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Think Democrats Aren't Doing Anything? Introducing Yassamin Ansari. [1]

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Date: 2025-03-24

Having focused on older Democrats, Judy Chu and Mazie Hirono, still fighting the good fight, I thought I’d focus today on the youngest female Democrat in the House, Yassamin Ansari. She is 32 year old rookie member of the House who, after winning an extremely close primary, succeeded Ruben Gallego in Arizona’s third district.

Yassamin Ansari, for someone so young, has a long list of accomplishments. She worked as an intern in Nancy Pelosi’s office while attending university. After graduating, she spent a year employed in the office of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. Her work largely focused on promoting climate action, including organizing the 2016 Global Action Climate Summit.

She followed this up with election to Phoenix City Council, where she continued her climate focused work.

So, what has this rookie House member done since her election?

Since the Continuing Resolution remains a hot topic on this site, she adamately opposed its passage.

x Meeting the moment means recognizing that Americans expect us to fight— and to use any leverage we have against authoritarianism. It is inexcusable for any Democratic Senator to vote for the Republican funding bill. To say the consequences will be severe is an understatement. — Yassamin Ansari (@yassaminansari.bsky.social) 2025-03-14T01:05:40.589Z

She was one of many Democrats who walked out of Trump’s speech.

x Democrats who walked out during Trump's speech following Rep Al Green (Per X), include, Congresswomen Maxine Dexter, Nikema Williams, Jasmine Crockett, Yassamin Ansari. Per The Hill, other Democrats included Maxwell Frost, Melanie Stansbury, LaMonica McIver, Lateefah Simon, and Bernie Sanders. — Antonia Juhasz (@antoniajuhasz.bsky.social) 2025-03-05T04:03:19.038Z

After Trump’s speech, she spoke passionately about the rights of the trans community.

x To all the trans kids who have had to hear Trump's hate and vitriol, I am sorry. I want you to know that you matter, and we have your back. — Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@repyassansari.bsky.social) 2025-03-05T19:56:12.521Z

She is continuing to speak out against the climate denialism put forward by the Republican Party and their plans to gut environmental regulations and environmental laws. This is, as I noted, a long time area of interest for her. I think this is one area that is not being spoken about as strongly as it should be, given the threat climate change poses.

x It’s 2025, climate change is wreaking havoc and destroying lives across the world, and the science is proven. Yet here are my Republican colleagues and their witnesses regurgitating Big Oil conspiracy theories. — Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@repyassansari.bsky.social) 2025-02-26T18:13:41.114Z

She is fighting against the “cruel and xenophobic” travel bans Trump is about to unveil, drafting a letter signed by 30 other Democrats including Jasmine Crocket, Lateefah Simons and James McGovern.

x As the daughter of Iranian immigrants, I saw firsthand how Trump’s cruel and xenophobic 2017 travel bans hurt families like mine. That's why I led over 30 of my colleagues in standing up to President Trump in opposition to the potential reinstatement of his travel ban. — Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@repyassansari.bsky.social) 2025-03-19T22:21:54.404Z

She also added an issues page to her website so that people are aware of their rights regarding their immigration status.

x As we're hearing increased reports of an ICE presence across Phoenix, my team and I want to make sure that you know you have constitutional rights regardless of immigration status. Check out our new resource page at ansari.house.gov/know-your-rights. — Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@repyassansari.bsky.social) 2025-02-10T18:43:07.695Z

As part of that commitment, she opposed the Laken Riley Act.

x The Laken Riley Act should not be called a border bill—it’s a license to discriminate against immigrants and do away with due process. Read why I opposed the bill, and about how I’m fighting for our communities: — Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@repyassansari.bsky.social) 2025-01-22T22:36:38.028Z

What has impressed me the most is how often she has gone into the community to speak to people in her district, both via in-person and telephone town halls, as well as making appearances in support of seniors, Head Start Programs, Labour Groups, Environmental Groups, and immigrant support groups like Aliento.

x More than 250 people showed up last night to our in-person Town Hall. While Republicans check party ID at the door and hide from their constituents, I will always be here ready to listen to Arizonans and fight relentlessly for the issues impacting all of us. — Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@repyassansari.bsky.social) 2025-03-19T18:02:37.699Z

x Tonight, I joined 150+ members of the Arizona Disability Advocacy Coalition tonight for a virtual town hall to discuss the devastating impacts that cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, housing assistance and transportation will have on the disability community. — Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@repyassansari.bsky.social) 2025-03-18T02:32:06.466Z

x This week in-district, my team and I hosted two listening sessions with labor and environmental leaders in our community. I'm grateful to these advocates for sharing how Trump’s actions have already impacted them. — Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@repyassansari.bsky.social) 2025-02-22T23:35:24.191Z

x On Saturday, I hosted my first in-person Town Hall in Maryvale to hear from residents about their concerns, particularly from our immigrant community around Trump's actions. The most powerful thing we can do at this moment is empower each other with information-we all need to know we’re not alone. — Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@repyassansari.bsky.social) 2025-02-20T20:14:38.372Z

x Thank you for joining our Tele-Town Hall! More than 14,000 residents tuned in. Grateful to Nuñez Law Firm and Friendly House for their insights. Remember, you have constitutional rights regardless of your immigration status. Call my office at 202-225-4065—we’re here to help! — Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@repyassansari.bsky.social) 2025-01-30T02:39:16.920Z

And she plans to hold more Town Halls in neighbouring districts held by Republicans.

x Was on a townhall call with AZ AG Kris Mayes and Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari last night. They plan to hold Townhalls in Andy Biggs, David Schweikert, Eli Crane, Juan Ciscomani districts over the next few weeks. None of them are my Reps, but if you’re in those districts, GO TO THEM. — Donvict’s 73 IQ (@phewcher-xpat.bsky.social) 2025-03-13T14:01:55.996Z

Yassamin Ansari has devoted much of her young life to public service, whether working on climate issues for the United Nations, serving as a city councillor in Phoenix, and most recently as a member of the House. As I looked into her actions since her election, what impressed me most was her determination to be out in her community and talking directly to people in her district.

Yassamin Ansari does not have the national presence some in the Congress and Senate have. Like most members of the House, she doesn’t have the name recognition to go on tours like Tim Waltz and Bernie Sanders. So instead, she meets with the people in her district, and in Republican controlled neighbouring districts, to listen to people directly impacted by Trump’s disastrous policies.

As I said in earlier diaries in this series, Democratic Party supporters have a choice. They can wallow in the cynicism and defeatism that I often see on this site or they can choose to support the vast majority of Democrats who are fighting the country’s slide into authoritarianism. That you may not have heard of what elected Democrats like Yassamin Ansar, Judy Chu, and Mazie Hirono are doing does not mean it is not happening.

For more information on what Democrats, go read Janesaunt’s diaries (here is a link to the one she posted yesterday, which was sadly ignored www.dailykos.com/...) and go read lpeacock’s Thursday diaries on the Congressional Black Caucus. Both are awesome and deserve more support.

These are links to the diaries I wrote about Judy Chu and Mazie Hirono.

www.dailykos.com/…

www.dailykos.com/...

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