My name is Laleh Esmaili, and I am very proud to be an Iranian-American!  My father was born in Abadan, Iran, and my mother was born in Paducah, Kentucky.  They have taught me to be loving and courageous in my life, and I am inspired by how the Iranian community in the United States seems more like an extended family to me.  It is for this reason that I feel that my efforts to work in the community will be well received by you.

As a pre-medical student living in Oakland, California, my goal is to become a family doctor or a pediatrician.  As a woman, my goal is to work in my community to make a positive impact, for health and safety, especially for children who are too young to fight for themselves.   

On Earth Day weekend, in April 2009, I will be participating in the Build-A-Thon with Habitat for Humanity East Bay.  Typically, framing 20 homes would take several months, but we hope to do it in just four days!  These green, eco-friendly homes will be built in a former auto salvage yard, to house 54 needy families and their children.

The California Bay Area is in the midst of an astounding housing crisis. For hard-working families whose earnings place them in the low to very-low income classification, finding a decent, affordable place to live in the Bay Area is an extremely difficult, if not impossible task.

Habitat for Humanity East Bay approaches the challenge of providing affordable housing in an innovative way. We (the volunteers) will build the homes in Oakland, and these are made available for low-income families.

In only four days, I reached my goal of raising $500, and I was featured on Iranian.com as their 'Iranian of the Day,' so I am increasing my goal in hopes that I can bring attention to this great organization!

When I decided to pursue this fundraising opportunity, my goal was to learn about my community by working with an organization that I felt was doing good work.  Also, in an age where my generation is hooked into the media, I wanted to break away from that and work with my hands.  I have put myself on a more rigorous exercise plan to increase my strength, to be more effective in this building project.  I hope that my efforts serve to inspire other students and community members to use their mind and body to serve their community.  After this event comes to a close, I will be looking for another organization to volunteer my time with, and if you have any recommendations, please feel free to send them my way!

If you would like to donate, please visit my donation page.


Thank you for reading, Happy Holidays.