Sara Minkara is the Founder and President of Empowerment Through Integration (ETI), a nonprofit focused on the empowerment and inclusion of youth with visual impairment in the Middle East-North Africa region.

Minkara is a Blind Lebanese American who lost her sight at the age of seven. Minkara realized when she visited family in Lebanon that these privileges were not afforded to blind children in other developing countries. In turn, she founded ETI out of her own personal experience and passion for empowering blind youth to be the catalysts for change in their communities. She is an internationally recognized advocate in the areas of disability inclusion and social entrepreneurship.

Empowerment Through Integration works with blind children in Lebanon to instill confidence in them, teaching life skills like how to walk with a white cane or how to use a computer. ETI also runs a summer camp for both blind and sighted children.

Her personal and professional commitment to disability rights and youth empowerment began while she was an undergrad at Wellesley College and continued throughout her time at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. Since founding ETI, Minkara has continued her work in the social sector while also growing ETI from a summer camp to an organization that today reaches over 3,000 individuals across Lebanon and the United States.

Minkara is the Special Advisor for the Office of International Disability Rights in the State Department. She works within the State Department, and with its partners abroad, to encourage and assist foreign governments and civil society organizations to increase their commitment and capacity to protect the rights, and ensure the inclusion and full participation of persons with disabilities. 

Immigration, Social Justice, Social Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship, Women in Business, Diversity, Diversity Topics, Inspirational, Inspire, Motivational, Disability, Blindness, Blind, Inclusion, Human Rights, Civil Rights, Lebanon, Muslim, Children with Disabilities, Underprivileged Children, Women Empowerment, Youth Development, Youth, Middle Eastern Heritage, Empowerment, DEI Business, Social Issues, Culture, Boston, MA, Massachusetts, Teen & Young Adult Issues, Faith & Religion,