Meet the Executive Board

Minu Lee is a first-generation Korean American who recently graduated from NCSU with a degree in Political Science. When he was a month old, Minu, his parents, and two older sisters immigrated to the United States in search of better opportunities. Since then, Minu has sought experiences that aim to assist and lift up his community. He has previously served as the 3rd Vice Chair of the NCDP-AAPI Caucus and 2nd Vice-President of the Wake County Democratic Party’s AAPI Caucus, where he worked with his fellow officers and local elected leaders to increase AAPI voter turnout in Wake County. Today, Minu currently serves as a Commissioner on the Raleigh Civil Service Commission, Guardian ad Litem for the 10th Judicial District of North Carolina, and a substitute teacher for the Wake County Public Schools System.

Kanwal Naiyar currently serves as the First Vice Chair for the NCDP-AAPI Caucus. She has been a board member of the NCDP-AAPI Caucus for more than 5 years and she is advocates Women’s Empowerment and Social Racial justice. Kanwal moved to the United States 28 years ago and have spent many years as a volunteer in the AAPI Community. As a Muslim woman, she is an activist and have used her voice against gun violence, and she help play an important role to promote social justice in North Carolina. As First Vice Chair, she can connect various AAPI Communities and help raise awareness to racial issues and bring the necessary change to advocate for AAPI rights. Kanwal has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and Education, worked as a substitute teacher in Wake County, and she has served as a field organizer for the North Carolina Democratic Party. In addition, Kanwal served as a Campaign Fellow and Campaign Manager for Progressive Turnout Project, worked on polling stations to support voter rights, arranged volunteers for polling stations, and managed field plan for a fair and successful midterm election. She is also the head of the committee of Public Affairs in MAPAC and a Member of ART Advisory Board in Cary Town Council.

Najalynn Caraway is an IT Professional with cross-industry experience, and has over two decades working in Corporate America. She is currently a SharePoint Developer for an NGO based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and prior to that, she worked for a private corporation focused on diversified technology for over 12 years. She is originally from the Philippines and migrated to the United States 26 years ago. Throughout her career, Najalynn have contributed to many causes. She is the Vice President for Love Acts Foundation, a nonprofit group based in the Philippines focused on aiding poverty stricken communities by delivering relief aid, providing, livelihood assistance for farmers, education and medical assistance for marginalized communities. In 2019, Najalynn was a recipient of DAI’s Gunning Community Service Award. Najalynn is vocal with her beliefs, has a passion for volunteerism, and a strong advocate for women’s empowerment.

Aabia Saeed is a Pakistani American student at UNC-Chapel Hill pursuing a Bachelor’s in Health Policy & Management. As the daughter of Muslim immigrants who arrived in America post 9/11, the challenges her parents faced taught her the importance of community and striving for equity. Ever since, she has sought to uplift others to create a more just society. Aabia formerly served as the Executive Vice Chair for the NCDP InterFaith Caucus for three years and the Lead Regional Director of the North Carolina Association of Teen Democrats. When she’s not working in politics, you can find her passionately working to address persistent health inequities or advocating for refugees across North Carolina.

Nazim Uddin is the son of immigrant parents from Bangladesh with a B.A. in Communication from Rutgers University and an M.A. in Corporate and Public Communication from Monmouth University with 15 years of professional experience in public relations and digital communications. Nazim has been a life-long Democrat and has been an active member of the North Carolina Democratic Party since being compelled to become engaged in the political process by the results of the 2016 election. Inspired by New Deal Democratic values, Nazim was a tireless volunteer for Senator Bernie Sanders’ campaign and served as a delegate representing Senator Sanders to the 2020 Democratic National Convention. He currently serves on his local precinct board, member of the State Executive Committee from Mecklenburg County, represents the 12th District on the Resolutions and Platform Committee, at-large member of the Auxiliary Organizations Committee, and serves as the Director of Internal Communications for the Progressive Caucus of the NCDP. Nazim is dedicated to the issues of human rights and foreign affairs and serves on the board of the non-profit organization, Voices for Justice in Palestine.

Dr. Gracie Galloway is a practicing Nurse Practitioner with a PhD in Public Health. She has spent over 40 years dedicated to the care and welfare of the underprivileged, veterans, homeless, and children with food insecurities. She has been a member of the Democratic Party for over 50 years. She is the founder of the North Carolina Democratic Party (NCDP) Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Caucus. In 2020, she founded APIO and shares the vision of a future where all Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and others in the North Carolina community, regardless of background, are actively engaged in shaping solutions to relevant issues through political engagement, protecting voting rights, recruitment of qualified candidates to run for political office resulting in prosperity and change in our society. She is the founder and CEO of The Joseph and Gracie Galloway Foundation.