Yassamin Ansari

Young, Gifted, and Ready to Make History 

Yassamin Ansari was raised in Arizona by immigrant parents who instilled in her the value of education and hard work at a young age. Following in her mother’s footsteps in civic engagement, Ansari began organizing on behalf of Obama for America as a high school student. She earned her undergraduate degree in international relations from Stanford University and her master’s degree from the University of Cambridge. In 2014, Ansari began her career as an advisor in the Executive Office of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, where she served on the climate team that helped deliver the historic Paris Climate Agreement. She later went on to serve as  California Governor Jerry Brown’s deputy policy director for the Global Climate Action Summit and as a senior policy advisor to UN Secretary-General António Guterres.In March 2021, Ansari was elected to represent Phoenix’s 7th District in the City Council after a runoff election victory, making her the youngest person to be elected to the council and the first Iranian American elected to public office in Arizona. If elected, Ansari would also be the first woman to represent her district in Congress. 

Investing in Arizonans

As a City Councilwoman and Vice Mayor of Phoenix, Ansari has led the charge to pass some of the most progressive, pro-union policies in Arizona’s history, the city’s landmark Climate Action Plan, and even built a coalition to unanimously pass the city’s first-ever Transportation Electrification Action Plan, ushering in a clean energy future for Phoenix. Ansari also secured millions in free tuition for students pursuing community college through the Phoenix Promise scholarship program  and successfully pushed for more than $140 million dollars to end homelessness.Additionally, she was able to secure significant funding for infrastructure investments in the Phoenix area. 

Ansari is devoted to restoring and protecting our reproductive freedoms. Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, she introduced a resolution to direct the Phoenix Police Department to make harsh state abortion laws its lowest priority for enforcement so that doctors, nurses, pharmacists and patients will remain out of jail for practicing and receiving basic health care. 

Must Keep Blue Seat

Ansari is seeking election to Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District, which is currently held by Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego. At a time when our fundamental freedoms are under attack it is crucial that we stand with this pro-choice champion and defeat her opponent, MAGA extremist Jeff Zink, who was part of the January 6 insurrection and is proud to be 100% anti-choice. EMILYs List looks forward to standing with Ansari and protecting this critical blue seat as we work to flip the House.