Obaid Barakzai immigrated from Kabul, Afghanistan, and has spent the past decade working in Utah’s policy and community spaces to expand opportunities for immigrant, refugee, and first-generation populations. He speaks seven languages fluently and has led work in grassroots organizing, statewide policy research, conflict resolution, and international peacebuilding.

After graduating at the top of his class from Westminster and completing two post-bachelor’s fellowships, including one at Harvard, Obaid founded a startup and a nonprofit, spoke at the United Nations, and was recognized by Utah’s Multicultural Affairs Division and Utah Global Diplomacy for his impact.

He is now a graduate student in international affairs and economic policy at Columbia University, where he continues to pursue his passion for strengthening Gen Z civic participation and making voting more meaningful for young people in Utah. And he loves drinking tea a little too much.