Uruba (Ruby) Al Rawi is an emerging humanitarian who loves to make a difference and an impact on the lives of vulnerable people in the community. Few years ago, she immigrated to the US from the cradle of civilization, Iraq, where she was born and grew up. She graduated as a Chemist from University of Baghdad – Collage of Science in 1984 and worked as a Forensic Toxicologist for the Iraqi-Ministry of Health in Baghdad for about 10 years.

Ruby Rawi lived through and survived the horrors of wars and the destructions they caused, for more than 34 years of her life. Ruby worked with her aunt Widad Al Orfali the Iraqi legend artist, who opened the first private art gallery in Baghdad, Al Orfali Art Gallery, where she was inspired and fascinated by the style and colors of her aunt’s paintings and other contemporary artists work that contributed in crystallizing her interest and admiration for art.

In March 2004 Ruby joined International Medical Corps (IMC), a Non-Government Global American humanitarian Organization that helped in eliminating the suffering of people through different venues with a special focus on the health interventions. Ruby worked with IMC in the humanitarian section for more than a decade, helping others who were struggling and trying to survive the daily dangers of the sectarian violence. This work helped shape Ruby’s personality and her desire in understanding the world better.

Since arriving to the US as an immigrant and experiencing the diversity of the communities living together though maintaining their ethnic cultures and traditions she realized that no matter what the war painted in our minds and hearts, people can still choose to see and feel the beauty of life. She began using art in many forms through painting, textiles etc., to express herself and send messages to the world to build bridges of coexistence and integration.