An office can tell you a lot about a creator, and we were pleasantly surprised when we ran into Fawziah Qadir’s bedecked office space at WeWork Fulton Center. Most of the tchotchkes on her desk are from her travels around the world, including places like Egypt and Kenya.
When she’s not exploring new places, this global citizen is busy directing the education non-profit’s New York branch. In this installment of The Desktop, we’re tracking down members in our community to discover what they keep on their desks, favorite tools, and workspace must-haves.
“I launched Global Glimpse’s New York branch right here in this office. I really saw the space as a blank canvas, and I wanted it to be a reflection of what I’m doing and my personality. I would call myself an ‘eternal optimist’ because I see the glass half full. Actually, I just see it full.”
“I collect tea pots. At home, I have about 16 teapots and they’re all unique looking. There’s a horse shaped one, an elephant one, and I buy them whenever I travel, so I have some from all over the world. This yellow one is from Philadelphia. I’m living in a coffee world, but I’m a tea drinker.” 
Matryoshka nesting dolls
“When I started at Global Glimpse, I went out to San Francisco, where our hub is. I was walking around Chinatown, and I stopped inside this little store that had all these knick knacks. My grandfather, who was a merchant marine, bought my mom some when he visited Russia, so I always loved them.”
Lamp
“I bought this lamp when I got my first full-time job out of college at . I had it at my very first cubicle and it’s been with me ever since. My first job out of college was at a German company, where I got the taste for international business.”
Cat figurine
“He’s my good luck cat and I keep a penny underneath him. I think that within my first three months here, I actually won three raffles or contests in a row. I won Brooklyn Nets tickets from here, hockey tickets, and Red Bull soccer tickets. I’m also a crazy cat lady with one at home.”
Teabag holder
“My friend went to London and thought this was perfect for me. She always saw me put my tea bags on a napkin that would later leave a stain on my desk, so she bought one that was in the shape of a teapot. It’s perfect.”
Elephant figurine
“I bought this on a trip to Kenya. Every day on my birthday in October, I like to do something that’s fearless or pushes me out of my comfort zone. That was my 27th birthday. I went on a safari by myself, and I got really sick. I got salmonella poisoning, but it was still a great experience. I saw this woman who was selling hand-carved elephants, so I wanted something that reminded me of the morning I saw a whole herd of elephants. It was the most beautiful thing I ever saw in my life.”
Gilded mirror
It’s very arabesque themed. I moved to Egypt when I was 24, and I lived there for five years. I bought this at a really famous bazaar there. I actually bought two of these and put them in my apartment in Egypt because it always reminded me of home. Plus, you always need a mirror at work so it serves its purpose.”
Photographs by Lauren Kallen