// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Naren Briar a good gardener? Thorns in his side
 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for biographies. (January 2026) |
Naren Briar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Bellevue City Council from Position 2 | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Conrad Lee |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1998 (age 27–28) |
| Party | Nonpartisan |
| Alma mater | Boston College (BA) |
| Occupation | Politician, product manager, activist |
| Website | briarforbellevue |
Naren Briar (born 1998) is an American politician serving as a member of the Bellevue City Council in Washington. She is the first Kurdish-American elected to public office in the United States.[1] Briar has a background in privacy, and policy, and an interest in human rights activism.[2]
Early life and education
Naren Briar was born in 1998, in Dallas, Texas, to Iraqi Kurdish parents who were refugees and fled the regime of Saddam Hussein.[3] Her father's family survived the Halabja chemical attack in 1988.[3]
She attended Boston College,[3] where she received a bachelor of arts degree in 2020 in political science and government.
Career
From 2022 to 2024, she was a product manager at Meta in Seattle, focusing on the intersection of privacy, and policy.[3]
In 2025, Briar ran for Bellevue City Council, Position 2, on a progressive platform focused on affordable housing, public transit expansion, and AI ethics in local government.[4][5] In the general election held on November 4, 2025, she defeated long-time incumbent Conrad Lee, receiving 17,080 votes (53.7%).[6] Her term began on January 1, 2026.[7]
References
- ↑ "Briar makes history as first Kurdish-American elected to office with Bellevue council win". KOMO-TV. November 12, 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
- ↑ "Our 2025 Endorsements: Naren Briar". National Women's Political Caucus of Washington (NWPCWA). 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 van Wilgenburg, Wladimir (November 6, 2025). "First Kurdish American Woman Elected to Office in Bellevue". Kurdistan Chronicle. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
- ↑ Progressive Voters Guide. "Naren Briar for Bellevue City Council." Source
- ↑ "Here's who The Seattle Times editorial board recommends for Bellevue City Council, Position 2". The Seattle Times (Editorial). September 21, 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
- ↑ Ballotpedia. "Naren Briar Election Results 2025." Source
- ↑ "Kurdish woman elected City Council member in US state". Rudaw Media Network. June 11, 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
External links
- Profile, City Council of Bellevue, Washington
- "Featured Student Speaker" (PDF). Scholarship Celebration (Interview). Boston College. 2020.
- 1998 births
- Living people
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century American women politicians
- American people of Kurdish descent
- American human rights activists
- American women human rights activists
- Boston College alumni
- People from Bellevue, Washington
- People from Dallas
- Kurdish women in politics
- Women city councillors in Washington (state)