Faiz Shakir: Finally, a South Asian American at the helm of a presidential campaign

Faiz Shakir, Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign manager, is a trailblazer in American politics.

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On Tuesday, as Sen. Bernie Sanders made announcement that he was launching another presidential run, there was both anticipation and buzz amongst Americans. The Vermont senator, who would be making his second consecutive bid for the Democratic nomination, sprang a surprise by naming Faiz Shakir, a well-respected name within the progressive circle as his campaign manager.

Sanders, whose 2016 run created a lot of excitement, made history by handing over the reins of the campaign to Shakir, who brings to the table not just his impressive professional expertise but also the much talked about diversity to US politics. The Florida-bred political activist becomes the first South Asian American and Muslim American to run a major presidential campaign.

The ascendance of Shakir, who’s been dubbed a “rockstar activist,” is seen by political watchers as a heavy endorsement of his abilities and the growing significance of South Asian Americans in today’s American politics.

Prior to the new role, Shakir — the son of Pakistani immigrants — served as a national political director for the American Civil Liberties Union, which he joined in 2017. Before that, he was a senior adviser to then-Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV). He has also worked with the current Speaker Nancy Pelosi as senior adviser and director of digital media, when she was the House Democratic Leader. His other jobs include editing the website ThinkProgress, which is associated with the Center for American Progress but operated independently on the editorial front.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.americanbazaaronline.com/2019/02/20/faiz-shakir-south-asian-american-presidential-campaign-manager-436473/amp/

Sorry if something similar already posted. I just learned Sanders hired the first Muslim American Presidential Campaign manager in the history of American political campaigns.