Tahirih’s Tenth Anniversary Benefit a Moving and Joyful Event!
Senator Jim Webb, Congressman James Moran, and Tahirih Client Speaker provide touching remarks; Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan leads the distinguished Benefit Committee. The event is the most financially successful Benefit in Tahirih’s history, in large part due to Altria Group, Inc. and Shell Oil Company, who each sponsored at the highest level.
2007 TAHIRIH BENEFIT COMMITTEE
Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, Honorary Chair
- Maye Aghazadeh
- Karen Bowman
- Donna Callejon & Deborah Whiteside
- Laurie Plessala & Juan Carlos Duperier
- Her Royal Highness Princess Dana Firas
- Michael & Debbie Goldberg
- Pamela & Richard Hanlon
- Michael MacLeod
- Karen Hofmeister
- Marianne Keler
- Neda & Hamid Moayad
- Joanne Moore
- Jan Pederson
- Jacqueline S. Eghrari-Sabet & Sina Sabet
- Nigel Schulterbrant-Gragg
- Kate & Richard Weisman
- Rainn Wilson
- Debra Winger
The Tahirih Justice Center held its Tenth Anniversary Fundraising Benefit on October 2, 2007, in Washington, DC. The evening was a resounding success and a moving celebration of ten years of service dedicated to courageous women and girls seeking justice from gender-based violence. This year, we were honored to have Senator Jim Webb and Congressman James Moran, two accomplished human rights advocates, provide inspiring remarks to a large audience of distinguished guests.
Senator Jim Webb, the evening’s Keynote Speaker, is a tireless champion for the rights of vulnerable communities, a principled commitment apparent in the eloquent remarks he shared. Senator Webb, Virginia’s newest Senator, has a distinguished military and public service career and has done extensive pro bono work with the Vietnamese community in an effort to promote peace and economic development. Senator Webb is also involved in issues affecting veterans. He is committed to protecting women and girls fleeing gender-based violence, and only days before the Benefit his office referred an abused woman to Tahirih’s offices. In addition, Senator Webb has supported our advocacy efforts to ensure victims’ access to police protection.
Congressman Jim Moran, a committed supporter of Tahirih’s efforts to provide critical legal representation and social service referrals for immigrant women and girls fleeing gender-based violence, provided remarks and introduced Senator Jim Webb. Congressman Moran has supported Tahirih’s work to end exploitation by international marriage broker agencies and was a key advocate in the passage of the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act. Congressman Moran has requested an appropriation from Congress to fund Tahirih’s efforts in protecting vulnerable women and girls.
2007 TAHIRIH BENEFIT SPONSORS
Defenders
- Altria Group, Inc.
- Shell Oil Company
Benefactors
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
- Chevron
Patrons
- Citigroup
- The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.
Sponsors
- Arnold & Porter LLP
- CH2M HILL
- Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
- EILEEN FISHER
- Goldman, Sachs & Co.
- Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
Friends
- Comcast of the District
- Covington & Burling LLP
- Crowell & Moring
- DLA Piper US LLP
- Goodwin Procter
- Hogan & Hartson LLP
- Marianne Keler
- Maggio & Kattar
- Leslie Nickel, Esq.
- Pederson Immigration Law Group, PC
- Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
Supporters
- R.A. Abdoo and Company, LLC
- Allied International Corporation
- American University Washington College of Law
- Kathleen Behan, Esq.
- Calvert Group, Ltd.
- Illumine, LLC
- Mike Mihalke & Julie Gould
- Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo, PC
- Prism Public Affairs
- ResCare, Inc.
- Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Contributors
- KPMG Foundation
- Steven and Sheila Miller Foundation
- Gil Muro, Sr.
- Time Warner, Inc.
- The Whitehead Foundation
Children’s Room Sponsor
- Freddie Mac Foundation
This year, Tahirih presented three awards—hand painted artwork by children of Tahirih clients—to two organizations and an individual who have shown an extraordinary commitment over the years to furthering Tahirih’s mission and to ending violence against women. The awards included the Law Firm of the Year Award to Covington & Burling LLP, the Pushing the Envelope Award to EILEEN FISHER, and Volunteer Service Award to Leslie Nickel.
In addition, Tahirih unveiled a video presentation where several clients, in their own voices, told of their struggles to flee violent abuse and how they are now rebuilding their lives in peace. Their powerful stories conveyed the strength and determination that defines many of the women and girls we serve, as well as the challenges our clients have to overcome in search of justice.
Also during the evening, we announced the launch of our national expansion initiative, which, by leveraging Tahirih’s relationships with pro bono attorneys at national law firms, will ultimately enable Tahirih to serve vulnerable immigrant women and girls around the country.
The evening concluded with inspiring remarks from Tahirih’s client speaker, Ibrahima.* Ibrahima suffered brutal violence in her native Sudan due to her political activities opposing the government and the regime’s enforcement of a traditional dress code for Muslim women. She was also abused for years by her husband who did not tolerate her views. With support from Tahirih, Ibrahima was granted asylum in January 2003, and now lives safely in Virginia with her two sons. Ibrahima recently received her Masters Degree from George Mason University and is working as a network administrator.
Benefit Committee
We are grateful to all the guests and participants who joined us at the Benefit, as well as those who were with us in spirit. A very special thanks goes out to the distinguished members of our Benefit Committee, led by Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan. Her Majesty is a dedicated human rights activist and has supported our work by speaking at a prior Tahirih Benefit and chairing the Benefit Committee over the past two years. The kind participation of all Committee members ensured the evening’s success and their ongoing efforts to promote Tahirih’s mission ensure that we can continue our important work of protecting women and girls.
Sponsors and Silent Auction Contributors
Tahirih is privileged and honored to have the support of committed sponsors and silent auction contributors—through their kindness and generosity we were able to raise more money than ever before in support of vulnerable women and girls fleeing violence.
*Name has been changed to protect privacy.
2007 TAHIRIH BENEFIT SILENT AUCTION DONORS
- Altria Group, Inc.
- Berkshire Family Dental
- Deloitte & Touche LLP
- The Hay Adams
- I. Gorman Jewelers
- Pazyryk Rug Gallery
- Willard Intercontinental Washington
