Zerqa Abid is a small business owner, an award-winning non-profit leader, and an internationally recognized women’s rights advocate. An Ohioan by choice, Zerqa and her husband started several successful small businesses before Zerqa repurposed her life to protect and empower Ohio youth and families against human trafficking, drugs and gangs/gun violence in 2014. Zerqa founded her non-profit in her kitchen, grew its staff to over 50, and today has served nearly 250,000 Ohioans and has received national awards from organizations like the AARP. Zerqa is running for Congress to put a real public servant, not another career politician, in charge.

In Congress, Zerqa will work across the aisle to create high-wage jobs, address the root issues of income inequality, and protect women’s right to choose. As an award-winning non-profit Executive Director and an internationally-recognized women rights advocate, Zerqa will fight to make Washington work for the people, not the other way around.

Zerqa was born in Pakistan to middle-class, well-educated parents. She was raised as a leader from a young age. She moved to the US in 1995 with two children to join her husband in Raleigh, NC. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from NC State with a major in Mass Communication in 2000 and started an impressive international business career. She also embarked on advocating for women’s rights across the US. Over the last three decades, she has served as a catalyst of change in communities overseas and across the United States through her businesses and advocacy. She has protected and empowered thousands of Ohio youth against drugs, gangs/gun violence and human trafficking. She has mentored and trained hundreds of Ohio youth and adults and helped them reach their higher potential.