Afghan-American Woman Appointed as Advisor to Kamala Harris' Campaign

According to NBC News, Nasreen Barakzai served as a political advisor on Muslim affairs, Arab issues, the Gaza conflict, reproductive rights, voting, and democracy in Vice President Kamala Harris' office from 2021 until July of this year. The Harris campaign officials emphasized that Barakzai will take on a similar role in Harris' campaign.

This appointment comes at a time when American Muslims, particularly Arabs, are dissatisfied with the Democratic Party and Kamala Harris due to President Joe Biden's policies on the Gaza conflict and his strong support for Israel. These communities believe that Kamala Harris will continue Biden's policies regarding Gaza and Israel.

Barakzai's primary role in the campaign will be to engage with and garner support from Muslim and Arab communities in the U.S. for Kamala Harris.

In a statement, Nasreen Barakzai expressed her pleasure with the appointment, saying, "I am honored to continue my work with the Vice President and provide counsel on a wide range of important issues in this election, from democracy and reproductive rights to Muslim and Arab affairs."

Nasreen Barakzai was born in 1979 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, she and her family migrated to Pakistan. After three years in Pakistan, they moved to the U.S. in 1985, and she graduated from Berkeley Law School in 2005.

Before joining the U.S. Vice President's office, she worked as a legal expert and national security attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ).

This Afghan-American lawyer also has experience teaching at Stanford Law School and working with major law firms in the U.S.