Spokesperson, Green Party of California, 1998 Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor, 2000 candidate for California State Assembly

Available to speak on the following subjects:
Environment and Toxics
Iran
Foreign Policy

Bio
Sara Amir was the Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California in 1998 and received over 247,000 votes, assisting the party in retaining its ballot status. She ran for California State Assembly in 2000 where she got 10% of the vote. She is a spokesperson for the Green Party of California. Amir has been a resident of Los Angeles for 20 years, the past 17 of those working for the state in the environmental protection field. She is currently a Supervising Hazardous Waste Scientist at the Department of Toxic Substances Control, Site Mitigation Program, in Glendale, overseeing that toxic cleanups meet state and federal regulations for soil and groundwater.

After earning a B.S. in biology from Tehran University in 1970, Amir worked for the Tehran Regional Water Board as a microbiologist. Four years later, she left Iran to continue her studies in the United States. In 1976, she received a master's degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Southern California. Meanwhile, in Iran, the Shah's escalated repression of the labor and student movements continued. The monarchy crumbled and Amir felt compelled to return and take part in the social and political struggle that ensued. She provoked the new regime by her refusal to wear the Muslim cover hejab, becoming a leader among her female coworkers. When the situation became brutally repressive, resulting in the torture and killing of many people, she left Iran in fear for her life.

Amir returned to Los Angeles and went to work for the California Air Resources Board as an environmental engineer. She was also appointed to the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Committee, ensuring the state's compliance with affirmative action law. In May of 1990, she started working at the Department of Toxic Substances Control.

A U.S. citizen since 1987, Amir takes her citizenship seriously. She has led sexual harassment workshops at UCLA and, as Women's Program Coordinator, led similar workshops for state employees. Following the LA uprising in 1992, she established a process to assist area businesses in obtaining environmental and other permits through the Office of Revitalization. From 1992 to 1994, She represented her coworkers in the Professional Scientists Union in contract negotiations with the state. Amir is married and has been a registered Green since 1994.

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