Raeena Lari, who is an immigrant from Karachi, Pakistan, has recently won a position on the Santa Clara County Board of Education. She has been a longtime advocate for inclusive education, and her journey to reaching this position has been influenced by her commitment to bettering education services. Lari has always had a passion for education, as it was instilled in her from an early age. Her family had emphasized the importance of learning, with her parents traveling from Pakistan to England for more learning opportunities.

She would later attend Bryn Mawr, one of the Seven Sisters colleges on the East Coast, before earning a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. Lari started her career as an economist in Karachi before moving to the U.S., where she continued working in economics and eventually settled in the Bay Area in 1995.

Her advocacy for better education started when she noticed inclusivity issues in the schools her children attended. She volunteered in schools, promoting multicultural events and working to dismantle the stereotypes of Muslims that were growing after 9/11. One of Lari’s core values has been that education should be representative and inclusive, ensuring that all students, regardless of their background, have a sense of belonging. Her decision to run also felt personal. After 9/11, she saw her son and other Muslim students being bullied and felt marginalized and misunderstood herself. She said that looking back on that time, she wishes she had advocated sooner. So now she works hard to ensure no student has to feel that way.

While running for this position, Lari faced many challenges. She was a first-time candidate, and being an immigrant woman in politics made it significantly harder for her to compete. Fundraising was also difficult, and she encountered multiple Islamophobic comments on social media. However, she gained a lot of support from local elected officials, and the Democratic Party helped her battle these challenges.

Now, after landing the position, her job consists of many things. The Board of Education oversees both the academic and physical well-being of students and manages a $430 million budget. They run programs such as Head Start and Migrant Education. They also play a crucial role in renewing charter schools and making sure they meet their goals. A major focus for Lari in this job is to support incarcerated youth because she believes education can provide them with opportunities that they otherwise wouldn’t have. She also works as a Trustee, which involves attending meetings and community events to understand important issues.

In the past couple of weeks, she has met with legislators to advocate for policy changes and engaged with special education teachers, addressing concerns about budget cuts. One example of her impact is that she successfully helped pass a resolution on “Safety and Security in Gaza” alongside another Muslim trustee, with tremendous support from the community.

Another one of Lari’s goals is to integrate health and wellness into education. She emphasizes the strong connection between learning and the well-being of students. She is spearheading a health and wellness summit in September, which offers workshops for teachers and parents.

Lari wants the public, especially the younger generations, to know that elected officials work for the people. She urges that the community should be engaged, raise concerns, and hold their leaders accountable. “It is too easy to get complacent,” she warns, emphasizing the importance of active civic participation. To students interested in leadership or working in public service, she encourages them to “find your voice and use it.”