Kamyar Cyrus Habib, (born August 22, 1981) is an American
Jesuit, politician, lawyer, and educator who served as the 16th
Lieutenant Governor of Washington
The lieutenant governor of Washington is an elected office in the U.S. state of Washington. The incumbent is Denny Heck, a Democrat who began his term in January 2021. The lieutenant governor serves as president of the Washington State Senate, fi ...
from 2017 to 2021. As of the time of his departure from office, he was the first and only
Iranian American
Iranian Americans are United States citizens or nationals who are of Iranian ancestry or who hold Iranian citizenship.
Iranian Americans are among the most highly educated people in the United States. They have historically excelled in busin ...
official to hold statewide elected office in the United States.
He has been fully
blind since he lost his eyesight to cancer at age eight.
In March 2020, he announced plans to retire from politics and become a
Jesuit priest.
Early life and education
Habib was born in
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, to parents who had previously immigrated to the U.S. from
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
.
A three-time cancer survivor, he lost his eyesight and became fully blind at age eight.
Shortly afterwards, his family moved to
Kirkland, Washington. Habib graduated from the
Bellevue International School
International School (IS) is a school for students in grades 6th–12th in the Bellevue School District. The school follows a seven by seven curriculum wherein students pursue studies in seven core academic areas for seven years of attendance. T ...
in 1999.
In 2003 he received his B.A. from
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
summa cum laude and
Phi Beta Kappa
The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...
, having double majored in English and Comparative Literature and Middle Eastern Studies as a student of
Edward Said
Edward Wadie Said (; , ; 1 November 1935 – 24 September 2003) was a Palestinian-American professor of literature at Columbia University, a public intellectual, and a founder of the academic field of postcolonial studies.Robert Young, ''Whit ...
and
Jacques Derrida.
While an undergraduate, Habib worked in the New York City office of Senator
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
.
He was named a
Truman Scholar
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is the premier graduate fellowship in the United States for public service leadership. It is a federally funded scholarship granted to U.S. undergraduate students for demonstrated leadership potential, academic ...
in 2002.
As a
Rhodes Scholar, Habib obtained a
Master of Letters
The Master of Letters degree (MLitt or LittM; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree.
Ireland
Trinity College Dublin and Maynooth University offer MLitt degrees. Trinity has offered them the longest, owing largely to its tradition as Ireland ...
in postcolonial English literature from
St John's College, Oxford,
where he was an active member of the
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford England, whose membership is drawn primarily from the University of Oxford. Founded in 1823, it is one of Britain's oldest ...
, and wrote his masters thesis on
Ralph Ellison
Ralph Waldo Ellison (March 1, 1913 – April 16, 1994) was an American writer, literary critic, and scholar best known for his novel '' Invisible Man'', which won the National Book Award in 1953. He also wrote ''Shadow and Act'' (1964), a collec ...
and
Salman Rushdie
Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (; born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-born British-American novelist. His work often combines magic realism with historical fiction and primarily deals with connections, disruptions, and migrations between Eastern and We ...
.
He was named a
Soros Fellow in 2007.
[
Habib then earned a J.D. from ]Yale Law School
Yale Law School (Yale Law or YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824 and has been ranked as the best law school in the United States by '' U.S. News & Worl ...
in 2009,[ where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. He was a member of the university's ]Grand Strategy
Grand strategy or high strategy is a state's strategy of how means can be used to advance and achieve national interests. Issues of grand strategy typically include the choice of primary versus secondary theaters in war, distribution of resource ...
program, led by John Lewis Gaddis
John Lewis Gaddis (born 1941) is an American international relations scholar, military historian, and writer. He is the Robert A. Lovett Professor of Military and Naval History at Yale University. He is best known for his work on the Cold War and ...
, Charles Hill, and Paul Kennedy
Paul Michael Kennedy (born 17 June 1945) is a British historian specialising in the history of international relations, economic power and grand strategy. He has published prominent books on the history of British foreign policy and great pow ...
. While a law student, he advocated for the redesign of U.S. currency to allow the blind to distinguish denominations. His roommate at Yale was Ronan Farrow
Satchel Ronan O'Sullivan Farrow (born December 19, 1987) is an American journalist. The son of actress Mia Farrow and filmmaker Woody Allen, he is best known for his investigative reporting of allegations of sexual abuse against film producer H ...
.
After graduating from Yale, Habib practiced law at the Washington region's largest law firm, Perkins Coie
Perkins Coie is an American multinational law firm headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1912, it is recognized as an Am Law 50 firm. It is the largest law firm headquartered in the Pacific Northwest and has 20 offices across the Un ...
, where from 2009 to 2017 he advised technology startups, and led the firm's civic and community initiatives.
Political career
State legislature
In 2012, Habib won a seat in the Washington House of Representatives
The Washington House of Representatives is the lower house of the Washington State Legislature, and along with the Washington State Senate makes up the legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is composed of 98 Representatives from 49 ...
, defeating two-term Redmond City Councilman Hank Myers and gaining 61% of the vote. He was elected to represent Washington's 48th Legislative District
Washington's 48th legislative district is one of forty-nine districts in Washington state for representation in the state legislature. It covers areas of Redmond, Bellevue (including West Lake Sammamish), and Kirkland, and it encompasses Cly ...
, which includes Bellevue Bellevue means "beautiful view" in French. It may refer to:
Placenames
Australia
* Bellevue, Western Australia
* Bellevue Hill, New South Wales
* Bellevue, Queensland
* Bellevue, Glebe, an historic house in Sydney, New South Wales
Canada ...
, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Kirkland, Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
, Redmond, and Yarrow Point. Habib set a record for the most money ever raised (over $340,000) in a State House race in Washington. In the House of Representatives, Habib was selected by his peers to serve as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Technology and Economic Development.
In 2014, Habib was elected to the Washington State Senate
The Washington State Senate is the upper house of the Washington State Legislature. The body consists of 49 members, each representing a district with a population of nearly 160,000. The State Senate meets at the Legislative Building in Olymp ...
with 65% of the vote to succeed controversial Senate Majority Leader Rodney Tom as State Senator from the 48th Legislative District. Immediately after his election to the State Senate, Habib was elected Senate Democratic Whip by his fellow Democrats, placing him in one of the top leadership positions in the State Senate.
Lieutenant Governor
Shortly before the 2016 legislative session, Habib announced his campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Washington
The lieutenant governor of Washington is an elected office in the U.S. state of Washington. The incumbent is Denny Heck, a Democrat who began his term in January 2021. The lieutenant governor serves as president of the Washington State Senate, fi ...
, challenging embattled twenty-year incumbent Brad Owen
Bradley Scott Owen (born May 23, 1950) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Washington from 1997 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was previously elected to the Washington State Legi ...
. Several months later, Owen, who had previously filed campaign paperwork, announced that he would in fact not seek reelection. Habib went on to win the primary election against ten other candidates, including long-time State Senators Karen Fraser
Karen Riese Fraser (born September 12, 1944) is an American politician who served as a Democratic Washington State Senator for 24 years, representing the 22nd Legislative District, which includes Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and northern Thur ...
and Steve Hobbs. Another senior legislator, Speaker pro tem of the Washington House of Representatives
The Washington House of Representatives is the lower house of the Washington State Legislature, and along with the Washington State Senate makes up the legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is composed of 98 Representatives from 49 ...
Jim Moeller
James Carl Moeller (born July 2, 1955) is an American politician and mental health professional who served as a member of the Washington State House of Representatives, representing the 49th Legislative District from 2003 to 2017. A member of the ...
was also a candidate but ultimately discontinued his campaign. Habib defeated Republican Marty McClendon
The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington were held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014 to elect the ten U.S. representatives from the state of Washington, one from each of the state's 10 congressional districts. The elec ...
by a nine-point margin in the November 2016 general election. He raised over $1.1 million, and was supported in his campaign by President Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
, who endorsed him and recorded robocalls encouraging voters to cast their ballots for him.
As Lieutenant Governor, he also served as President of the Washington State Senate
The Washington State Senate is the upper house of the Washington State Legislature. The body consists of 49 members, each representing a district with a population of nearly 160,000. The State Senate meets at the Legislative Building in Olymp ...
.
On February 22, 2020, Habib endorsed South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg for president in anticipation of primary balloting on March 10. He co-chaired the Western states effort for Buttigieg.
Other affiliations
During his career in state politics, Habib maintained a number of other affiliations. Beginning in 2013, he was Professor and Distinguished Lawmaker in Residence at the Seattle University School of Law
Seattle University School of Law, or Seattle Law School, or SU Law (formerly University of Puget Sound School of Law) is the law school affiliated with Seattle University, the Northwest's largest independent university.
The School is accredit ...
, teaching upper-level courses and conducts research on issues at the convergence of technology and public policy.
A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, he has also served on the boards of a number of nonprofit organizations, including the Seattle Symphony
The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra also serves as the accompanying orchestra for the Seattle Opera.
History
Beginnings
The orchestr ...
, Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation, the 5th Avenue Theatre
The 5th Avenue Theatre is a landmark theatre located in Seattle's Skinner Building, in the U.S. state of Washington. It has hosted a variety of theatre productions and motion pictures since it opened in 1926. The building and land are owned b ...
, the Bellevue College
Bellevue College (BC) is a public college in Bellevue, Washington, United States. It is the largest of the 34 institutions that make up the Washington Community and Technical Colleges system and the third-largest institution of higher educati ...
Foundation, and the Bellevue Downtown Association.
Religious vocation
On March 19, 2020, Habib announced he would not run for re-election and he had decided to end his political career and become a Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
priest. He had converted to Catholicism while studying at Oxford, and throughout his years in politics attended Mass at Seattle's St. James Cathedral. He began considering the priesthood in 2016 and was accepted by the Jesuits
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders = ...
in 2019, with his entry deferred until the end of his term as lieutenant governor. Of the decision, he wrote in the Jesuits' ''America'' magazine that:Over the past couple of years ... I have felt a calling to dedicate my life in a more direct and personal way to serving the marginalized, empowering the vulnerable, healing those who suffer from spiritual wounds and accompanying those discerning their own futures.... I have come to believe that the best way to deepen my commitment to social justice is to reduce the complexity in my own life and dedicate it to serving others.
He entered the Jesuit novitiate in Culver City, California in the fall of 2020. On August 13, 2022 Habib professed his first vows as a Jesuit.
Political priorities
As lieutenant governor, Habib made expanding equitable access to higher education and promoting job growth through international trade office priorities.
In his first term, Habib established a number of college pathway programs for underserved and non-traditional student populations. In 2018, he founded Washington World Fellows, a global leadership program for high school students that includes a study abroad experience and two years of college preparation programming aimed at supporting first-generation college students. The same year, he initiated Complete Washington, a program focused on creating new high-demand degree pathways tailored to the needs of working adults.
In addition to his higher education programs, Habib created the leadership-oriented Boundless Washington program, which seeks to empower young people with disabilities through outdoor exploration and leadership training. He summited Mount Kilimanjaro in the summer of 2019 to help raise money for the program.[
In Washington, the Lieutenant Governor traditionally acts as a trade ambassador for the state. Habib has led a number of international trips on behalf of the state aimed at improving market access for Washington-based companies and encouraging foreign investment.
]
Legislative positions
Higher education
In 2018, he attacked the idea that "college isn't for everyone", calling it an "elitist" view, and said that "A failure to expand access to higher education will widen the gap between the fortunate few and the disenfranchised many." In 2020, his office introduced a legislative package focused on removing barriers in Washington state's higher education system. It would require all school districts to share financial aid information with twelfth-grade students and their families, a bill that would create a single college application process for public four-year institutions, and legislation that would prevent institutions of higher education from denying students access to their transcripts as a means of debt collection.
Economic development
Habib is the author of a number of laws related to technology and the innovation economy. He authored the Washington Jobs Act of 2014, which allows investor crowdfunding for the first time in Washington, so that entrepreneurs and small businesses can more easily obtain access to capital.
He authored legislation that created a statewide framework for vehicle for hire
A vehicle for hire is a vehicle providing private transport or shared transport for a fee, in which passengers are generally free to choose their points or approximate points of origin and destination, unlike public transport, and which th ...
companies and to provide insurance for drivers, passengers, and the public.
In the face of diminishing federal funding for cancer research, Habib introduced legislation to create a dedicated cancer research fund in Washington State.
Open government
Habib introduced legislation to allow the public to comment on legislative proposals by submitting video testimony filmed on a smart phone–the first such bill in the nation. Habib's bill gained national recognition when included in a PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
report as one of the "Five Times the Daily Show Actually Influenced Policy". Habib said that he was inspired by John Oliver
John William Oliver (born 23 April 1977) is a British-American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. Oliver started his career as a stand-up comedian in the United Kingdom. He came to wider attention ...
's success in engaging the public on the topic of net neutrality, and the subsequent use of remote testimony submitted online to the Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdicti ...
by his viewers.
Habib was also the first Democratic state legislator to seek the impeachment of State Auditor Troy Kelley
Troy Xavier Kelley (born 1964) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 10th Washington State Auditor from 2013 to 2017, and is a member of the Democratic Party. He is a lieutenant colonel JAG officer in the Washin ...
, who was facing more than a dozen federal criminal charges for tax evasion and fraud.
Social justice
Habib is the prime sponsor of legislation in the State Senate to guarantee paid sick leave for nearly all Washington workers.
He is the Senate prime sponsor of the Washington Voting Rights Act, which aims to prevent cities and counties from using racially polarized voting systems.
Habib's 2015 bill to provide standard-issue ID cards to help exiting prison inmates with reentry into society has gained widespread support.
Civil legal aid is a priority Habib has fought to keep funded in the state budget. He has argued that cuts in such funding will most severely impact families facing foreclosure, domestic violence, predatory lending, and those needing help accessing veteran and disability benefits.
Habib also sponsored the Truth in Evictions Reporting Act, to ensure that wrongfully evicted tenants will be able to have their rental history corrected.
Environment and transportation
Habib angered some Republicans when he proposed legislative language acknowledging that climate change is real and that human activity is a significant factor in its acceleration.
As a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, Habib played a critical role in the passage of a landmark transportation investment package that completes the SR 520 bridge replacement and the North Spokane Corridor, funds extensions of SR 167 and 509, adds new lanes to I-405, and authorizes the next generation of light rail and bus rapid transit in the central Puget Sound region. This was the first investment in transportation infrastructure in a decade.
Habib has also authored legislation give judges flexibility in reducing fines imposed for failure to pay bridge tolls.
Awards and recognition
Habib was the first Iranian-American elected to state office in the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, elected to a state legislature the same day as Adrin Nazarian
Adrin Nazarian ( hy, Ադրին Նազարեան; born March 19, 1973) is an American politician of Armenian descent who served in the California State Assembly until 2022. A Democrat, he represented the 46th Assembly District which encompass ...
of California, and to date the highest ranking Iranian-American in public office as the first to serve in a statewide office.
In 2019, he served as co-chair of the Democratic National Lt. Governor's Association and he continues to serve as a member of the Democratic National Committee.
Habib has been a Truman Scholar
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is the premier graduate fellowship in the United States for public service leadership. It is a federally funded scholarship granted to U.S. undergraduate students for demonstrated leadership potential, academic ...
, a Soros Fellow, and a Rodel Fellow at the Aspen Institute. He has been named a Young Global Leader
Forum of Young Global Leaders, or Young Global Leaders (YGL), was created by Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum. The YGL, a non-profit organization managed from Geneva, Switzerland, is under the supervision of the Swiss government ...
by the World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, ...
.
In 2019, he was awarded the Helen Keller Achievement Award by the American Foundation for the Blind
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is an American non-profit organization for people with vision loss. AFB's objectives include conducting research to advance change, promoting knowledge and understanding, and shaping policies and practice ...
. In 2020, the John F. Kennedy Library and The Harvard Institute of Politics
The Institute of Politics (IOP) is an institute of Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University that was created to serve as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, as well as to inspire Harvard undergraduates to consider careers in politi ...
presented him with the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award for outstanding public service.
In 2014, Habib was named one of the "40 Under 40 Political Rising Stars" by ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
''. He was also named one of "12 State Legislators to Watch" by Governing Magazine
''Governing'' is a website, edited and published in Washington, D.C., that covers state and local government in the United States. Originally a national monthly magazine, it was published in print 1987 and 2019. It covers policy, politics, and the ...
. ''Seattle Magazine'' has named him one of the "most influential" people in the greater Seattle area.
Habib was chosen by the leadership of the Democratic National Committee to serve as one of 25 appointed members of the party's 2016 Platform Committee.
Other affiliations
Since 2013, Habib has been Professor and Distinguished Lawmaker in Residence at the Seattle University School of Law
Seattle University School of Law, or Seattle Law School, or SU Law (formerly University of Puget Sound School of Law) is the law school affiliated with Seattle University, the Northwest's largest independent university.
The School is accredit ...
, where he teaches upper-level courses and conducts research on issues at the convergence of technology and public policy.[
A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, he also serves on the boards of a number of nonprofit organizations, including the ]Seattle Symphony
The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra also serves as the accompanying orchestra for the Seattle Opera.
History
Beginnings
The orchestr ...
, Seattle Children's Hospital, and the 5th Avenue Theatre
The 5th Avenue Theatre is a landmark theatre located in Seattle's Skinner Building, in the U.S. state of Washington. It has hosted a variety of theatre productions and motion pictures since it opened in 1926. The building and land are owned b ...
.
References
Additional sources
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Habib, Cyrus
1981 births
21st-century American politicians
Alumni of St John's College, Oxford
American politicians of Iranian descent
American politicians with disabilities
American Rhodes Scholars
Blind people from the United States
Blind politicians
Catholics from Washington (state)
Columbia College (New York) alumni
Converts to Roman Catholicism
Lieutenant Governors of Washington (state)
Living people
Democratic Party members of the Washington House of Representatives
People from Bellevue, Washington
People from Kirkland, Washington
Politicians from Baltimore
Democratic Party Washington (state) state senators
Yale Law School alumni
People associated with Perkins Coie
American people of Iranian descent