ERBIL () - Two Kurdistani women living thousands of miles apart are drawing recognition this year for the impact of their work abroad, offering a window into how the Kurdistan Region's diaspora continues to shape communities across the world.
Hero Mohtadi, based in Canada, has been named among the country's most influential women in business leadership, while Jihan Brifki, based in Moorhead, Minnesota, has built a network of humanitarian and civic initiatives supporting vulnerable families and immigrants in the United States.
Mohtadi, originally from Eastern Kurdistan (Southwest Iran), was named one of Canada's 100 most powerful and influential women for 2026. The list, published annually by the Women's Executive Network (WXN), honors women whose leadership, innovation, and initiative have made a lasting impact across their respective fields.
The recognition affirms Mohtadi's standing in management and professional leadership, marking a notable milestone for the visibility of Kurdistani women in senior roles internationally. Her achievement is seen as a source of encouragement for Kurdistani girls and women pursuing leadership and decision-making positions in their own fields.
In the United States, Jihan Brifki, originally from Kurdistan Region, has spent years serving her adopted community of Moorhead, Minnesota-the sister city of Zakho, Kurdistan Region, through a wide network of nonprofit partnerships.
Brifki holds a background in political science, with minors in management, public relations, and human resources, along with a certification in human rights consulting. She has also worked as a licensed interpreter, supporting local agencies as well as the US Department of Homeland Security on immigration matters.
Among Brifki's most significant contributions is her founding of Hope for Kurdistan, an organization that supports mothers who lost their husbands in the war against ISIS, as well as families facing severe financial hardship.
Over five years, Hope for Kurdistan has assisted approximately 3,000 families, while its fundraising efforts have helped secure more than 40 homes for low-income households.
Brifki's civic engagement extends well beyond her humanitarian work. She partners with Prairie Rose Garden on youth summer programs that teach native plant cultivation and food growing while addressing bullying prevention and leadership development.
Her leadership roles span multiple organizations: she serves as a board member of the Presbyterian Church's Self-Development of People program, as secretary and board member of CAP-LP, and as an advisor to the International Relations Office of the Confederation of the Kurdistani Diaspora. She is also a member of the Lions Club and helped initiate a sister-city partnership between Moorhead and Zakho, an effort that has facilitated donations of medical equipment and university exchange programs.
The parallel journeys of Mohtadi and Brifki illustrate two distinct paths, one in corporate leadership, the other in grassroots humanitarian work, that converge on a common theme: the growing influence of Kurdistani women in the communities where they now live.
Both women were honored by the Confederation of the Kurdistani Diaspora in recognition of their achievements. Their recognition is expected to encourage continued support for education, economic independence, and leadership opportunities for Kurdistani women both in the diaspora and in the Kurdistan Region itself.
