In this episode of Growing Up Neem-Rooni, Leyla talks with Representative Yassamin Ansari, the youngest member of Congress and the first Iranian-American Democrat to be elected. From growing up in a mostly white Arizona suburb to representing her diverse district in Washington, D.C., Yassamin shares her story of identity, community, and public service.
We talk about her family's immigration journey, what it was like growing up Persian in Arizona, the political awakenings that shaped her career, and the urgent fights she’s now taking on—climate change, immigration justice, labor rights, and Iranian-American visibility. She also opens up about the personal weight of carrying a diaspora story into the halls of power, and why this moment in American politics requires all of us to show up, speak out, and organize.
🟢 Topics covered include:
- Her upbringing in Arizona and the influence of her Iranian family
- Why she got into politics, and how the first Trump presidency galvanized her
- Her work on Iranian-American Heritage Month and immigration reform
- The erosion of climate policy and the importance of mass mobilization
- What gives her hope—and why we need to fight harder than ever
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