Speakers:

​Famim Huq, Assistant District Attorney, Bronx District Attorney’s Office, NASALSA Board of Advisors

Famim Huq is an Assistant District Attorney at the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office, where she handle criminal prosecutions and advocate for justice in the courtroom. She earned her Juris Doctor from Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University in January 2025. Her legal experience spans prosecution, litigation, and public interest law, including roles at multiple district attorney’s offices, judicial internships, and private law firms. She has worked on a range of cases, from narcotics investigations to special victims and felony prosecutions. With a background in public policy, she is also passionate about trial advocacy, criminal justice reform, and ensuring fair and effective legal processes.

​Maha Gardner, Assistant District Attorney, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

Maha Gardner is a Deputy Supervisor in the Juvenile Justice Division with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Maha became an Assistant State’s Attorney in 2010 and has worked in various divisions within the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Prior to becoming a deputy supervisor, Maha was a lead prosecutor in the Felony Trial Division where she prosecuted homicides and other violent crimes. In addition to her work as an Assistant State’s Attorney, Maha serves as the Chicago Chapter President of the National Asian Pacific Islander Prosecutors Association.

​Arti Ferrara, Senior City Deputy Attorney, City of San Jose, SABA Racial Justice Task Force 

Arti Ferrera, a seasoned local government attorney and DEI leader in Northern California, brings over thirteen years of experience advocating for clients across private and public sectors. As a law student at California Western in San Diego, Arti actively engaged with the South Asian Law Students Association and was honored with a scholarship from the South Asian Bar Association (SABA) for her academic achievements.

Since becoming a member of the California State Bar, Arti has continued her active participation with SABA, including serving on the board for SABA's Racial Justice Task Force and recently completing the prestigious SABA Leadership Institute, Class of 2024. In her current role as the Senior Deputy City Attorney for the City of San Jose, Arti adeptly manages workers' compensation litigation and represents the City in disciplinary appeals and arbitration cases. Arti's reputation for sharp advocacy and innovative settlement strategies has resulted in substantial cost savings for her clients, amounting to millions of dollars. Her unwavering dedication to justice and efficiency is evident in her work, establishing her as a valuable asset to both the legal community and the City of San Jose.

Sufyan Sohel, Chair of the Cook County Commission on Human Rights,  SABA Racial Justice Task Force 

Sufyan Sohel is an international social impact consultant, nonprofit executive, and civil rights attor- ney whose career has focused on combatting hate and advocating for many of our most marginalized communities. He is the Chair of the Cook County Commission on Human Rights, Co-chair of the DePaul Law Diversity Council, Equity Officer for the ACLU-IL, and an anti-hate/harassment trainer with Right To Be. Sufyan also host Change Agents, a weekly talk show that highlights challenges facing Chicagoans and uplifts the voices and work of nonprofit leaders working to bring positive change to our city & communities.