28
Nov
2022
Iranian Americans Win Historic Campaigns for State & Local Office
Washington, DC – The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) congratulates six Iranian Americans on their strong performance in the November 2022 Midterm Election!
From School Board to State Representative, Iranian Americans nationwide took democracy into their own hands and ran for office, seeking to represent and advocate for both their communities and Iranian Americans. The six victorious candidates were endorsed by the Iranian American Political Action Committee, the connected PAC of PAAIA.
Here is some information about the winning candidates:
- Soheila Bana – Richmond, CA City Council
- Soheila Bana is a community organizer and public safety advocate.
- Sarah Beeson – Roswell, GA City Council
- Sarah Beeson is a mother, environmental planner, and businesswoman. Sarah finished in first place in the November general election and is in a strong position to win the December 6th runoff.
- Darya Farivar – Washington State House of Representatives
- Darya Farivar is the Director of Public Policy for Disability Rights Washington; her passion is in advocating for immigrants, refugees, and those living with developmental disabilities.
- Sabrina Kraus – New York Supreme Court 1st District
- Sabrina Kraus is acting justice of the New York Supreme Court 1st Judicial District, a position she was appointed to in 2021. Previously, she was a New York City Civil Court judge.
- Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein — Santa Monica – Malibu, CA Unified School District Board of Education
- Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein is running for re-election as the Vice-President of the Santa Monica – Malibu Unified School District Board of Education.
- Sunny Zia — Long Beach, CA Community College Board of Trustees
- Sunny Zia is running for re-election to the Long Beach Community College Board of Trustees. Zia was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 2014, and she is now up for election to a third term. When she was elected in 2014, Sunny became the first Jewish-Iranian American woman to assume elected public office in California!
