As an LGBT+ refugee, Sayid felt compelled to increase his colleagues’ awareness about LGBT+ refugees and the ways they can help. He organises monthly diversity chats and workshops for the Google Marketing team in NYC, providing attendees with a list of volunteer and fundraising opportunities to support LGBTQ asylum seekers. He also organises Google visits for LGBT+ refugees living in NYC to meet with Googlers and learn more about the employment opportunities at Google. As an LGBT+ refugee, he overcame homelessness and violence which galvanized him to become an LGBT+ human rights advocate, utilising his story to empower people to take actions to protect LGBT+ refugees and asylum seekers. He has founded multiple initiatives for LGBT+ Youth for Peace and helped raise over 1 million USD for variety of LGBT+ causes. Additionally he was awarded the Elton John AIDS Foundation internship grant to design a youth activation program, a SAGE internship to help with fundraising goals for LGBT elders, was a human rights trainer for UNESCO, and consults LGBT+ asylum seekers and refugees on life-saving services. He has been awarded various prestigious scholarships, and was recognised by President Obama, President Clinton, and the UN for excellence in LGBTQ activism.
