Nabilah Islam Parkes
Islam in 2022
Member of the Georgia Senate
from the 7th district
Assumed office
January 2023
Preceded byTyler Harper
Personal details
Born (1989-11-27) November 27, 1989 (age 34)[1]
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceLawrenceville, Georgia
EducationGeorgia State University (BBA)
WebsiteCampaign website

Nabilah Islam Parkes[2] (née Islam; born November 27, 1989) is an American activist and politician from the state of Georgia who is the Georgia State Senator for the 7th district as a result of the 2022 Georgia State Senate election.[3][4] She became the first Muslim woman in the Georgia State Senate and the second overall in the Georgia State Legislature, along with Sheikh Rahman and Farooq Mughal. She previously ran to represent Georgia's 7th congressional district in 2020. Due to her progressive stances, she has been described as "Georgia's AOC" and "Atlanta's AOC."[5][6]

Early life and education

Islam was born in the United States to parents from Bangladesh and grew up in Norcross and Lawrenceville. Her father worked as a file clerk at the Internal Revenue Service and her mother, originally from Noakhali, worked various low-wage jobs, at one point as a burger fipper at Hardee's and in a warehouse.[7][8] An insurance company tried to deny benefits for her mother after she took time off work due to a herniated disc, leading Islam to become an advocate for expanded healthcare.[9]

Islam graduated from Central Gwinnett High School and Georgia State University with a BBA in marketing.[10]

Career

Islam previously served as campaign manager for Atlanta City Councilmember Andre Dickens, President of the Gwinnett County Young Democrats, and on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.[11]

2020 congressional campaign

Further information: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia § District_7

Islam ran in the Democratic primary for Georgia's 7th congressional district in 2020. She was endorsed by U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, which helped cause the "Georgia's AOC" nickname. During the campaign, Islam supported Medicare for All and a $15 federal minimum wage.[5] She placed third with 12.3% of the vote.[12]

Islam struggled with paying rent, did not have healthcare, and put her student loan debt into forbearance during the campaign due to not being able to work full time.[13] She filed a formal petition to the Federal Elections Commission to allow candidates to use campaign contributions for a minimum salary and health benefits. She charged that current regulations barred working-class people from running for office and the petition was supported by Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, and Issue One.[14][15] In December 2023, the FEC approved the rule change in a 5-1 vote.[16]

Member of the Georgia Senate (2023-present)

2022 campaign

With the backing of U.S. Representative Lucy McBath, Islam entered the Democratic primary for the 7th district of the Georgia State Senate in 2022.[17] The district, a new open seat, is entirely in Gwinnett County and leans towards Democrats.[18] She was endorsed by Fair Fight Action, a voting rights organization founded by Georgia politician Stacey Abrams.[19] She defeated State Representative Beth Moore in the primary with just over 50% of the vote and subsequently defeated Republican Josh McKay in the general election with roughly 53% of the vote.[3][20]

Tenure

Following the 2023 Atlanta shooting, Islam was among a group of four Democratic legislators to call for a special legislative session to address firearm safety.[21]

Personal life

Islam lives in Lawrenceville.[17] She is Muslim.[8]

Electoral history

2020 Georgia's 7th congressional district Democratic primary[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carolyn Bourdeaux 44,710 52.8
Democratic Brenda Lopez Romero 10,497 12.4
Democratic Nabilah Islam 10,447 12.3
Democratic Rashid Malik 6,780 8.0
Democratic John Eaves 6,548 7.7
Democratic Zahra Karinshak 5,729 6.8
Total votes 84,711 100.0
2022 Georgia's 7th state senate district Democratic primary[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nabilah Islam 5,745 50.3
Democratic Beth Moore 5,668 49.7
Total votes 11,413 100.0
2022 Georgia's 7th state senate district general election[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nabilah Islam 32,607 52.8
Republican Josh McKay 29,123 47.2
Total votes 61,730 100.0

References

  1. ^ https://twitter.com/NabilahIslam/status/1597012546791256064?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
  2. ^ Burns, Alexander (23 October 2023). "'People Are Hurt and Scared': How a Muslim American Leader in Georgia Is Confronting the War Nabilah Islam Parkes was the first Muslim American woman elected to the Georgia State Legislature. Here's her message to Joe Biden". Politico LLC. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  3. ^ a b Yeomans, Curt (May 25, 2022). "Nabilah Islam narrowly defeats state Rep. Beth Moore in state Senate District 7 race". Gwinnett Daily Post. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  4. ^ Elassar, Alaa (November 13, 2022). "Georgia candidate makes history as first known Muslim and Palestinian woman elected to state House". CNN. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "'Georgia's AOC' aims for state Senate seat in Gwinnett".
  6. ^ "Nabilah Islam — known as the Atlanta area's version of AOC — jumps into race for new state Senate seat in Gwinnett". 6 January 2022.
  7. ^ Feller, Madison (May 18, 2020). "Nabilah Islam Gave Up Her Health Insurance To Run For Congress. Now What?". ELLE. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Farooq, Umar (June 8, 2020). "Meet Nabilah Islam, the Bangladeshi American trying to make Georgia progressive". Middle East Eye. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  9. ^ Brown, Marcia (June 4, 2020). "'My Name Is Nabilah Islam. It's an American Name.'". The American Prospect. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  10. ^ Varitek, Daniel (March 6, 2019). "Graduate challenges professor for 7th District". The Signal. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  11. ^ Upadhyay, Brajesh (February 28, 2019). "Bangladeshi-American woman runs for US Congress". Bangla Tribune. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  12. ^ "Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux wins primary for open seat in Georgia suburbs". 16 June 2020.
  13. ^ Levinthal, Dave (March 23, 2021). "Want to run for Congress but can't afford to pay your own rent or bills? This former House candidate has an idea". Business Insider. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  14. ^ McFadden, Alyce (July 1, 2021). "FEC to consider use of campaign funds to pay candidate salaries, health care costs". Open Secrets. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  15. ^ Ackley, Kate (June 29, 2021). "FEC reviewing rules on salaries, benefits for candidates". Roll Call. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  16. ^ Schouten, Fredreka (December 14, 2023). "FEC makes it easier for candidates to use campaign dollars to pay themselves". CNN. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Bluestein, Greg (January 4, 2022). "'Georgia's AOC' aims for state Senate seat in Gwinnett". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  18. ^ Niesse, Mark (November 15, 2021). "Final vote completes redistricting of Georgia General Assembly". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  19. ^ https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2022/05/23/fair-fight-democrats-georgia-primaries
  20. ^ "Georgia 2022 Midterm Election Results for State Senate". WAGA-TV. November 8, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  21. ^ DiRienzo, Rob (2023-05-08). "After Midtown shooting, group of Dem. lawmakers wants Kemp to call special session". FOX 5 Atlanta. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  22. ^ a b c "Nabilah Islam".

External links

Members of the Georgia State Senate
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