“There will be an abundance of people who undermine you for your age, gender and your physical appearance, which can be emotionally taxing and draining. But there will always be more people who are also working toward the same goal as you and are in line with what you believe, even if it may seem as though the negativity is louder than the positivity.”
Meet Bushra Amiwala
A Skokie native and daughter of immigrants who truly appreciates diversity in its many beautiful forms. As communities across our nation - the working poor, religious and ethnic minorities, and young changemakers who are ignored by political establishments, to name a few - are pushed aside, Bushra is a committed voice for underrepresented citizens. She seeks to ensure that our nation’s future is in good hands by building a compassionate, politically engaged generation.
In the summer of 2016, Bushra served as a head intern for then-Senator Mark Kirk. Bushra is a Democrat but sought to build empathy with the Republican Party and to understand their stances on issues. Earnestly lending her skills to a Republican campaign showed Bushra that respect for differing opinions is the only way to preserve American ideals. As the 2016 presidential election loomed, Bushra was surprised to learn that many of her peers would be casting a ballot for the candidate she felt was running a campaign on hateful rhetoric. A champion of change, Bushra sprang into action: she would run for office herself. We need fresh, diverse ideas at all levels of government and Bushra wants to spearhead this change.
Bushra ran for D73.5 School Board in 2018 and was named GlamourMagazine’s College Woman of the Year for 2018, Seventeen Magazine’s Voice of the Year and internationally as CosmoGirl’s Change maker of the Year. Bushra was awarded the Public Peace Ambassador award from HWPL, a nonprofit organization sponsored by the United Nations.
Bushra has spoken at countless colleges and universities, organizations and international companies, with live audiences ranging from 25 to 15,000 people. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Indo-American Democratic Organization (IADO), Women Empowering Women In Local Legislation (WeWill), and on the Board of Education in Skokie as its youngest board member.
Meet our other
Speakers!
Take a moment to learn a bit more about our speakers. They each bring a unique perspective and experience to this event!
Be a part of the conversations
from local inspiring women, who have gone from
“Someday to Day One.”
