Liliana Bakhtiari is a lifelong Atlantan, social justice advocate, and first-term Atlanta City Councilmember. Born and raised in Southeast Atlanta to Iranian immigrant parents, they made history as Atlanta’s first nonbinary councilmember and Georgia’s first out queer Muslim elected to office.

Since January 2022, Bakhtiari has led with a people-first agenda, passing bold legislation to guarantee legal representation for tenants facing eviction, decriminalize abortion following Dobbs, and require City-funded housing projects to accept source-of-income vouchers. Their advocacy secured more than $15 million for deeply affordable housing in District 5, catalyzing the development of over 7,300 affordable and mixed-income units across Southeast Atlanta.

Bakhtiari has redefined public space investment by activating neglected corridors into vibrant pocket parks, dog runs, pollinator gardens, public art installations, and community gathering places. Their office has driven infrastructure upgrades in every neighborhood they represent with new sidewalks, crosswalks, street lighting, and traffic-calming measures rooted in equity.

A champion of environmental resilience, Bakhtiari co-led the City’s first block-by-block Heat Vulnerability Assessment, revealing heat equity disparities and recommending solutions like expanded tree canopy and cool roofs. Earlier this month, they championed landmark legislation requiring new or replaced residential and commercial roofs to use reflective “Cool Roof” materials, projected to reduce Atlanta’s dangerous urban heat island. They also championed the creation of the first Clean Energy Trust Fund, supporting clean energy and weatherization upgrades and utility relief for the most heavily heat-burdened communities.

On homelessness, Bakhtiari has been a tireless advocate for humane, community-based solutions. They launched Atlanta’s first neighborhood-based case management pilot, embedding trained social workers in high-need areas to connect unhoused residents with housing, healthcare, and supportive services. She’s also championed expanded funding for affordable housing, supportive services, and permanent solutions to end homelessness, emphasizing partnership with local nonprofits and people with lived experience.

Before serving in elected office, Bakhtiari spent over a decade in nonprofit and public health roles, including at Planned Parenthood Southeast and Partners for Home, and founded the storytelling nonprofit Barefoot Gypsy. They traveled to over two dozen countries advocating for displaced communities, environmental justice, and women’s health.

They are a 2023 David Bohnett Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and have been named among Atlanta Magazine’s “500 Most Powerful Leaders,” Out Georgia’s “Next Gen Leader of the Year,” and the Georgia Voice’s “Person of the Year.” Through every initiative, Liliana remains committed to building a community defined by equity, joy, and collective care.