Welcome Appleseed intern and UAB Senior Anahita Maleknia

By Anahita Maleknia

I’m thrilled to join Alabama Appleseed as an intern during my final semester at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where I study Political Science with a minor in Criminal Justice.

Born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, I am the daughter of Iranian immigrants who came to the United States before the revolution. They instilled in me the values of hard work, resilience, and discipline—principles that continue to guide every step of my journey. Interning with Appleseed has been a dream of mine since my freshman year, and thanks to the guidance of my professor, Dr. Stacy Moak, I finally crossed paths with Appleseed Executive Director Carla Crowder and the incredible Appleseed team.

My passion for criminal justice reform began in high school while interning at the National Children’s Advocacy Center, and since then I’ve sought every opportunity to serve the communities I’m part of. This semester, I’ll be supporting Appleseed’s social media outreach because I’ve seen firsthand how powerful these platforms can be in amplifying important work and mobilizing communities when used thoughtfully. In college, a course called Law and Society sparked my interest in the root causes of mass incarceration and led me to focus on the school-to-prison pipeline. I became especially passionate about improving third-grade reading levels, knowing how strongly they predict a child’s future success. I’ve even presented policy pitches to secure funding for Birmingham City Schools’ Page Pals program, advocating for literacy as a key to long-term opportunity.

I also had the chance to work on Capitol Hill, where I saw how deeply policy decisions shape people’s everyday lives. That experience reinforced my belief that systemic change is possible when we pair persistence with policy—and that is exactly what Alabama Appleseed does. I’m inspired by how this organization works at the intersection of law, policy, and community, and I’m honored to contribute to its mission. After graduation, I hope to pursue a master’s degree abroad and then attend law school.

My goal is to be part of the broader movement to build a more just and equitable system, and I’m deeply grateful to the Appleseed team for welcoming me with open arms. I’m excited to grow alongside each of you!