The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
‘THIS IS A DREAM COME TRUE’
Danbury native, Bethel High graduate joins Biden’s White House
DANBURY — Abdullah Hasan is working for the White House because of his grandmother and the teachers and mentors in Bethel and Danbury who guided him.
The 26-year-old, whose parents emigrated from India before he was born, has again taken a communications job in the White House budget office. He previously worked for former President Barack Obama’s administration.
“I’m thankful to the teachers, mentors in Bethel and Danbury who had faith in me, who trusted me, who saw something in this kid who learned English as a second language, and took time to invest in me and made me the writer and the speaker I am,” said Hasan, who was born in Danbury and graduated from Bethel High School.
Working remotely from Danbury due to the coronavirus pandemic, Hasan said he is “honored” to serve the public again.
But the job is different this time, he said. He’s not only away from the White House, but the country is facing what Biden has called “converging crises” of climate change, racial inequity, and the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout.
Hasan said he is focused on restoring truth and transparency in government.
“Every day is about how can I be more transparent?” he said. “How can I communicate the work we’re doing in the administration?”
He is the deputy associate director for communications for the White House Office of Management and Budget, an office that has been called the “nerve center” of government, he said.
His routine includes attending virtual meetings, working with reporters and figuring out how to make the “inner workings” of government more accessible to the public, he said.
“The excitement of working in communications is sometimes you just don’t know what the day is going to bring,” Hasan said. “That’s the thrill of the work.”
Hasan, who is Muslim, said when he returns inperson to the White House, he will be aware that the people in the prior administration believed “people like me don’t belong in this country.”
But his words and actions will serve as a reminder that that’s not true, he said.
“America’s promise and ideals are for all Americans,” Hasan said. “That’s what I’ll be doing. That’s the direction the president has given us, is that we’re working for all Americans, not just the ones who voted for him.”
Local roots
Hasan was born in Danbury, attending Hayestown Elementary School until second grade, when his family moved to Bethel. He attended Bethel schools and graduated from Bethel High in 2012.
In high school, he was the junior and senior class president, as well as head of the World Language Honors Society and part of the National Honors Society.
He also worked at Caraluzzi’s Bethel Food Market and volunteered at Bethel Library.
“Abdullah was always a standout student,” said Mary Fernand, his former high school English teacher who is now assistant principal at Bethel Middle School. “He was very eager to learn. He loved to debate.”
She said she’s not surprised he went into politics.
“He just kind of soaked in everything and was always very self-aware and aware of his community, aware of the world at large,” Fernand said. “He was always very politically aware, very much (interested in) current events, history.”
Hasan studied political science at UConn and thought he wanted to go to law school, but an internship in the White House budget office changed that, he said.
Shannon Buckingham, his boss, noted his maturity and creative ways he tried to communicate to the public.
“It was clear to me very quickly that Abdullah had a bright future ahead of him,” she said. “It was immediately clear that he was talented and committed, and just had a tireless work ethic that made him incredibly reliable as a member of the team.”
Hasan and Buckingham soon learned that they both grew up in Bethel. Buckingham, who graduated from Bethel High School in 1996, credits the as igniting her interest in politics.
Her dad was active in local politics and would bring her to Democratic headquarters to count returns on election night. She recalled wearing a green T-shirt for former First Selectman Cliff Hurgin.
“It just fueled a love of politics at an early age,” Buckingham said.
‘Dream come true’
After the internship, Hasan was offered a job as a press assistant in the budget office.
His grandmother, who lived in India, encouraged him to take it and graduate early, rather than returning to UConn for another year to complete a second major.
“It (the White House job)was a big deal for her as someone who didn’t get the same privileges in India,” Hasan said.
He graduated summa cum laude from UConn in 2015, took the job and was later promoted to assistant press secretary.
He met Obama and Biden, and described Obama as humble and well-spoken.
“President Obama reminded me a lot of my grandma: Full of hope, optimism, and, importantly, humility,” Hasan said. “Like her, he would draw you in, eager to absorb his life lessons and wisdom.”
Hasan described working for the Obama administration as an honor and a privilege.
“There are very few places where you get to work where you have real impact on people’s lives, such a huge impact on people’s lives,” he said.
After Obama’s term ended, Hasan worked for a public relations firm in San Francisco, where he advised startups and tech companies on communications and press strategy. For the last three years, he led communications for ACLU National’s speech, privacy, technology and national security work.
His grandmother died recently, and he is disappointed she never got to see him return to the White House.
“I know she’s looking from above and very happy about this,” he said.
Hasan said he hopes to inspire students in Danbury and Bethel to pursue their dreams.
“I worked hard, and if you work hard you can achieve your dreams,” Hasan said. “This is a dream come true for me.”