Interview with Eman Khalid

In a Unity for Equality first, a former department director has returned to the organization after leaving earlier this year: Eman Khalid. Through her work both in and out of Unity for Equality, she has dedicated her life to giving back to communities in need around the world. 

Here’s what she had to say on a life dedicated to equality and her future with the organization.

What do you do for work? And how did you get into it?

Eman: I am a philanthropist and a social activist by nature, and a writer by passion. Since I was sixteen, I’ve been writing articles on topics focused on social issues such as depression and mental illnesses amongst high school students, suicide and bullying amongst teenagers, human rights violations, and domestic abuse against women from minority communities. The reason why I first started writing was to highlight issues people rarely spoke about, issues that people were too afraid to talk about. Working as a freelance journalist, I’ve interviewed human rights activists, CEOs of nonprofits, and individuals trying their best to make a change in the underserved communities. My passion for social activism has led me to volunteer for organizations such as the United Nations, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) twice, UNHCR, UNICEF, the Ann Foundation, Emergency USA, the Pandemic Professors, and the Jadir Taekwondo Association. The reason why I started social activism through volunteering and writing was because it gave me a sense of happiness. I will be honest, since I was a young girl, I was battling issues with discontentment, and unhappiness. No matter what I had, or whom I was with, I was never happy. But I realized that helping others made me happy, whether it was through raising awareness on sensitive topics through blogging, or by volunteering for a non-profit, or by just lending a shoulder to cry on to a broken-hearted person. That’s why, if you look at the work I’ve been doing over the past couple of years, it was mostly for organizations and publications that aimed towards helping others in the best possible way. Even psychological experts confirm that helping others leads to ease stress, where getting involved in assisting others stimulates excretion of Endorphin, a hormone which helps in feeling psychological comfort and excitement. If volunteering, writing, and working for a good cause made me happy, I am sure it can have the same effect on anyone else too! 

What are some accomplishments you are proud of? 

Eman: When we talk about accomplishments, it’s mostly professional or career-oriented. But the accomplishment I am most proud of is being at peace with what I have at present, while working for the future. Most people want more, and more, and more. Their greed can never be satisfied, and I will never be one of those people who are never happy with what they have and their only focus is on what they don’t have. My biggest accomplishment is embracing my true identity and realizing that I am not in control of my own destiny. My biggest accomplishment is attaining mental well-being and improving my mental health. The only thing I am capable of doing is helping to create a positive impact in the lives of individuals who need my support, whether it is financially, emotionally, or physically. Believe it or not, people in this world are suffering more than we know. Every day, children are dying of hunger while the billionaires keep hoarding their money for useless luxury items. Every day, dead bodies of women are found in garbage cans, but no one bats an eye if they die because apparently, individuals from underprivileged backgrounds don’t matter? Billionaires possess the capability of dissipating poverty from some of the most poverty-stricken countries around the globe if they combine even a small amount of their wealth and form projects or NGOs that will be of assistance to women and children who yearn to have even basic necessities such as eating a warm meal, living under a roof, or going to school without having to worry about going to sleep hungry. As I said before, human beings are greedy. They want more, and more, and more. Whether it is money, or professional titles. And as a woman in her early 20s, I do not aspire to be like the billionaires we see in TV shows and movies. I do not look up to them. In short, the accomplishments I am most proud of are the ones I’ve done that have benefitted minority communities, whether it was writing a research proposal on human trafficking for the Cameroon Association of Active youths or assisting in any online fundraising projects. 

How did you get into writing? 

Eman: It was an accident! I first started writing in my diary as a young child. But it soon turned into a hobby, then into a job I did! Let’s see where life takes me! 🙂 but for now, this just makes me happy. 

This is your second time being a part of Unity for Equality. How long were you here last time and what was your position before?

Eman: I started my role as a Director of Press in December 2020, but I had to leave this non-profit in February 2022 because of some personal issues. But it is always good to be back! 

What was your favorite part of working at Unity for Equality? What made you want to come back?

Eman: I first joined UFE as a writer. Despite it being a volunteering opportunity, it allowed me to write for a non-profit that worked towards positively impacting the lives of immigrants, financially assisting young college students, and providing financial aid to the needy in countries around the world such as Egypt, Bangladesh, and Morocco. UFE on its part has done some heart-warming projects such as providing warm meals, hand sanitizers, and face masks to health care workers during the challenging times of covid-19. They also provided free school supplies to school students in Bangladesh through its Bangladesh chapter in a virtual ceremony. Seeing the happy faces of those young students and how their eyes shone with joy made me cry happy tears and it also made me realize how important it is to give back to the community and the work that we’re doing, matters. That is my favorite part of working with Unity for Equality and the positive impact this NGO is having on the lives of individuals globally is what inspired me to come back. 

What’s your new position going to be and what are you looking forward to most about it?

Eman: My new position is the Director of Communications and Marketing. I am looking forward to working with my team members in designing, creating, and putting together all sorts of creative content that will represent Unity for Equality in a positive light and also increase its awareness so that we can come together and create chapters in countries that require our help the most. 

Not only are you the first Department Director to return, but you’re also being inducted into the Unity for Equality Hall of Fame. What does that mean to you?

Eman: I am truly honored to be given this privilege. It makes me happy to see that the time I spent volunteering with Unity for Equality has finally paid off. Although even if I was never given this title, I would’ve still volunteered with UFE because the time spent here was one of the most memorable and beautiful chapters of my personal and professional career. 

We’re excited to have Eman back on the team and can’t wait to see what she does next!