March 10th, 2021

Rep. Ilhan Omar represents Minnesota's 5th Congressional District in the U.S House of Representatives. Not only is she the first Somali American and naturalized african refugee to hold this position but, the first woman of color to represent Minnesota in Congress.

Born in Somalia, Rep. Omar 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 in 1990s. In 1997, she moved to Minneapolis with her family. As a teenager, Rep. Omar’s grandfather inspired her to get involved in politics. Before running for office, she worked as a community educator at the University of Minnesota, was a Policy Fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and served as a Senior Policy Aide for the Minneapolis City Council.

Rep. Omar is committed to helping immigrants get access to their rights, ensuring protections for workers in any industry/bracket and pushing for affordable education for all.