As a son of two teachers and a father of four, I understand the importance of a quality education. I have been involved in education for over 15 years. I have been living in Regency Park since 2005 and understand the challenges and needs of Area 5 from Heritage Park to Robla. I have campaigned on a promise to be accessible  to the community and always putting kids first!

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As a nonprofit director and parent, Basim has:

• Founded and runs a youth leadership program at the State Capitol

• Organizes an annual college and career fair at Sac State

• Chaired the Los Rios Community College Bond Oversight Committee

• Served on the Sacramento Library Multicultural Advisory Committee

• Appointed to the City of Sacramento Community Police Commission

• Been elected by parents to serve on the Regency Park Elementary School Site Council

Basim Is Committed To Helping Kids Succeed By:

• Making sure school district resources go directly into the classroom

• Ensuring every school provides children with high quality teachers

• Investing in early childhood education programs

• Reducing school class sizes

• Making more after school programs available for working families

• Preparing young people for the job market by making more

work-study programs, internships and apprenticeships available

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Biography

Basim Elkarra is the former chair and current member of  the Los Rios Community College's Bond Oversight committee, where he protects taxpayers by ensuring that Bonds totaling over $200 million are expended for the construction, repair, and modernization of Los Rios' campuses.  Basim Elkarra and the Oversight Committee help ensure that school bond funds are invested as the voters intended and that projects are completed wisely and efficiently. in 2015, Elkarra was elected by the parents of Regency Park Elementary to serve on the School Site Council. 

For over a decade Basim Elkarra has served as the Executive Director of the Sacramento office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SV), a nonprofit whose mission to protect civil liberties, encourage dialogue and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding. In 2005, Elkarra co-founded a youth leadership program at the California State Capitol that has graduated over 450 high school students. He also organizes an annual College and Career Fair out of California State University, Sacramento (CSUS).

Basim Elkarra testifies in hearings at the State Capitol and appears in the media as a regular commentator on civil rights issues. He has also consulted for the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) and has trained law enforcement agencies throughout the Sacramento Valley. In 2015, the Sacramento City Council appointed Elkarra to the Community Police Commission.

Basim Elkarra previously served on numerous committees including: the Sacramento Police Multicultural Advisory Committee, the Sacramento Police Chief Selection Committee, Sacramento State University Community Council, Sacramento Library Multicultural Advisory Committee, Natomas Unified School District Multicultural Advisory Committee, New Leaders Council (Sacramento) Advisory Board and the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association's (APAPA) Outreach Committee. In 2014, Elkarra was featured on the cover of Comstock magazine, as a young professional who is shaping the future of the Sacramento Valley.

Basim Elkarra holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley. He is a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum (ALF) and the Nehemiah Emerging Leaders Program (NELP). Basim and his wife, Sarah, live in Regency Park with their four children. His daughter Talia attends Regency Park Elementary.

Basim Elkarra's commitment to defending civil rights and building bridges between communities has brought him an array of public recognition and awards, including:

• California State Legislature Resolution #52064
• Daruma Civil Rights Award, Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)
• Distinguished Leadership Award, Organization of Chinese Americans
• MLK Outstanding Community Leadership Award, Senator Lois Wolk & Assemblymember Mariko Yamada