Khenda Mustafa – Omaha

Khenda Mustafa is a community organizer creating welcoming, inclusive communities through coalition building, proactive planning, and bridging differences. She believes that relationships are the basis for positive social change. In her current role as the "Nebraska Is Home" program coordinator at Nebraska Appleseed, she collaborates with leaders, in both rural and urban contexts, across diverse cultures and sectors to co-create a statewide culture of belonging for everyone. In 2020 she led the development and implementation of the City of Lincoln's MyCity Academy. This initiative connects immigrant and refugee community leaders to city and county leaders and local decision-making processes. She is passionate about expanding the proverbial table by empowering people from marginalized or overlooked groups to make the decisions that affect their lives. Khenda shows a high level of dedication to identifying and breaking down barriers to inclusion, from the interpersonal to the structural. To this end, she creates spaces for dialogue and facilitates group discussions focused on racism, social justice, and equity. In addition, she serves as a committee member on a local Refugee Community Grant Fund, which funds innovative programs, initiatives, and services that empower refugee communities. Born in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Khenda obtained her BA in Global Studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska.