Biography
Ilhan Omar was born on October 4, 1982, in Mogadishu, Somalia. She and her family fled the Somali Civil War in 1991, spending four years in a refugee camp in Kenya before immigrating to the United States in 1995. They initially settled in Arlington, Virginia, and later moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1997. Omar became a U.S. citizen in 2000 at the age of 17. She began her political career as a community educator and policy aide before being elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016. In 2018, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, which includes Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs. Upon her inauguration in January 2019, Omar became the first African refugee, the first Somali American, and one of the first two Muslim American women to serve in Congress.
Education and Political Experience
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Education:
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from North Dakota State University.
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Political Experience:
- Served as a community educator at the University of Minnesota.
- Policy Fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
- Senior Policy Aide for the Minneapolis City Council.
- Elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016, representing District 60B.
- Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, representing Minnesota's 5th Congressional District.
Notable Achievements and Positions
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Congressional Roles:
- Vice-Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee.
- Member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, serving on the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections and the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions .
- Deputy Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
- Vice Chair of the Medicare for All Caucus.
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Legislative Focus:
- Advocates for investing in education and eliminating student debt.
- Supports ensuring a fair wage for workers.
- Promotes creating a just immigration system.
- Committed to tackling climate change.
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Historical Significance:
- First African refugee and first Somali American elected to the U.S. Congress.
- One of the first two Muslim American women elected to Congress.
- First woman of color to represent Minnesota in Congress.
Omar's election marked a significant milestone in American politics, reflecting the increasing diversity and representation in the U.S. government.
