Zeenat Yahya

Zeenat Yahya is a seasoned advocate with nearly a decade of experience in community organizing, youth engagement, and policy analysis.

Before joining the ACLU Cal Action, Zeenat served as the Director of Policy at March for Our Lives, the nation’s largest youth-led gun violence prevention organization. At the federal level, she led the organization’s efforts to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — the first major federal gun safety law in nearly 30 years and the largest federal investment in youth mental health. She also played a pivotal role in establishing the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, the first of its kind. At the state level, she helped expand March for Our Lives’ advocacy footprint, collaborating with partners to pass California’s landmark firearm tax bill — the first in the country to fund community violence prevention and school safety initiatives through a tax on guns and ammunition.

Zeenat got involved in policy and advocacy work as a result of her personal experiences in California’s public school system, which sparked a deep commitment to education equity and youth empowerment. Early in her career, she focused on education policy and civic engagement, researching school finance and funding disparities and expanding programming at IGNITE, a national nonprofit that empowers young women to engage in civic life and run for office.

Zeenat’s insights have been featured in major outlets such as The Washington Post, Politico, and MSNBC. She holds a master’s degree in Education Policy from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science–Public Service from the University of California, Davis.

In her free time, you can find Zeenat cuddling her cats while binge-watching reality TV, playing pickleball with friends or planning her next vacation.