Mariela Shaker

Mariela Shaker is a Syrian violinist using her music to build bridges for and raise awareness of the plight of the Syrian people. As civil war escalated in 2013, she received a scholarship to Monmouth College, applied for asylum in the United States, and was unable to return to Syria. Pursuing a master’s in music performance at DePaul University, Shaker has performed at the Kennedy Center, for members of Congress, and was honored at the White House as a champion of change on refugee issues. She recently performed and spoke at the United Nations in Geneva and has been profiled by The Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune,and The Washington Post.