Raumesh Akbari is a Democratic state senator representing Tennessee Senate District 29, which includes parts of Memphis near the National Civil Rights Museum. Born and raised in Memphis, she entered politics through community activism and won a special election for Tennessee House District 91 in 2013, succeeding the late Rep. Lois DeBerry. After three terms in the House, she was elected to the Senate in 2018 and now serves as Senate Minority Leader and chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus. Her priorities include education policy, criminal justice reform, and economic development in marginalized communities. Notable achievements include bipartisan legislation retaining local control for 10 improving Memphis schools, a unanimous 2021 law mandating recorded police interrogations of juveniles, and a bill reducing expungement thresholds for certain offenses to aid employment. She holds leadership roles such as co-chair of the Tennessee Future Caucus, former chair of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators, treasurer of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, and financial secretary of N.O.B.L.E. She has received awards from groups like the Council of State Governments, Leadership Memphis, and Governing Magazine.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Graduated with a bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis; earned a law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law.
• Political Experience:
  • Tennessee House of Representatives, District 91 : Served on Criminal Justice and Education committees; authored bills on economic disparities, job creation, school programs, and health issues.
  • Tennessee State Senate, District 29 : Serves on Commerce and Labor, Energy/Agriculture/Natural Resources, and Ethics committees; 2nd Vice-Chair of Education Committee.
  • Spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention; active in Memphis initiatives like cemetery cleanups, felon re-entry programs, and voting rights restoration.
  • Family operates the World Trichology Institute and Lisa Akbari Hair Care Products.