Colin Powell School
Nonya Khedr (Class of ‘21) Is on a Mission to End Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)
Nonya Khedr is an Egyptian immigrant and student of international studies and human rights at the Colin Powell School. As a student she developed a deep commitment to advocating for women and eradicating the practice of Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C) globally. Focusing on this goal, she started an organization called SheFFA with support from the Zahn startup incubator, re-established the United Nations campus chapter, and was both a Colin Powell Fellow and Skadden Scholar. In this interview, Khedr tells about her process of reflecting on her identity as an Egyptian-American, learning about FGM/C and other issues affecting women globally, and finding her passion as a women’s advocate.
Tell me a little about your background. What is your story?
Most of my eight siblings and I were born in Egypt. My first nine years were spent moving, first to Saudi Arabia, then Jordan, then the United States. My father was born in a large farming family in the suburbs in upper Egypt, where there is a severe lack of government services. Both of my parents were the first in their families to go to college, and both studied translation. My mother worked as a teacher and news reporter until my siblings were born; my father was a professor until he began working for the United Nations, leading our family to move to New York. They relentlessly sought the American Dream so that my siblings and I could thrive in school and develop sustainable, meaningful careers.
Once we settled in the U.S., I became well-adjusted to American culture and norms. Studying among a diverse group of students at City College has encouraged me to claim my identity as a visible Muslim American woman. I recently began wearing the hijab, which I had not done previously—and I have developed a divine love for my religion.
Egypt as my birthplace is an important part of my identity and holds a rich culture not found elsewhere. My experiences living in both the Middle East and the US have revealed to me the grave imperfections in the areas of women’s rights in both societies. On my visits to Egypt, I realized that my unique standpoint in these two communities enables me to work on women’s economic and human rights with cultural competency.
What led you to study International Studies and Human Rights in the Colin Powell School?
At the beginning of high school, I realized how important helping people is to me, and this has shaped my direction and choices since then.
On a visit to Egypt when I was 17, my mom and I discussed a cultural practice, Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C), in our Egyptian community, that attempts to reduce a woman’s sexual desire. FGM/C is one of the most oppressive forms of violence in which a girl, between birth and thirteen years old, is physically held down and a part of her external genitalia is removed. In some cases, the clitoris, labia minora, and labia majora are totally removed, then the vagina is stitched shut, leaving one hole for urination and menstruation. My mom attended a ceremony in Egypt where a part of the child’s clitoris was cut off and then tied to the child’s own arm, a tradition that was done to represent to the world this girl had a chaste womanhood. After learning about FGM/C, as one who had been spared from this practice, I developed an urgency, an obligation to use my voice and actions to fight against it.
At the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), where I began my studies before transferring to CCNY, a particular course helped me develop a better awareness of issues affecting women globally and expand my knowledge about FGM/C by studying the issue in greater depth. I learned that 87% of women in Egypt have undergone mutilation, and the practice is not uncommon in the United States. Indeed, “vacation cutting” occurs when a child is taken out of the U.S. to a family’s country of origin to undergo the process. Over half a million women in the U.S. have undergone or are at risk for FGM/C. 200 million women worldwide have undergone it. Three million more women are put at risk of FGM/C each year.
I transferred to CCNY planning to study engineering but ended up abandoning that path. I began taking electives, hoping it would lead me to my passion. I developed a strong passion as an advocate for women, a passion to fight for human rights, even if it means standing up to beliefs held by people and communities I am connected to — opposing this practice of FGM/C is not generally accepted. I became deeply committed to dismantling cultural injustices that violate women’s rights. This led me to choose to major in International Studies with a focus on human rights at the Colin Powell School.
How have you pursued your passion for ending FGM/C while at CCNY?
I applied to a business incubator through the Zahn Innovation Center at CCNY with the goal to develop a nonprofit that I created, SheFFA – Shefa means healing in Arabic.“She” stands for woman and “FFA” stands for “For Female Advocacy.” The SheFFA Foundation represents our mission to help prevent FGM/C by conducting educational advocacy workshops. This work has nurtured my passion for human rights, and specifically women’s rights, in developing countries. Through leading SheFFA, I have gained skills in financing, marketing, team management, and building non-profit organizations. At the end of the Incubator, my team received $15,000 to continue advocating against FGM/C and building SheFFA. I wasn’t very interested in business; however, I realized that my dedication to advocating against the practice was greater than me, and I wanted to challenge myself to implement change in our communities. As a result of starting this organization, I feel more committed and empowered to challenge other issues that women and men face today in underdeveloped countries.
Tell me about your career path. How has the Colin Powell School helped you on your path?
The City College of New York has exposed me to an immense amount of opportunities which I believe have prepared me for postgraduate life. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have been exposed to and the endless support I have received from professors, mentors, and the diverse network I have fostered at CCNY.
With the Zahn Center, I had the opportunity to be a founder and manager of a non-profit organization and feel well prepared to work full-time at an organization. My experience with the Zahn Center nurtured my passion for implementing change and led to my decision to study international studies and legal studies.
At the Colin Powell School, I received the Community Engagement Fellowship, which supported my work as an advocate for women’s rights and my work spreading awareness about FGM/C. My work with FGM/C helped me learn that ending cultural practices requires work with the community but also must be eradicated through implementing policy. Therefore, I was interested in pursuing a law degree and was accepted into the Skadden, Arps Honors Program in Legal Studies.
My experience with advocating for women’s rights led me to apply to the CUNY Women’s Public Service Internship with the Edward T. Rogowsky Internship Program In Government and Public Affairs. I interned at New York State Senator Monica R. Martinez’s Office Representing the 3rd District in Long Island. I conducted in-depth research on legislative topics in a fast-paced environment and reported to the Chief of Staff; she used my research to draft new bills.
In 2021, I was admitted to the Colin Powell School Semester in Washington D.C Program which granted me the opportunity to do an unpaid internship at CARE. In addition to my work with CARE, I was encouraged by one of my mentors to intern at my first campaign with Maya Wiley for New York City Mayor. I hope to see the first woman in the office and admire Maya’s plans for a greater NYC.
In the future I hope to continue growing SheFFA Foundation and one day work with the United Nations Joint Programme to end FGM/C.
What memories and accomplishments would you like to share from your time at CCNY?
In September 2019, I attended an FGM/C retreat with an organization named Sahiyo. During this retreat, we learned how to create and articulate our stories in order to advocate against the practice. I was grateful for the healing exercises we took part in, such as yoga and meditation, which helped me reconnect with myself and rejuvenate after visiting traumatic experiences. These experiences emphasized the importance of taking time out of my everyday life to take care of my wellbeing in order to strive and grow in my career. A few years later, I am taking better care of myself with prayer, exercise, and downtime; I am now more mindful of how to manage my work and reconnect with my purpose to advocate against FGM/C. The retreat inspired me to keep moving forward with the work I’m doing with my organization, SheFFA. Being a part of an environment full of powerful women and men who are passionate about eradicating FGM/C provided me more inspiration.
At the Zahn Innovation Center, I have learned how to manage and distribute finances, develop strategic partnerships with national and international aid groups, and developed the skills to coordinate workshops and empower youth. I have expanded on my abilities to conduct intense research, develop curriculums, and support program delivery and event coordination. I managed a team of volunteers and interns, handled logistics, operational, and administrative tasks. The experiences I had at the Zahn Center reached beyond what I could have learned in a classroom setting. I also served as an Entrepreneur in residence at the Zahn Center, advising start-ups working in social change.
Through my work advocating against FGM/C, I was recognized as a Forbes Under 30 Scholar and also selected to be a Clinton Global University Fellow — learning different skills and forms of leadership to implement back to my non-profit organization. The passion I grew for women’s rights also encouraged me to become more involved in Human rights and therefore prompted me to bring back the United Nations Association Campus Chapter to City College. As president, I am responsible for adjusting programmatic goals and promoting leadership development. Through this chapter, we have organized several speaker events to inspire students to be more involved in social justice. I enjoyed facilitating this chapter and applied to the United Nations Association Emerging Leaders Fellowship. With this fellowship, I am encouraged to create a project that supports the United Nations sustainable development goals.
Although I was engaged in several programs, internships, and jobs throughout my experience as a college student, I still managed to raise my GPA to a 3.78 and was recognized on the Dean’s list.
Do you have any advice for current or future students?
I would encourage current and future City College students to make the best of their time at City College and utilize all the resources available for them. I strongly encourage students to get involved in many internships, volunteer opportunities, or clubs on campus. I understand how difficult it is to be very involved on campus and personally, I did not become involved until the second semester of my sophomore year because I was consumed with part-time work at retail jobs. However, my involvement in volunteer, internship, and club opportunities has narrowed down my interests and helped me find my passion. I would also encourage students to build strong connections with their professors and mentors, and seek their professional advice. Lastly, try not to limit yourself, and keep your options open. I think one of the best ways to grow personally and professionally is through the new challenges we take on in our lives.