Hello!
I'm Zachariah Hopkins

A passionate educator from Los Angeles, USA

Zachariah Hopkins

About Me

I graduated San Francisco State University with a BA degree in Political Science and a minor degree in Islamic and Middle Eastern History; and recently completed a Master's Degree for the program of Middle Eastern Sociology, History, and Anthropology (MESH), in Erfurt Germany.

Due to my interest in the Middle East, I've participated in many Middle Eastern groups and peace initiatives, including an Israeli/Palestinian peace summit in Washington D.C. attended by then-Vice President Biden. Seeking to understand the region beyond politics and theoretical knowledge, I transitioned to hands-on humanitarian work, first volunteering with Syrian refugees in Bulgaria and Turkey. In 2015, I embedded myself in a Syrian refugee community in Izmir, Turkey, gaining insights into Syrian Kurdish, Yazidi, and Arab cultures.

Over the past eight years, my work has taken me across multiple continents, from Ukraine to Japan, always focusing on highlighting the human elements of politicized peoples. While my primary focus remains on volunteering and educational development in under-developed areas, I'm also interested in history, language learning, and technology.

Personal Projects

Timeline of Afrin

The Timeline of Afrin is a detailed timeline from 2700 BCE until 2010 AD, for both Afrin, Syria and the greater surrounding region. The timeline is in English and translated into Kurdish and Arabic. Phase one of the timeline is complete but it will be updated on a regular basis as I continue my research on Afrin.

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Cuneiform Practice

A web-app I made to practice Babylonian Akkadian Cuneiform. It focuses on a few of the first laws in the Law Code of Hammurabi, and the famous bricks of Nebuchadnezzar II. It's best used on a phone.

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Laga

An immense language learning game allowing the player to practice 28 different languages. The initial goal of Laga was to help children of refugees to learn the language of their host country - although it seems like it's reached a much greater demographic range. Laga puts the player on a journey into a fantastical world set after the fall of the Tower of Babylon. The game is playable but still in its "proof of concept" stage. Future work on Laga is planned.

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Endlessly Now Podcast

A podcast that focuses on the lives, interests, and (non-political) thoughts of politicized peoples. Season 2 was based in Lebanon. Season 3 is currently being written and will change its focus to creatively discovering ancient cultures of the Middle East.

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Afrini Dialect Project

The Afrini dialect of Kurdish has had no written form... until now! The Afrini Dialect Project seeks to collect and document Afrini proverbs, and make them accessible in written form to both native speakers and the world in general. After collecting and illustrating 70 proverbs, the project is currently on hold, but likely enter a new phase in the future.

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My Skills

Work Skills

General Teaching
English Teaching
IT / Digital Technology
Program Management
Volunteering / Working in Emergency Situations
Computer Programming
Research / Writing
Design

Hobbies / Interests

History
Language Learning
Computer Programming
Reading / Writing
Traveling
Anthropology

Primary Languages

English (Native)
German (B2)
Kurmanji Kurdish (B2)
French (B1)
Levantine Arabic (B1)

Secondary Languages

Latin
Babylonian Akkadian
Russian
Ukrainian
Turkish
Greek

Residencies

USA (Native)
Germany
Turkey
Ukraine
Kazakhstan
Vietnam
Japan
Lebanon
Greece

Contact Me

zacahopkins@gmail.com