My name is Muizz Akhtar, and I am a writer and graduate student worker pursuing a Master of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of California, Los Angeles. I am passionate about environmental justice, public health, and community building in neighborhoods at the frontlines of climate change. Originally from Houston, Texas, I have worked in journalism, academia, nonprofit community organizations, and electoral campaigns.

Previously, I was a digital content specialist at the Kinder Institute for Urban Research. Before that, I was a fellow at Vox, where I wrote about public health, urban planning, and climate change in the United States andinChina. Prior to joining Vox, I was an editor at the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, working on academic papers related to public health, education, and poverty alleviation in China. I also served as communications director at the Texas Data Quality Coalition, advocating for legislation to improve public health outcomes, particularly in marginalized communities. Finally, I worked as an editor on Mastery of Words and Swords, an academic book on gender, race, and history in modern China.