Leila Namvar, an Iranian immigrant who worked minimum wage jobs in her 30s after arriving in the US , doesn't have the typical background of a politician.
What she does have is a background similar to that of many of the people she hopes to represent if she wins her race for the California State Assembly in November. She is a working-class immigrant who has had to worry about the cost of food, fuel and healthcare.
In July, she was approached by Close the Gap California, a group that recruits progressive women to run for office. They had heard about her work as a labour organiser and a city employee. After an "exploration" process, they helped her build a campaign team.
"I've always wanted to run for office. I know the local government. I've worked for the government for 20 years," Namvar, who works as a public arts programme analyst for the city of Indio, told The New Arab .
"I understand the need for tax reform. California is the fourth-largest economy in the world. We should prioritise our budget to allow people to live more easily. That will happen when I'm in Sacramento," she said, already thinking about working on legislation at the state Capitol.
"She was diligent, she followed up, and listened to us talk about the challenges [of the race]. She kept coming back," Susannah Delano, executive director of Close the Gap California, told TNA .
"Her message on affordability is the message of the year," she said. "We really look for candidates with credible connections in the community and with experience that reflects people in the district."
Namvar is running in Assembly District 47, one of 80 districts in the state, which Republican Greg Wallace currently represents.
Despite the district's current party leadership, she and her team believe they have a good chance of flipping the seat blue if they can make it past the June primary. In 2024, the district voted for Kamala Harris and other Democrats, possibly a sign that with enough voter turnout, it can be flipped. If elected, she would be the first Muslim and the first Iranian to represent the district.
The district currently encompasses large swaths of Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley, Joshua Tree, and Palm Springs. Though some of these cities are well-known tourist destinations, the majority of residents are working class, many of whom are immigrants employed in agriculture and services.
Namvar can relate to the struggles of the immigration process and the cost-of-living crisis.
Through her family, she started her immigration application from Iran at age 11 to join her extended family in California, a process that took 19 years.
Upon arriving in the US at age 30 with a bachelor's degree from Iran, she worked several low-wage jobs to make ends meet.
Meanwhile, she learned English at night school and then earned a master’s degree in public administration.
"We had good jobs back home. When we came here, we had to start at the bottom," she said. "I understand the struggle. Sometimes I had to make the decision to put gas in the car or save money for rent. The struggles were countless."
She became a US citizen in 2008 and voted in her first US presidential election that year for Barack Obama, furthering her interest in politics, civil rights, and the Democratic Party.
She became involved in labour organising, advocating for healthcare, higher wages and safer working conditions for employees. She was also doing pro bono translation work for Iranian and Afghan asylum seekers.
But she wanted to have more impact, particularly with the 2016 and 2024 presidential elections, including Donald Trump 's.
"When this orange guy came into office, cutting benefits to people in need, I saw working people in our communities doing everything they could, and they weren't able to keep up with the cost of living. Too many families felt like no one was fighting for them. I thought I should do more," she remarked.
Her campaign will begin its field operation in April, knocking on doors and meeting voters. She will also take part in a Democratic candidate forum on the 12th. So far, she has received endorsements from around 20 labour unions and several local elected officials, which she sees as validation of her representation of her local community.
"I'm a working mom, a woman of colour, my husband is an ER nurse, and my son is getting his EMT [emergency medical technician] license. We should be at the table," she said. "It's been a very humbling journey for me, especially knowing hard-working men and women are supporting our campaign. I'm really proud of that, and I'm here to deliver for them."