching Sunday school class. My hobbies are playing guitar, singing and spending time with my family.
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| | Cheng Xiong
Community Outreach Coordinator
Cheng Xiong was born in Thailand and came over to the US in 1979. He attended Iowa State University and graduated with a B.S. in English. During his time at Iowa State, he participated in and was the president of a student run organization—the Asian Pacific American Awareness Coalition (APAAC) where he was able to learn more about the many issues affecting Asian Pacific Islanders (APIs). After college, Cheng’s career path led him to work in the human services field. He has over eight years of experience providing education, prevention, and advocacy. His interest are music, running, the outdoors, and good food.
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| | Sabrina Leung
Multilingual Advocate & Outreach (Iowa City)
Currently, I am in my last semester at The University of Iowa. I am working towards a B.A. in Pre-Medicine and a B.F.A. in Studio Arts with an emphasis in Drawing. Before my undergraduate career in Iowa, I lived in suburban Illinois under a 4 person household. My sister and I were raised with traditional Chinese values and only communicated with our parents in Cantonese. Being miles away from my family has weakened my ability to communicate with my parents, but has not weakened the values I have learned growing up. My values carry into the work I do within art as well as the work within Monsoon. I have used my art as a type of visual communication to build female empowerment and push towards eliminating the objectification of women. Similar aims are carried into my work with Monsoon through fostering collaboration with campus organizations for means of community outreach.
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| | Cecilia Mabior
Nisaa African Women's Project MLAM
Cecilia Mabior was born in South Sudan and raised in Ethiopia. She arrived to the United States in 2005 with her family. She graduated from community college and holds a two- year degree in Human Services. She will study Social Work at Grand View University in spring 2013. Her passion as an advocate at Monsoon is to empower African women to fight for their rights and encourage them to stand up for themselves in any situation. She has four siblings and she loves spending time with them. In her free time, she likes to read the bible, cook, hang out with friends and spend time with her family.
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| | Seashia Vang
Multilingual Advocate & Outreach - Des Moines
Seashia Vang was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. Her parents arrived to the US as resettled Hmong refugees from the wars in Vietnam and Laos. She holds a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication, a BFA in Printmaking, and Japanese minor from the University of Iowa. Her interest in the Hmong and other diaspora cultures has led her to work and study internationally. In her free time she likes to read, run, hangout with her cousins, and write her post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel. Other subjects of interest include: class structure, social justice, agrarian lifestyles, ethnic autonomy, youth alienation, textiles and fabrics… and many more. She loves pizza and her favorite group is Dead Prez.
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| | Ridhi Madia
API Youth Peer-to-Peer Advocacy & Outreach - Iowa City
I am currently in my junior year at the University of Iowa. I am majoring in Political Science and International Studies and minoring in English. I am highly involved on campus because I’m in The University of Iowa’s Student Government and in the UI’s Honors Mortar Board. This past summer I studied abroad in Ghana and volunteered at an NGO and a local school, and it was an amazing experience!
I emigrated to the U.S., from India, with my family when I was six years old. I can speak English, Gujarati, and Hindi fluently. I have always been passionate about promoting women’s rights; I hope that I can learn more about these issues while interning with Monsoon. I know I can further progress Monsoon’s goals by helping spread helpful information about MUAWI’s mission to the Iowa City campus and community. Feel free to email me if you have any questions about Monsoon!
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| | Jasmine Jackson
API Youth Peer-to-Peer Advocacy & Outreach - Des Moines
My name is Jasmine Nicole Jackson; My Dad named me after princess jasmine from the movie Aladdin, because I’m a Princess (: I am a senior at Lincoln high school. Class of 2013! I am 17 years old almost 18 on November 21st. the oldest of 3 girls. My father is black and my mom is Asian, so I’m blasian! I like to sew, read, and hang with friends, whatever is fun. I have 3 dogs and one cat. I also am a varsity cheerleader for Lincoln, have been for 2 years. I am also involved in upward bound with central college. I love to shop, my favorite store is Forever 21. I also have another job which is at Hardees; I have been working there for almost 2 years.
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| | Tan Pratoom
API Youth Peer-to-Peer Advocacy & Outreach
Holla, it’s your boy Tarispoom Pratoom (Tan) in the building! I was born and raised on the Southside of Des Moines. I am full Thai with a little blackness on top. I can speak English & Thai fluently. I drew my first breath on July 18, 1995. I’m usually goofy all the time! I like to make friends, not enemies.. I am the only child in my family, and all my cousins live in Thailand. I currently attend Abraham Lincoln High School & Central Campus/Academy, Class of 2013. I play Basketball for Lincoln High since my sophomore year. I play the piano, listen to music, hang out with the homies and homegirls, and play zombies on Xbox 360 in my spare time. I really like Graffiti Art and I have been doing in since 2010. I would like to attend a college in Chicago, Illinois in arts and communication. I plan to pursue my career in Graphic Designing and finding Tupac in the future. TUPAC’S BACK!! Education and family comes first in my life. My parents raise me to be successful in life and they have really helped me on succeeding because they say I have a better opportunity in the United States. “The sky is never the limit, because there are footprints on the moon.”
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| | Asmara Shan
Volunteer API Youth Peer-to-Peer Outreach & Advocate
soon!
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| | Nina Thiravong
API Youth Peer-to-Peer Advocacy & Outreach
Hi, I am Nina Thiravong. I am full Lao, I got it from my parents. The greatest thing happened on the 21st of December 1996, I was born. I love comedy and I love to laugh. I enjoy eating I like to eat everything!!! I love watermelons and sour patch kids! My favorite colors are light pink or blue, beige, and nude. I attend Carlisle High school. CHS! I will be a sophomore this year. I am currently a cheerleader. I like to attend any school activities and represent my school. I enjoy math, art, and reading language. I do fairly well in school. I achieve honor roll every year. Music is a big part of my life. It fascinates me how music expresses itself. I could listen to any type of music but I mostly listen to RNB. Family and friend time is very important to me. I spend most of my free time with family and friends or I’m just eating and listening to music. I think everyone should bond with their families because in the end your family will always be there. When friends become so close as family you realize who is important in your life and figure out who your true friends are. Life is a struggle and you need good people in your life to get through it.
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Asian Women and Violence in Iowa
Iowa Attorney General's Crimes Victims Assistance Division FY 2010 Statistics:
- 259 Asian women were served by domestic violence and sexual assault providers across Iowa.
- API women are least likely to report physical victimization.
Raise money for Monsoon United Asian Women of Iowa just by searching the web and shopping online!
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I’ve learned people will forget what you said or did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Open House! May 24th! 
