Nikil Saval

Nikil Saval is a Pennsylvania state senator, writer, and organizer representing the First Senatorial District in Philadelphia. Saval became the first Asian American in the Pennsylvania Senate and the first South Asian in the Pennsylvania Legislature. Prior to his election, Saval served as co-editor-in-chief of the literary magazine n+1, where he led coverage of social justice and labor union issues. As a writer, Saval has contributed to The New York Times and The New Yorker, focusing on architecture, design, and housing. He is the author of the book "Cubed: A Secret History of the Workplace," which explores the evolution of office spaces from 19th-century counting houses to the modern cubicle.

Saval's background includes work as a labor organizer with UNITE HERE, where he organized boycotts against luxury hotel developers and advocated for the rights of housekeepers and school aides. He co-founded Reclaim Philadelphia, an organization dedicated to advancing racial, gender, and economic justice in the Philadelphia area, and was elected leader of South Philadelphia's Second Ward, becoming the first Asian American to hold the position of ward leader in the city.

In the Pennsylvania General Assembly, Saval serves as Democratic chair of the Senate Urban Affairs & Housing Committee and chair of the Senate's Philadelphia Delegation. His legislative focus includes housing policy, mass incarceration, wage issues, and climate change. Saval introduced the Whole-Home Repairs Program, which established county-based hubs for home repairs and weatherization, supported workforce development, and created skilled jobs. The program has provided assistance to thousands of households across Pennsylvania and has influenced federal housing policy through the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.

Saval has received recognition for his work from organizations such as Rebuilding Together, the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance, Liberty Resources, the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations, and Community Legal Services of Philadelphia. He has been included in Philadelphia Magazine's 100 Most Influential People and City & State PA's Philly Power 100 List. Saval's multidisciplinary approach addresses key issues in housing, labor rights, climate policy, and economic justice.