Fatima Saidi is the National Director of We Are All America (WAAA), where she leads a nationwide coalition dedicated to upholding the United States’ commitment to welcoming and protecting those seeking freedom, safety, and refuge. An expert in organizational leadership, strategic development, and advocacy, Fatima oversees WAAA’s national operations and a coalition spanning 30 states. A dedicated mentor, she manages high-level communications and trains hundreds of organizers annually across the country, equipping them with the skills to build inclusive communities that bridge diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.
Born in a small village in Ghazni, Afghanistan, Fatima’s early life was shaped by displacement due to the Taliban, leading her family to seek refuge in Quetta, Pakistan. In September 2013, she moved to the United States as an international student at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. Throughout her academic career, she built a global perspective through internships with the United Nations, the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission in Kabul, the World Hazara Council in Vienna, and the International Institute of St. Louis.
Fatima graduated from Bates College in 2017 with a double major in Political Science and Religious Studies. She began her professional career in Boston, serving for two years as a Development Coordinator and Grant Writer for the Mayor’s Office of Financial Empowerment. In December 2020, she joined the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC) as the Development and Relations Manager. In this role, she worked closely with Ethnic Community-Based Organizations (ECBOs) among MIRC’s 90+ member organizations and was instrumental in securing critical funding for grassroots operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period when Maine experienced a substantial influx of newly arrived asylum seekers.
Driven by her lived experience and a passion for narrative change, Fatima joined We Are All America in the summer of 2023, where she continues to amplify the power of refugee and immigrant voices on a national stage.
