Shahana Masum

Shahana Masum is a community leader, civic engagement advocate, and social services professional with over 33 years of experience serving immigrant, Muslim, Bangladeshi and South Asian communities in New York City. A Staten Island resident and graduate of the College of Staten Island with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology, she has dedicated her career to expanding civic participation, improving access to public services, and advancing language equity for underserved communities.

Shahana previously served as a member of the NYC Language Assistance Advisory Committee, where she contributed community-based insights and recommendations to improve language access for voters with limited English proficiency. Her experience working directly with immigrant communities and voters has helped inform strategies to strengthen multilingual outreach and interpretation services at poll sites across New York City.

She currently serves as General Secretary of the Bangladeshi American Advocacy Group (BAAG) and is the President and Co-Founder of American South Asian Community Services (ASACS). Through these roles, she leads initiatives that support immigrant families, seniors, and low-income residents by promoting civic engagement, citizenship preparation, voter education, and access to critical social services.

Since 2005, Shahana has worked with the NYC Board of Elections in a variety of leadership and operational roles, including Assembly District Monitor, Early Voting Coordinator, and Poll Worker Trainer. In these roles, she supervises poll sites, trains election workers, ensures ADA compliance, and assists voters in navigating the election process particularly individuals who face language barriers.

Fluent in Bengali, Urdu, and Hindi, Shahana has been a key organizer in mobilizing Muslim and South Asian voters across New York City. She has worked on numerous local, state, and national campaigns and has helped build strong civic participation within immigrant communities, including efforts that contributed to significant voter engagement in Staten Island.

Through her advocacy, organizing, and public service, Shahana remains committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers regardless of language have equal access to the voting process and a meaningful voice in our democracy.