Candidate name: Rep. Ilhan Omar
State: Minnesota
Bio: Rep. Ilhan Omar was a young girl when her family fled their native Somalia amid civil war. They lived in a Kenyan refugee camp for several years before coming to the U.S. in 1997, eventually settling in Minnesota. As a high school student in Minneapolis, she became an organizer and coalition builder. Omar’s professional background includes working as a community educator at the University of Minnesota and serving as a senior policy aide for the Minneapolis City Council. Through her advocacy work, she’s helped advance issues that support working families, educational access, environmental protection and racial equity. In 2016 Omar was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, becoming the first Somali-American Muslim legislator in the country. Now the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party member has her sights set on Congress.
Higher Heights for America PAC noted in its endorsement, “Her work has set her apart as a candidate who will work to create change for her constituents.” If elected in November, Omar would become the first Somali-American member of Congress.
For more information:
