Muslim Somali-American Woman Scores Historic Win in Democratic Primary

After Khizr Khan and Ibtihaj Muhammad, Ilhan Omar seems to be another response to the anti-Muslim rhetoric of the racist politicians. As of late Tuesday night, Ilhan Omar has won the Democratic vote for Minnesota state legislature. If she wins the election in November, she'll become the first Somali-American Muslim woman lawmaker in the United States.

Ilhan Omar is an experienced policy analyst, community educator and advocate. She currently serves as the Director of Policy Initiatives at Women Organizing Women, where she empowers East African women to take civic leadership roles in their community. Born in Somalia, Ilhan and her family fled the country's civil war when she was eight. The family spent four years in a refugee camp in Kenya before coming to the United States, eventually settling in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis in 1997.

Ilhan's interest in politics began at the age of 14 when she was as an interpreter for her grandfather at local DFL caucuses. Watching neighbors come together to advocate for change at the grassroots level made Ilhan fall in love with the democratic process. 

Ilhan’s steadfast belief in the American dream of democracy has driven her to make our district, city, and community a better place for everyone. After advocating as a student organizer at Edison High School, Ilhan worked as a community health educator at the University of Minnesota,  Best Buy, at Minnesota Department of Education and was most recently a senior Policy Aide for Minneapolis City Council Member Andrew Johnson. At City Hall, Ilhan witnessed the power of bringing new voices to the table to reflect community values. Through her work as a policy analyst and community advocate, Ilhan has advanced important issues, including support for working families, educational access, environmental protection, and racial equity.

Ilhan holds degrees in Business Administration, Political Science and International Studies. She completed a Policy Fellowship at University Of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She has also served on numerous nonprofit boards, including the Legal Rights Center, YMCA,  Confederation of Somali Community of MN, and the DFL State Central Committee. She is currently the Vice president of the DFL Feminist Caucus. Ilhan has received multiple accolades and awards, including the Rising Star Award from DFL Women's Hall of Fame and a Community Leadership Award from the Mshale Newspaper for outstanding leadership.