Karim Merchant

I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to working-class immigrant parents in the Shia Ismaili Muslim community. In 1987 my family moved to Washington, and — apart from three years in Washington, D.C. for law school — I've called it home ever since.

My father worked in computer sciences at the EPA; my mother was a key puncher at Boeing. They worked hard, sacrificed, and did everything they could to give their children opportunities they never had. Neither earned a six-figure salary — my father has worked his entire life and never crossed that threshold.

Their biggest regret was skipping college for the workforce, so they made education our highest priority. Though we were raised in Bellevue, our family struggled financially. They chose a townhome — my brothers sharing a bedroom — because they believed access to a quality public education was worth every sacrifice.

Many classmates had things that felt out of reach. I didn't get my first pair of Air Jordans until 10th grade, and I paid for my first clunker car with money I earned. Those experiences taught me that success isn't measured by what you have, but by what you're willing to work for.

Long before a traditional job, I found ways to earn — selling soda to classmates, then helping run the small dollar store my father opened. The moment I turned 15, I worked: courtesy clerk, candy-store cashier, car-lot attendant — all while helping with the family business.

Academics didn't come naturally; what should have been a two-year community college degree took me nearly four. But once I found my footing, I built the discipline that carried me through college and law school — and became the first person in my family to graduate from college, fulfilling a dream my parents carried since immigrating to this country.