| Nabilah Islam Parkes | |
| State Senate: | Georgia |
| District: | 7th |
| Termstart: | January 2023 |
| Birth Date: | 27 November 1989[1] |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Residence: | Duluth, Georgia |
| Education: | Georgia State University (BBA) |
Nabilah Islam Parkes[2] ( Islam; born November 27, 1989) is an American activist and politician from the state of Georgia who is the Georgia State Senator for the 7th district as a result of the 2022 Georgia State Senate election.[3] [4] She became the first Muslim woman in the Georgia State Senate. She previously ran to represent Georgia's 7th congressional district in 2020.
Islam was born in the United States to parents from Bangladesh and grew up in Norcross and Lawrenceville. Her father worked as a file clerk at the Internal Revenue Service and her mother, originally from Noakhali, worked various low-wage jobs, at one point as a cook at Hardee's and in a warehouse.[5] [6] An insurance company tried to deny health benefits to her mother after she took time off work due to a herniated disc, leading Islam to become an advocate for expanded healthcare.[7]
Islam graduated from Central Gwinnett High School and Georgia State University with a BBA in marketing.[8]
Islam previously served as campaign manager for the first Atlanta City Council term of Andre Dickens, who was elected mayor of Atlanta in 2021. She also worked on the campaign of Jason Carter for Georgia governor and the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton, and for the Democratic National Committee. She also served as senior advisor to the Gwinnett County Democratic Party in 2020. She re-chartered and served as President of the Gwinnett County Young Democrats in 2013.[9]
Islam ran in the Democratic primary for Georgia's 7th congressional district in 2020. She was endorsed by U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York,[10] Ilhan Omar of Minnesota,[11] and Ro Khanna of California.[12] During the campaign, Islam supported Medicare for All and a $15 federal minimum wage.[13] She placed a close third with 12.3% of the vote.[14]
Islam struggled with paying rent, did not have healthcare, and put her student loan debt into forbearance during the campaign due to not being able to work full time.[15] She filed a formal petition to the Federal Elections Commission to allow candidates to use campaign contributions for a minimum salary and health benefits. She charged that current regulations barred working-class people from running for office and the petition was supported by Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, and Issue One.[16] [17] In December 2023, the FEC approved the rule change in a 5-1 vote.[18]
With the backing of U.S. Representative Lucy McBath, Islam entered the Democratic primary for the 7th district of the Georgia State Senate in 2022.[19] The district, a new open seat, is entirely in Gwinnett County and leans towards Democrats.[20] She was endorsed by Fair Fight Action, a voting rights organization founded by Georgia politician Stacey Abrams.[21] She defeated State Representative Beth Moore in the primary with just over 50% of the vote and subsequently defeated Republican Josh McKay in the general election with roughly 53% of the vote.[22]
Islam represents Georgia's 7th Senate district encompassing Peachtree Corners, Berkeley Lake, Norcross, Duluth, Suwanee, and Lawrenceville in Gwinnett County.[23]
She serves on the Government Oversight Committee, the Veterans, Military and Homeland Security Committee, the State Institutions and Properties Committee and the Science and Technology Committee.[24] She is also the Vice-Chair of the Gwinnett Senate legislative delegation.[25] Sen. Islam is a member of Georgia’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus and Hispanic Caucus, and a member of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus and Working Families Caucus.[26] She was recognized by Georgia Asian Times as one of the 25 most influential Asian Americans in Georgia.
Following the 2023 Atlanta shooting, Islam was among a group of four Democratic legislators to call for a special legislative session to address firearm safety.[27]
In April 2024, Senate Bill 144,[28] the first bill sponsored by Islam that passed into law, was signed by the governor. The law, which arose from Islam's service on the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security, will reduce administrative burdens on the state militia, save taxpayer dollars, and protect commissioned officers.[29]
Islam lives in Duluth with her husband Bryan, and is stepmother to two daughters.[30] She is Muslim.