Raumesh Akbari facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Raumesh Akbari
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Akbari in 2021
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| Minority Leader of the Tennessee Senate | |
| Assumed office January 10, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Jeff Yarbro |
| Member of the Tennessee Senate from the 29th district |
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| Assumed office January 8, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Lee Harris |
| Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 91st district |
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| In office November 2013 – January 8, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Lois DeBerry |
| Succeeded by | London Lamar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 14, 1984 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Washington University (BA) Saint Louis University (JD) |
Raumesh Akbari (born April 14, 1984) is an American politician. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Since 2019, she has served in the Tennessee Senate, representing the 29th district. Before that, she was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives for the 91st district. She helps lead the Education Committee and is part of the Commerce and Labor Committee.
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About Raumesh Akbari
Early Life and School
Raumesh Akbari was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Her parents, Lisa and Hooshang, were both hair and scalp specialists. Her father came from Iran, and her mother was from Memphis. Raumesh also has a twin sister named Raumina.
She graduated from Cordova High School in Memphis in 2002. She then went to Washington University in St. Louis. In 2006, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, studying African American history and politics. Later, in 2009, she received her law degree from St. Louis University School of Law. Today, she helps manage the legal and human resources for Akbari Corp. This is a small business her parents started in 1981.
Her Career in Politics
Raumesh Akbari was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2013. She served three terms there. In 2018, she was elected to the Tennessee State Senate.
She is involved in many important groups. These include the National Bar Association and the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women. She also works with the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.
In 2015, other female lawmakers chose her to help lead Women in Government for Tennessee. This is a group for women who serve in state governments. In 2017, she became the Chair of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators. She is also the President-Elect of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.
Raumesh Akbari was one of several speakers who gave a main speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. She also spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. In 2019, she was chosen to be a Marshall Memorial Fellow in Europe. This program helps leaders learn about other countries.
What Raumesh Akbari Works On
Helping Communities and People
Raumesh Akbari focuses on several key areas to help people in Tennessee. She works to make the justice system fairer for everyone. She also tries to help communities that need more economic growth. Improving healthcare and investing in public education are also very important to her.
She has supported expanding Tennessee's Medicaid program. This program helps people get healthcare. She also supports a state law to make sure women get paid fairly for the same work as men.
After an event at a cemetery in Memphis in 2014, Akbari helped create a law. This law makes it easier for families to know where their loved ones are buried.
Supporting Schools and History
In 2014, Shelby County Schools planned to close some schools. One of these was Alcy Elementary. Raumesh Akbari helped start a group called "Save-Alcy." This group worked with parents and volunteers to keep the school open. After a month, the school board decided not to close Alcy Elementary. This was because many community leaders promised to volunteer there. For her hard work, Akbari was called a "champion" for the school.
She has also worked to clean up and restore old cemeteries. These include Mount Carmel and Hollywood cemeteries. They were hard to reach before because of overgrown plants.
Personal Life
Raumesh Akbari lives in Memphis. She volunteers with Meals on Wheels, which delivers food to people who need it. She is also a Baptist.
