Sameera Fazili: The Hijab-clad economist to speak at the White House

Sameera Fazili, deputy director of National Economic Council in the Joe Biden administration, on Wednesday addressed a press briefing at White house wearing a hijab, prompting social media users to hail the moment as a victory of racial equality in the US.

Who is Sameera Fazili?

Sameera Fazili is an Indian-American economist, attorney and finance expert who made headlines with her appointment as deputy director of National Economic Council at the White House. Daughter to an Indian doctor couple, Fazili’s parents migrated to the US from Jammu and Kashmir in 1970s. She is a graduate of Yale Law School and Harvard College. She received her law degree from Yale Law School and her bachelor of arts in social studies from Harvard College.

Fazili was earlier posted at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta where she served as the Director of Engagement for Community and Economic Development.

Sameera Fazili’s role in Obama Administration

Fazili served as a senior policy advisor on the White House’s National Economic Council and senior advisor at the US Treasury Department in both Domestic Finance and International Affairs during Barack Obama’s tenure as President.

Twitter reactions to her speech

Fazili is the second Kashmiri-origin Indian-American appointed to a key position in the incoming Biden administration.