Almas Shir, iEnglish Program Coordinator

Almas Shir was born and raised in Portland, Maine and graduated from the University of Southern Maine. She aspires to continue building a thriving integrated community to help New Mainers feel welcomed and supported. She previously worked at Deering High School, teaching ESOL classes. During that time, she also worked with Afghan refugee families to help them strengthen family resilience and have open conversations on mental health. 

In 2021, at the peak of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Almas organized a public rally to raise awareness of the political turmoil and humanitarian crisis affecting Afghanistan. She was able to raise money through donations for a fundraiser that helped Afghan women. 

From a young age, Almas has always helped her parents and older family members learn phrases and new words. The work she does with teaching English learners is comforting for her and gives a warm feeling of being “at home.”