Ghazala Hashmi
Ghazala Hashmi | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Virginia Senate from the 10th district | |
| Assumed office January 8, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Glen Sturtevant |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ghazala Firdous Hashmi July 5, 1964 Hyderabad, India |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Azhar Rafiq |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Midlothian, Virginia |
| Alma mater | Georgia Southern University (BA) Emory University (PhD) |
| Occupation | Politician, academic administrator, educator |
| Committees | Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Education and Health General Laws and Technology Local Government |
| Website | ghazalahashmi |
Ghazala Firdous Hashmi (born July 5, 1964) is an Indian-born American politician and former academic administrator and educator. A Democrat, Hashmi represents the 10th district in the Senate of Virginia; She worked as an educator and academic administrator for 25 years before running for office.
Early life and education
Hashmi was born in Hyderabad, India, in 1964 to Tanveer and Zia Hashmi. She lived at her maternal grandparents' home in Malakpet during her childhood. Her maternal grandfather served in the finance department of the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Her family moved to the United States in 1969.[1][2]
Hashmi completed a B.A. in English at Georgia Southern University where she was a member of the honors program. She earned a Ph.D. in English from Emory University on a full scholarship.[3] Her 1992 dissertation was titled William Carlos Williams and the American ground of "In the American Grain" and "Paterson."[4]
Career
Hashmi was an educator and academic administrator for 25 years.[1] She received awards and medals for diversity, inclusion, and multicultural enrichment as an administrator[5] at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College where she served as the founding director of the center for excellence in teaching and learning.[1] In the 2019 Virginia Senate election, Hashmi won Virginia's 10th Senate district, defeating incumbent Republican Glen Sturtevant. She is the first Muslim elected to the Senate of Virginia.[6] She was officially sworn into office on January 8, 2020.[7][8][9]
Personal life
Hashmi moved to Richmond in 1991 with her husband, Azhar Rafiq, an associate professor at VCU School of Medicine. They have two daughters.[1] Hashmi resides in Midlothian, Virginia.[3] Her father is an academic.[1] Hashmi's older brother is a professor in Massachusetts. Hashmi's younger sister is a physician in Florida.[1]
Electoral history
2019 election
| Date | Election | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Senate, 10th district | |||||
| November 5, 2019[10] | General | Glen H. Sturtevant Jr. | Republican | 36,811 | 45.60 |
| Ghazala Hashmi | Democratic | 43,806 | 54.30 | ||
| Write Ins | 49 | 0.01 | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | |||||
References
- ^ a b c d e f Hashmi, Rasia (November 7, 2019). "Senator Ghazala Hashmi is 'deeply attached' to Hyderabad". The Siasat Daily. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
- ^ Budryk, Zack (November 5, 2019). "Ghazala Hashmi becomes first Muslim woman elected to Virginia's state senate". TheHill. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Indian American Ghazala Hashmi wins Democratic nomination from Virginia's 10th Senate District". The American Bazaar. June 13, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Hashmi, Ghazala Firdous (1992). William Carlos Williams and the American ground of In the American grain and Paterson (Thesis). OCLC 29824251.
- ^ "Diversity and Inclusion at Reynolds: Reynolds Multicultural Enrichment Award". Retrieved November 6, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Mirshahi, Dean (November 6, 2019). "Democrat Ghazala Hashmi wins 10th Senate District race". 8News. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Suderman, Alan; Rankin, Sarah (January 8, 2020). "Newly empowered Virginia Democrats promise action". Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 9, 2020.
- ^ "Newly-Empowered Virginia Democrats Promise Action | Voice of America – English". www.voanews.com.
- ^ "Asombra diversidad étnica de nueva Legislatura de Virginia" [Ethnic diversity in new Virginia Legislature amazes]. Houston Chronicle (in Spanish). January 8, 2020. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020.
- ^ "Virginia State Senate District 10". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
External links
- Official website
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Ghazala Hashmi at the Virginia Public Access Project
- Living people
- Georgia Southern University alumni
- Emory University alumni
- American academic administrators
- Women academic administrators
- Indian emigrants to the United States
- American politicians of Indian descent
- Asian-American people in Virginia politics
- Virginia Democrats
- Virginia state senators
- 20th-century American educators
- 21st-century American educators
- 21st-century American women politicians
- 21st-century American politicians
- Women state legislators in Virginia
- American Muslims
- Academics from Virginia
- American women academics
- Politicians from Hyderabad, India
- Women educators from Telangana
- 20th-century American women educators
- 1964 births
- 21st-century American women educators