Recently you celebrated iftar together. Does FAM mainly have students from a Muslim background? “We have students from all backgrounds: Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, atheist and others. The iftar was multifaith, there were a Christian, a Muslim and a Jewish speaker. There were Muslims and non-Muslims celebrating together.”
Pari Fahimi
(24)
2024 – now Master Culture, Organization and Management
2024 – now Teaching Assistant Administration and Organizational Science
2021 – 2024 Bachelor Administration and Organizational Science
FAM was established for first generation students. What do your members have in common? “A lot of us come from a minority background. We have certain experiences in common like being bicultural, migrating to another country, coming from a background with lower socioeconomic status, not knowing how the academic world works. We also have a lot of internationals, exchange students and students from LGBTQ-minorities. Inclusivity is our priority; everybody should feel included and safe at FAM.”
Does that mean FAM tries to stay out of politics? “We try to look beyond the political stance of our members. Politics divide people. The last few years there’s been so much polarization, and we don’t want to bring that into our community. We do, however, organize fundraising events for humanitarian aid in, among other places, Gaza, Sudan, Congo and Afghanistan.”
You have an Iranian father and a Dutch mother. How do you identify yourself? “I always feel sad when people ask me to choose. I am both. I lived my first years in the Netherlands, then I went to Iran to go to school, and I moved back to the Netherlands to study. Sometimes it has been a struggle for me: Iranians thought I was too westernized and for the Dutch I was too Iranian. It has made me doubt myself at times, but I’m over that. I am half-half, that’s my identity.”
FAM
The Family of Academic Minds was founded seven years ago for students from all different backgrounds, like first-generation students, bicultural students, LGBTQ students and international students. They have weekly activities like a potluck dinner, karaoke, and workshops.
Why did you yourself become a member of FAM? “I wasn’t planning to join a student association because I had the image there would be lots of alcohol and obliged attendance and I am not into that. But then I heard the chair of FAM talk about it being more a community of friends than an association.”
What does FAM offer its members? “FAM has many social activities, like movie nights, game nights, canal cruises. We also have the FAMily buddy system that matches students based on shared interests. We also offer workshops, for example about writing an application letter. We organize inhouse events at companies. And we advise companies on how to be more inclusive and how to reach people from minority groups better.”
I get the impression inclusion is a topic that has your interest. “Yes, I wrote my bachelor thesis on how more diversity leads to more microaggressions in organizations. A diverse group is not always inclusive. That’s the next step.
My master’s research project is at a healthcare organization in a very diverse neighbourhood in Amsterdam. Their goal is to be more diverse and inclusive, but their staff is mainly white. I just started here, but I’m very excited about it.”