Rizwan Samad is Vice-Chair of Abandon Harris and Co-Chair of Washington State. Previously, Rizwan Samad was a human rights commissioner, appointed by the City of Seattle Mayor, Greg Nicholas. Rizwan Samad studied political science and business administration at the University of Washington Seattle from 1982 to 1986. Rizwan Samad owns a travel agency specializing in international travel. He was CEO of ITC GULF from 2004 to 2011, which specializes in exporting American food and apparel concepts abroad. Rizwan Samad is a community organizer, human rights activist, and civil rights activist.
Rizwan has demonstrated in the streets of Seattle for Palestinian people’s freedom, he has campaigned against apartheid in South Africa, he has traveled to war-torn Bosnia to help refugees living in Croatia and Bosnia, and he has provided aid Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.