Safiya Wazir

Wazir and her family lived in Baghlan Province in Afghanistan prior to Taliban rule. She is from the Hazara ethnic group. Her family was unable to communicate in English shortly after their arrival but received assistance from a Lutheran organization and often ate only rice. She was forced to restart her secondary school education and thus graduated from high school at age 20. She enrolled in the New Hampshire Technical Institute, where she took night classes so she could support her family. ==Career==

Wazir began working within the Heights community of Concord, becoming a director of its Community Action Program and a vice-chairwoman of its Head Start Policy Council. In February 2018, Wazir's friend suggested that she run for office, although Wazir refused the request until her partner and parents agreed to support her children. In September 2018, she beat Dick Patten to win the Democratic primary for a seat in the legislature of New Hampshire. Shortly thereafter, Wazir became the first refugee to be elected to New Hampshire's state house. The BBC listed Wazir on their list of 100 Women in 2018. Electoral record == References ==