Working to collaborate with the Center for Afghanistan Studies to empower Afghans to develop their economy and civil society through education, training and photojournalism. Partnering with the Center for Afghanistan Studies, a research center branched to the University of Nebraska with direct projects with the University of Kabul - Afghanistan, I provide training expertise to educators and students.

AFGHANISTAN:Challenges in Documenting Culture in Places of Conflicts"​In the mist of widespread illiteracy that still cripples 85% of the country, photography has become the tool for many Afghans to express what would have normally be impossible. Simultaneously, I started focusing to promote education in working very closely with Afghan photographers in training the next generation of Afghan photojournalists. Many Afghan females joined the team of talented and committed photojournalists, placing themselves as valuable assets to Afghanistan in recording its social and political change."

In support for intensive programs on photojournalism in Afghanistan, I joined the Advocacy for Professionalism of Afghan Photojournalism ( APAP Project), a program funded by the Afghanistan Development and Peace Research Organization (ADPRO) in Kabul, to train the next generation of Afghan photojournalists coming from several provinces of Afghanistan. Several programs on photojournalism, documentary and the photo narrative, including steps to marketing have been created, scheduled and followed through intensive groups and one-to-one sessions, in the provinces and Kabul. The sessions consist of development of photo stories in the provinces of Afghanistan and Kabul that are market worthy, compelling for publishing and that reveal strong skills in photo-journalistic image making. Assignments, photo critiques and visits to the BBC and Associated Press (AP) bureau in Kabul.

Explore and participate in the process of the photo narrative to create a story of social significance. Document your own community to engage a dialogue while addressing its identity.Through lectures, field trip assignments and critique, each student receives the necessary support to build a personal project of their own and thus preparing them for the professional field. While we team up in creating a photo essay that includes traveling to distinctive locations in Maine, we build confidence and learn on how to approach and engage with people to reveal an intimate view of their lives. We discuss what specific aspects of the urban and social background that plays a significant role in defining who people are. Expecting high standard for results, we review your progression each day and encourage you to develop your personal style and vision.

The lecture - Visual Storytelling in a Critical Environment, represented the final chapter from a series of lectures emphasizing on the Visual Narrative and the Effect of Globalization. The principal topic immersed the audience in what role "cultural norm" would play in visual storytelling in Afghanistan and Pakistan where the segregation of men and women is a cultural challenge.

In conjunction with the San Francisco Documentary Workshop that was held at the Rayko Photo Center under the theme "The Documentary, Inspiring Social Change" - the Lecture focuses on the ground work of a documentary I have been involved in documenting the ethnic group of Pashtuns in isolated regions of Afghanistan.A series of portraits of ordinary Pashtuns is in development to address censorship and the meaning of identity.

Social documentary, photojournalism.

Challenges in Documenting Cultures in Places of Conflicts.The lecture opens a discourse on the photojournalism's work in documenting culture within the context of conflicts that often challenges the lives of people and their identity. Based on a current body of work in development in Afghanistan called - Forbidden Faces, Afghanistan's Untold Stories, the lecture guides us into a journey among the Afghan Pashtuns, in Taliban controlled territories of southern Afghanistan. The meaning of identity in places of censorship is often put into question, perhaps redefining our views on how to approach a culture in time of political, social and religious contentions.

Offered a four day seminar which explored ideas and potential projects shared by photographers residing in Guatemala City, and provided support in the making of the photo narrative; personal proposals were reviewed and discussed. Implemented field assignments for photo review and critique. Shared feedback on career directions.Presented a lecture on the role of photojournalism and documentary in engaging a debate and the meaning of social change in photography.

Created and conducted several seminars and workshops that have been in development from a couple of days of intensive program to a week-long workshop called THE DOCUMENTARY FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. Field of studies ranges from the reportage to the photojournalism in the context of the photo storytelling and collaboration with international NGO's; coordinated guest-speakers in collaboration with the participation of the International Rescue Comity (IRC) and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) who are playing a major role in bringing photographers + NGO together during each seminars.Coordinated with several guest-speakers including Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Media Relations, and photojournalists experienced in working on social and humanitarian issues such as malnutrition and identity and how photography and the multimedia has been utilized to approach these topics.Implemented field assignments engaging students and photographers to have a better understanding of the function and mechanism of the photo narrative in the context of exploring the social and urban demography of New York City. Multiple assignments were designed to help each student to participate in a collaborative project by forming groups who brainstormed on subject matter, location and distributed assignments to individual photographers within each group.PARTNERSHIPCoordinated the collaboration of the UNICEF as guest-speaker: Photojournalism in the Central African Republic in conflict zone and the requirements in photographing children whose fragile identity needs to be protected.

The workshop trains photographers in the photo narrative, photojournalism and the practice of the documentary as a tool to address social issues.What are the successful ways for photographers to approach an NGO, and collaborate? The collaborative photographers + NGO takes an important part of the workshop with the International Rescue Comity and the Global Exchange as principal guest-speakers.

Created and conducted several long-term documentary/photojournalism and editorial workshops in partnerships with international NGO's and with the newspaper The Stranger. Created and developed a concept of working partnership for photographers/photo editors. Called SHOOTING THE FEATURE STORY, the workshop offered a multi-level platform of opportunity in development of the photo-narrative, and the publishing industry.Coordinated with the managing editor of The Stranger who, acting as a catalyst to the workshop, delivered a series of assignments in return for publishing works that best represented their vision on Seattle rock bands. In support to the industry of paper photojournalists, the workshop was coordinated with the participation of several guest-speakers including picture editor - Fred Nelson of the Seattle Times, Seattle rock-band photographer Charles Peterson, and photojournalist for the New York Times - Stuart Isett.

Explored the role that documentary photography plays in promoting social change, particularly inthe realm of human rights. Coordinated with local non-profit - Cascade AIDS Project to educate photographers in the use of photography to raise awareness about AIDS and the use of portraits as a tool for advocacy. In development, the program focused on the use of environmental portraiture as an important approach to photojournalism.

Trained photographers to become better communicators through the photo-narrative and coordinated students with international organizations.Coordinated guest-speakers of international NGO's: International Rescue Comity (IRC), and MOSCTHA.org.

Collaborated with the local branch of the International Rescue Comity in training photographers on partnering with NGO's.

Photojournalist

Assisted independent media development in training Afghan photojournalists through photojournalism and international projects. Created curriculum on the introduction to photojournalism, story development and image content. Organized field trips and assisted field assignments within various locations of Kabul. Established security and safety measures during field assignments within probabilities given by the Security Chief Officer, including location awareness based on their security issues, pairing photographers based on their gender identity, meeting point and deadlines. Assisted photographers in building a body of work based on their journalistic value. Coordinated and lead a UNICEF anti-child-labor photo campaign, including the training of local staff in Kabul. Provided support to assigned photographers on scheduling field trips including subjects and locations covered, the technical aspect of the photos needed for the campaign and deadlines. Assisted international photojournalists on commissioned assignments, including geographical overview of areas of shooting and working with fixers.