Draft:Aklima Khondoker
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Aklima Khondoker is an American civil and voting rights attorney, known for her advocacy in electoral integrity and democracy reform. She currently serves as the Chief of Programs and Strategy at Dēmos, a progressive think tank focused on democracy and economic equity, and holds a Senior Advisor position with the U.S. Programs at The Carter Center, where she focuses on electoral administration and racial justice initiatives.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Khondoker was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Haitian and Bangladeshi immigrant parents. She grew up witnessing the social and economic struggles of her community, experiences that later inspired her career in advocacy. She graduated from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Arts and earned her Juris Doctor from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School. Her background shaped her focus on addressing systemic injustices.[2][3]
Career
[edit]Khondoker began her legal career with the ACLU of Georgia, where she founded the Voting Access Project. This initiative combined legal action with community organizing to challenge voter suppression and improve access to the ballot for marginalized communities.[4]
In her role as Georgia State Director at All Voting is Local, Khondoker led critical campaigns to address the impact of Senate Bill 202 (SB 202), a law that introduced more stringent voting regulations in Georgia. Her work during the 2020 election cycle was particularly notable for expanding voter protections and raising awareness about disenfranchisement in communities of color.[5]
At Dēmos, Khondoker oversees strategic programs that promote democracy reform and economic justice. Her work involves collaborating with community organizations and policy experts to develop sustainable changes that prioritize equity and inclusion.[1]
Advocacy and public engagement
[edit]Khondoker is a vocal critic of voter suppression tactics. She has extensively discussed the implications of restrictive laws like SB 202, which include reducing access to absentee ballots, limiting drop box availability, and imposing new identification requirements.[6] During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic Khondoker worked with both statewide and national leaders, lawyers, and election officials to ensure equitable and robust ballot access in Georgia.[7][8][9][10]
Her advocacy extends to addressing disinformation campaigns, as exemplified by her opposition to the election fraud claims in the 2000 Mules film, which have been widely discredited by experts and media outlets.[11][11]. She has also been a fierce opponent to disinformation rhetoric that sought to dismantle the legitimacy of Georgia's elections in 2020.[12]
Her work has been featured to highlight the resilience of voters facing systemic barriers, the personal stories that move them to change their circumstances through voting, while advocating for truth and transparency within governance to improve the lives of women and historically marginalized people.[3] [13]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Aklima Khondoker | Author | Common Dreams". www.commondreams.org.
- ^ "Demos A Network for Ideas and Action Ltd. (via Public) / Meet Aklima, Chief of Programs & Strategy". www.publicnow.com.
- ^ a b "Nothing Will Change Without My Vote". Essence. November 4, 2020.
- ^ Joyner, Tammy (January 18, 2022). "What I've Learned: Voting rights activist and attorney Aklima Khondoker on redistricting lawsuits". Atlanta Civic Circle.
- ^ Joyner, Tammy (May 3, 2021). "The lesser-known forms of voter suppression: one man's story". Atlanta Civic Circle.
- ^ Fowler, Stephen (March 27, 2021). "What Does Georgia's New Voting Law SB 202 Do?". Georgia Public Broadcasting.
- ^ Bynum, Kate Brumback and Russ. "Primary chaos puts Georgia in race to fix voting by November". The Detroit News.
- ^ Loiaconi, Stephen (June 10, 2020). "Finger-pointing, fears for November follow another chaotic election day in Georgia". KPIC.
- ^ Changa, Anoa (June 9, 2020). "'This was avoidable': Georgians face challenges when trying to vote in Tuesday's election". Prism.
- ^ https://www.reuters.com/world/us/facing-raft-trump-inspired-new-voter-limits-democrats-gird-legal-battles-2022-05-16/[bare URL]
- ^ a b "Publisher of '2,000 Mules' election conspiracy theory film issues apology". WDIY | Lehigh Valley Public Radio. May 31, 2024.
- ^ Niesse, Mark. "1,000 people double-voted in Georgia primary, says secretary of state". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – via AJC.com.
- ^ Wooten, Kristi York (March 25, 2024). "'A Call to Action': Carter Center celebrates book anniversary and Women's History Month". Georgia Public Broadcasting.