Yasmin Istanbouli is the nom de plume of a Canadian national, originally from Port Hope, Ontario. Born in Iran, she migrated to Canada at the age of eighteen where she attended both public and private high schools before obtaining a degree in chemistry at University of Toronto. In this day and age, it is not uncommon for international students to seek higher education in order to advance their career prospects, which is exactly what Yasmin did, taking on a dual citizenship in both countries. In doing so, she obtained both Canadian citizenship and Australian nationality, making her eligible to apply for a US visa.
During this period of time, she worked as a chemical engineer for Bell Labs, receiving greater expertise in the fields of biotechnology and also received a master’s degree in pharmaceutical chemistry from the University of Toronto. After retiring, she pursued a teaching career, which gave her the opportunity to further hone her education and acquire even more knowledge about different cultures and nationalities before proceeding to become a practicing psychotherapist. This, in turn, allowed her to expand upon her knowledge about mental health, especially in regards to nationality and immigration.
As a result of all of these actions, Yasmin Istanbouli became a qualified and practicing psychotherapist and expert in nationalities discrimination, with a strong passion for social justice. This is evident in the programs she has pursued, such as the Global Diversity Program (an initiative of Canadian immigration authorities), which seeks to help immigrants cope with the changing face of Canada as a multi-cultural society. In addition to her academic pursuits, Yasmin has served as an organizer for Peace Corps, and sexuality and civil rights advisor for the Canadian government. As such, she has gained a great deal of experience dealing with issues that face Canadian nationalities, specifically those who have dual citizenship. She hopes to use her experiences to serve as an asset for other immigrants, especially those who may be in need of legal advice regarding nationalities discrimination issues.