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Recognizing her extensive professional accomplishments and clear commitment to social justice, the University of Florida Alumni Association will honor FCNL lobbyist Yasmine Taeb with its Young Alumni Award during its Orange and Blue Weekend celebration this year.

A photograph of Yasmine Taeb
Yasmine Taeb

Washington, DC—Yasmine Taeb, FCNL lobbyist for human rights and civil liberties, will receive the University of Florida’s Young Alumni Award at a ceremony on Friday, April 7th, during the UF Alumni Association’s annual Orange and Blue Weekend celebration. The UF Alumni Association recognizes her for her work promoting civic engagement and advocating for the rights of all Americans.

“I am incredibly honored to receive this award,” Taeb said. “I am proud to be an alumna of this venerable institution, and I intend to give back to the University of Florida community at every opportunity.”

Taeb, an experienced lobbyist, directs FCNL’s work on a number of human rights and civil liberties issues, including Islamophobia, refugee resettlement, and repeal of the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force.

A member of the Democratic National Committee, Taeb is deeply committed to lifting up diverse voices and promoting civic engagement at every level. She has advised and worked on several national and state political campaigns, including President Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012. Before coming to FCNL, Taeb served as Project Manager at the Center for American Progress (CAP) and co-authored CAP’s Islamophobia report, “Fear, Inc. 2.0: The Islamophobia Network’s Efforts to Manufacture Hate in America.” She has also served as the Government Relations Manager for the Arab American Institute and as a Legislative Fellow for Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA).

Since graduating from the University of Florida with a B.A. in political science, Taeb has earned a J.D. from the Penn State Dickinson School of Law and a Graduate Certificate in International Human Rights Law from Oxford University.

Taeb’s writings and commentaries have appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Miami Herald, The Huffington Post, ThinkProgress, et al.

To qualify for this award, recipients must have made a significant impact in their field and accrued professional accomplishments at the state, national, or international level. Taeb is one of 28 alumni to receive the award in 2017, alongside Danielle Brewer, a judge in the 12th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, and Gloria Tavera, who has been recognized by Forbes magazine for her efforts to make medicines available in the developing world.

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The Friends Committee on National Legislation, the oldest registered religious lobby in Washington, is a nonpartisan Quaker lobby in the public interest. FCNL works with a nationwide network of tens of thousands of people from every state in the U.S. to advocate for social and economic justice, peace, and good government.

Rebecca Harris

Rebecca Harris

Program Assistant for Human Rights and Civil Liberties

Rebecca Harris works closely with Legislative Representative Yasmine Taeb on issues including the Syrian refugee situation, the United States’ “War on Terror,” military use of lethal drones, and the closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. As Program Assistant, she conducts research, meets with congressional staff, and drafts letters and other materials.