May 17th 1979
April 26th 2007
In addition to the blossoming love from adoring family and friends all around, Nai’s passing has provided opportunities for many enhancements to our world. Under the coordination of LifeLink of Georgia, her organ donations to two recipients (one received her liver and one kidney, the other received her pancreas and the other kidney), have brought hope and better health to two deserving individuals and their beautiful families.
Carelle (Nai's mom, in center) with Francine (on left, Nai's liver/kidney recipient) and Maureen (on right, Nai's kidney/pancreas recipient), 2014
Nai expressed her desire to be an organ donor as soon as she received her first driver’s license. You may wish to consider this wonderful expression of selflessness. You can contact Donate Life www.donatelife.net for more information and to register.
The recipient of Nai's pancreas and one kidney is Maureen Templeton-Adams. She had been a Type 1 diabetic since the age of 11, and suffered greatly due to her diabetes. Contributions in her honor to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation will assuredly bring joy to Nai's spirit. Please visit https://jdrf.org/
Because of Naiyareh’s dedication to justice throughout her life, and her indomitable spirit as a vibrant young woman, one of the charities designated to receive memorial donations in her honor is the Tahirih Justice Center in Virginia. This center is dedicated to enable women and girls who face gender-based violence to access justice. We can just hear Nai cheering them on! Please visit http://www.tahirih.org/ for more information. Thousands of dollars have been donated in Nai’s name.
Nai, to quote a dear friend of hers and mentor, was “gracious, lovely, and enthusiastic about life and her future…she was thrilled about her career choice…” What better way to recognize her
fervor for the law than to establish a scholarship in her name where she attended law school? The Georgia State University Student Trial Lawyers’ Association is the trustee for this scholarship. According to a former Dean of the Law School, Steven Kaminshine, "The recipients of the Nai Award will be recognized for their perseverance, tremendous efforts and involvement in the area of litigation studies as well as their willingness to encourage and help others, as Nai exemplified as a law student and as a person.
Another scholarship has been endowed by our family in Nai’s memory at Georgia State University College of Law. Contributions to the Naiyareh Karimimanesh Memorial Endowed Scholarship may be made online at https://netcommunity.gsu.edu/give-to-law
Many projects have been completed in Nai’s memory through the Mona Foundation. Several classrooms and a multipurpose room as well as outdoor basketball court were built at the Anis Zunuzi School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and in rural Guerot, the number of classrooms at the Georges Marcellus School was doubled. The Mona Foundation is dedicated to supporting grassroots educational initiatives and raising the status of women and girls in the United States and abroad.
At San Mateo High School a substantial scholarship is awarded each Spring to a graduating senior headed to college. Key requirements reflect Nai’s commitment to diversity and service as well as academics. At some point this scholarship will also be endowed in perpetuity.