Ilhan Omar, a Somali American, Seeks Seat in Congress

Ilhan Omar is a Somali-American politician who escaped from Somalia as a child, grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp and later immigrated to Minnesota. Suggested Reading Three Friends Were Headed To A Beyoncรฉ Concert, But One Dies On the Way. Guess What The Other Two Did Next? Our Fave Moments From A$AP Rocky’s Fashion…

Ilhan Omar is a Somali-American politician who escaped from Somalia as a child, grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp and later immigrated to Minnesota.

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Years after immigrating, she became the nationโ€™s first and only Somali-American lawmaker when she won a seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Now she is ready to become the first Somali-American member of Congress.

https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1004094881751592961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Aside from the hate she receives, she has also gained a lot of support, especially from other minorities, because of her commitment to public service and to hopefully serve as a voice to fight against President Donald Trumpโ€™s travel ban.

โ€œMy success is not only for me but for every Somali, Muslim and minority group, particularly the young girls in the Dadaab refugee camp, where I lived before coming to the U.S.,โ€ Omarย told the Daily Nation.

The withdrawal of Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress, from seeking a re-election bid was what prompted Omar to run. She is confident in winning, and on Aug. 14, an election will take place to choose the Democratic Partyโ€™s nominee for the seat.

โ€œI have proven myself to be someone who shows up, takes on the hard fight and delivers, and I am ready to do that for the people of the 5th Congressional District,โ€ Omar said.

Whether or not Omar wins, she is continuing to break barriers and remain a role model for women and people of color.

Straight From The Root

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