Aftyn Behn
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
from the 51st district
Assumed office
October 4, 2023
Preceded byAnthony Davis
Personal details
Born (1989-11-24) November 24, 1989
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Texas at Austin

Aftyn Alyssa Behn (born November 24, 1989) is an American community organizer and licensed social worker currently serving as a member of the Tennessee General Assembly. She is a Democrat and the representative for District 51 in the Tennessee House of Representatives. She is currently the youngest serving woman and the only woman representing Nashville in the Tennessee House of Representatives.

Early life and education

Behn was born on November 24, 1989, in Knoxville, Tennessee.[1] She graduated from the Webb School of Knoxville in 2008. Behn earned Liberal Arts Honors and Psychology Honors degrees from University of Texas at Austin graduating in 2012.[2][3] Behn then earned a Masters of Science in Social Work specializing in Administration and Policy Practice from Steve Hicks School of Social Work and a disability portfolio certificate from the Texas Center for Disability Studies.

Career

Community Organizing

In 2017, Behn began working for the Tennessee Justice Center as their healthcare community organizer.[4] In 2018, Behn was hired by national political organization Indivisible as the Tennessee and Kentucky statewide organizer and was eventually promoted to Distributing Organizing Manager building out national organizing programs, including Indivisible's national rural program. She's currently the Campaign Director for RuralOrganizing.org, overseeing the organization's electoral strategy and execution and shaping the political and policy landscape impacting small towns and rural communities.

Political Activism

In 2018, Behn was the lead organizer for Enough is Enough TN, a grassroots campaign to hold former Tennessee Representative David Byrd accountable for alleged sexual assault of underage women.[5] Behn was removed from the Tennessee House of Representatives visitor's gallery in 2019 after interrupting a legislative session to protest the speakership of Glen Casada.[6] In 2023, Behn opposed the 2023 Tennessee House of Representatives expulsions and organized the rally outside the Tennessee Capitol on April 6.[7]

Tennessee House of Representatives

In 2023, after the death of five-term State Representative Bill Beck, Behn campaigned in a special election for the Tennessee House of Representatives 51st district. She was endorsed by Representative Gloria Johnson, Tennessee AFL-CIO,[8] SEIU Local 205 and TIRRC Votes.The Nashville Metro Council appointed former councilmember Anthony Davis to serve as interim representative until the special election in September.[9] Behn defeated Davis in the August 3 primary with 53.46% of the vote.[10] She won the general election on September 14 with 75.61% of the vote.[11]

On November 20, Behn announced her legislative plan to eliminate the Tennessee grocery tax by demanding corporations pay what they owe in state taxes.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Aftyn Behn". Nashville.gov. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Text me briefs: Apr. 15". Knoxville News Sentinel. Gannett. April 15, 2008. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Aftyn Behn". The Forge. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  4. ↑ "A Call to Arms on Health Care". Memphis Flyer. July 13, 2017.
  5. ↑ Haggard, Amanda (May 9, 2023). "Faces of Local Activism". Nashville Scene.
  6. ↑ Horan, Kyle (May 2, 2019). "Woman removed from house chamber for outburst at Speaker". WTVF. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  7. ↑ Owens, Mye (April 6, 2023). "Thousands expected to march at State Capitol in favor of the 'Tennessee Three' and gun reform". WKRN.
  8. ↑ Hansen, Alyssa (August 17, 2023). "TN AFL-CIO Endorses Aftyn Behn in Upcoming House District 51 Special Election".
  9. ↑ Rau, Nate (June 21, 2023). "Nashville council appoint Anthony Davis to state House". Axios. Cox Enterprises. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  10. ↑ Brown, Melissa (August 3, 2023). "Progressive organizer Aftyn Behn edges out interim Rep. Anthony Davis in House 51 primary". The Tennessean. Gannett. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  11. ↑ Posey, Sebastian (September 14, 2023). "Nashville, Tennessee Runoff Election Results: September 14, 2023". WKRN. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  12. ↑ Jones, Vivian (November 20, 2023). "Tennessee Democrats seek elimination of 4% grocery sales tax". The Tennessean.
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