Liliana Bakhtiari

Liliana Bakhtiari (pronounced Bach-tee-R-ee) was born and raised in Atlanta and is currently serving her first term on the Atlanta City Council, representing District 5.

Liliana is a trailblazer as the first queer Muslim person elected in Georgia and the first nonbinary person elected in Atlanta. She identifies as gender fluid and uses “she/her” and “they/them” pronouns.

A longtime resident of Southeast Atlanta and the daughter of Iranian immigrants, Liliana grew up working at her father’s pharmacy in the historic Sweet Auburn neighborhood. There, she learned the value of hard work and the intricacies of running a small business. From a young age, she was involved in community organizing, and during her time at Georgia State University, she dedicated herself to student-led coalitions advocating for affordable education and the Georgia Dreamers program.

Driven by her passion for people, Liliana spent her early adulthood fighting for affordable housing, women’s and children’s health, and environmental justice in 26 countries around the world. Back in Atlanta, she has been active in numerous local initiatives, including suburban and rural voter engagement, providing direct services for unsheltered populations, organizing blood drives, partnering with senior communities, and promoting public art projects.