Latin School of Chicago

A child of immigrants gives back Just six years after graduating from Latin, Yassar Bittar '08 is exactly where she wants to be: in Turkey, working on behalf of Syrians – those living inside the country and those displaced by ongoing conflict. Bittar works in international non- governmental organization relations for the Syrian Business Forum, a non-profit that is supported by Syrian ex-patriots and exiles who are eager to fund rebuilding efforts in their home country. Her day-to-day responsibilities include preparing proposals on development and relief projects, as well as fundraising and making connections within the non- governmental and donor communities. "First, we are helping to build the Syrians' capacity to find their own means of survival in conflict," she said. "Second, we're contributing to building a Syrian institution – one with a long-term vision of rebuilding and supporting Syria's civil society." Bittar, whose parents immigrated to Chicago from the Syrian city of Homs, attended Latin for high school. She credits her time at the school, and especially classes with English teacher Jeff Windus and history teacher David Fript, with helping her to look beyond herself – and her city. "Latin was able to show us a world beyond Chicago," she said. "I met people who were very worldly and open to discussion. at's something I took to university – and beyond." In 2012, Bittar graduated from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in sociology. She joined the Syrian American Council's Washington, D.C. office as a government relations and advocacy assistant, where she organized activists in 20 states. She traveled twice to Syria and witnessed the conflict up close. Soon after, Bittar was recruited to join the U.S. office of the Syrian National Coalition, which acts as a liaison between the U.S. government and the Syrian opposition movement. Bittar, as community outreach coordinator, worked closely with offices at the United Nations, and in January, she attended the Geneva II peace talks as part of the official opposition delegation. Following the talks, Bittar felt that she needed a break from politics and joined the Business Forum. e work isn't always easy. "ere are plenty of challenges, and what is happening in Syria is complex and messy to say the least," she said. Bittar hopes eventually to attend graduate school to study community development, public policy or conflict resolution, but those plans are on hold until the end of the Syrian revolution. For the moment, she feels there is nothing that she would rather be doing. "I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve the people of Syria, in whatever capacity that may be," she said. I have been able to experience what it means to believe in a cause and dedicate your life to that cause. My life has become so much more than I ever expected it to be, in ways I never imagined." n "Latin was able to show us a world beyond Chicago. I met people who were very worldly and open to discussion. at's something I took to university – and beyond." 19 L AT I N S C H O O L O F C H I C A G O

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