Meet Faris

Faris Ilyas (they/them) began as Policy Counsel for The New Pride Agenda in October 2023. Faris was born and raised in NYC and is passionate about gender justice, trans liberation, and reducing the impact of the criminal legal system. As Policy Counsel, Faris will conduct research on the most pressing issues facing the TGNCI community, sex workers, and those living with HIV, and they will work to promote local and state-level reforms aimed at uplifting these communities in New York. Faris also hopes to build capacity within the TGNCI community through educational programs and amplifying the work of advocates and movement organizers.

Prior to joining The New Pride Agenda, Faris worked as a legal fellow with the Sex Workers Project of the Urban Justice Center in New York, where they advocated for the decriminalization of sex work and expanding services for sex workers living in NYC. During their time as a law student, Faris worked for the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, where they provided legal assistance to incarcerated TGNCI people, and they worked with the Exploitation Intervention Project of The Legal Aid Society, where they assisted with post-conviction advocacy on behalf of sex workers, victims of trafficking, and victims of domestic violence. Faris received their J.D. from NYU School of Law in 2022.