jhjacobs

Justin Jacobs

Justin joined AJWS as the Senior Marketing and Storytelling Officer in September 2018. He spent much of his career as a journalist, chronicling arts, culture and news for a variety of magazines and newspapers in the U.S., Middle East and Asia. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2009 with a degree in English Writing and Religious Studies, and in 2011 moved to Tel Aviv, Israel, where he worked in writing and marketing for both non-profit organizations and high tech startups.

This is Me: Traditional dance in the Dominican Republic is helping girls reclaim their identity

Teresa Mercedes Emilia, 19, says she was blessed to grow up surrounded by strong women — especially her proud grandmother. She was born in the rural community of Los Mercedes, which was founded by Afro-descendent people (known as “cimarrones”) who liberated themselves from enslavement and created their own autonomous communities. Teresa remembers picking coffee beans, …

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Activists Up Close: Meet Samreen, Who’s Empowering Women in India to Find Work and Follow Their Dreams

Samreen grew up Lucknow, India, in a household where her mother wasn’t allowed to do anything without her father’s permission. But when her father passed away, Samreen began to question the patriarchal norms that ruled her family. When she connected with AJWS partner Sadbhavna Trust, her world opened entirely. Sadbhavna Trust runs leadership workshops and …

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