K. Sabeel Rahman Named Senior Counselor in the Biden Administration

As chair of Demos’ Board of Trustees, I’m thrilled to announce some exciting but bittersweet news: Demos’ president, K. Sabeel Rahman, has been named Senior Counselor at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Biden administration. He assumed his new post on January 22, 2021.

While we at Demos will miss having Sabeel’s leadership and vision, we are proud to share him with the nation. In his new position, he can play an even more powerful role in moving the U.S. toward the just and inclusive democracy and economy that Demos champions.

Sabeel joined Demos as president in September 2018, and immediately began to build on the movement energy, legal expertise, and policy leadership on racial equity issues the organization has established. He brought his legal acumen and intellectual rigor to bear on the goal of building political power for Black and brown people at the ballot box, in the public debate, and in their economic lives.

Under Sabeel’s leadership, Demos pushed progressive priorities—from advancing economic justice to expanding voter access—into the center of the public spotlight during the 2018 and 2020 election cycles. When COVID-19 struck, Sabeel led Demos in full-throated advocacy to ensure an equitable recovery from the health and economic damage that caused disproportionate suffering in Black and brown communities.

I’m gratified to say our continuing work and mission has helped transform national conversations about the voting and economic rights of Black and brown people and communities.

Demos is elevating crucial policies that challenge corporate power and call for community control of institutions, such as a public credit registry to replace our failed for-profit credit reporting system—a proposal adopted by the Biden transition team. We also worked to protect and advance voting rights for hundreds of thousands of Black and brown voters in key states and are now developing new legal strategies to ensure and expand those rights. And, in all things, our work is guided by and developed in close partnership with grassroots organizations across the country.

Demos’ accomplished staff and leadership will advance all of this work and more as the country enters what should be a new, more inclusive, racially equitable era. The times demand, and Demos will provide, nothing less than our utmost talent, expertise, and energy.

The Board of Trustees is already at work planning for the future leadership of Demos; in the meantime, Demos Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Joseph DiNorcia will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the organization. I hope you will join me in wishing Sabeel success in his new role, and in supporting Demos as it carries on the fight for a just and inclusive future for America.