Mujtaba: The People’s Advocate.
The fight for children and families is personal for Mujtaba. The importance of creating fairness and opportunity for all is critical to him. Giving priority to those most vulnerable in our community is his life’s mission. Over the years, Mujtaba has been a tireless advocate for children and families, acquiring an intimate understanding of the challenges that everyday families encounter through his work as a former staff attorney and child advocate at the Council for Children’s Rights, and a fighter for indigent people as an Assistant Public Defender in Charlotte.
A longtime Charlotte resident, he was born in the United States to two hardworking immigrant parents from India and raised under modest means. Mujtaba’s mother and father taught him the importance of putting family before self, helping others, and appreciating the simple blessings in life. It was this belief in giving priority to family and community that led Mujtaba to pursue a career in public interest law and a life dedicated to serving those in need. As a product of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Mujtaba knows firsthand the role that a strong public education system can play in opening the doors of opportunity for all our families. He is a proud graduate of North Carolina Central University School of Law and attended the school due to it’s rich history of empowering communities of color, and it’s commitment to truth and service.
In addition to defending the rights of the underprivileged in the courtroom, and fighting to connect low-income families to the services they need every day, Mujtaba continues to demonstrate his commitment to children and families through his past and current service on the Boards of Directors of local non-profit organizations. Mujtaba’s passion and work for equity, fairness, and opportunities for all led to North Carolina’s Governor Roy Cooper appointing him to the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities and North Carolina’s Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice. Mujtaba’s proven record of service to children and families led to his election to the North Carolina State Senate in 2018, where he is working to ensure every family and child has a chance at a brighter economic future.
When he’s not fighting to strengthen our communities, Mujtaba spends his time raising his three children, Ayub (7), Hamza (5), and Amara (1) with his lovely wife Saba, in northeast Charlotte.
Standing or Select Committee NC Senate (2021-2022 Session)
- Senate Judiciary Committee, Member
- Senate Health Care Committee, Member
- Senate Appropriations/Base Budget Committee, Member
- Senate Appropriations on Agriculture, Natural, and Economic Resources, Member
- Senate Select Committee on Prison Safety, Member
Non-Standing Committees (2021-2022 Session)
- Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice & Public Safety, Member
- Joint Legislative Committee on Local Government, Member
NC Legislative Black Caucus, Executive Committee Member
Community Involvement:
- Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office, Assistant Public Defender
- Council for Children’s Rights, Former Staff Attorney
- North Carolina Taskforce for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice, Governor’s Appointment
- North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities, Governor’s Appointment
- Council for Children’s Rights, Board of Directors
- Mecklenburg Ministries (MeckMin), Former Member Board of Directors
- Mecklenburg County Bar, Former Member Diversity and Inclusion Committee
- Larry King’s Clubhouse: Children’s Care Center, Former Member Board of Directors
- Leading on Opportunity Council, Former Community At-Large Representative
- Mecklenburg County Democratic Party, Former Vice-Chair
- NC Democratic Party, Former 12th Congressional District Representative on Council of Review