When Maryam Abolfazli spoke to the crowd at a large gun control protest on March 30, just days after the Covenant School shooting — a protest of thousands, which Abolfazli spearheaded — her drive for people, for hope, and for gun safety came across passionately. After that protest, Abolfazli centered her efforts for inclusion and safety for all Tennessee children into a new organization called Rise and Shine Tennessee. Most notably, the group researched and planned for the Tennessee legislature’s special session on gun control, combing through all of the public comments left for Gov. Bill Lee and organizing it into presentable data points. During the special session, Maryam made her presence known daily, showing up at committee meetings, stopping lawmakers in the hallway to discuss policy and challenging a rule that banned protest signs in the House chamber. As chair of the Metro Human Relations Commission, Abolfazli also advocates for Nashvillians at the local level — she recently filed an ethics complaint regarding a decision to deny gender-affirming health care to Metro employees.
Best Activist
Maryam Abolfazli
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Elizabeth Jones
Art Director
Maryam Abolfazli
Elizabeth Jones
Art Director
