REPORT: Multiple Somalian refugees win political office in US elections
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With just a week to go before the election, Safiya Khalid was in tears. She had spent the past six months knocking on hundreds of doors in Lewiston, Maine, the city where she arrived as a refugee more than a decade earlier, and where she hoped to be the first Somali immigrant to win a seat on the city council. Suddenly, online trolls from as far away as Alabama and Mississippi were hurling vile abuse at her, telling her that Muslims had no place in American government and she should go back to where she came from.
“I just couldn’t take it,” Khalid told The Washington Post on Tuesday night. “I was crying so bad. My eyes were completely red.”
The article goes on to state the following:
Khalid, a Democrat, was unsettled by the fact that someone had posted her address on social media. But she was also worried the hate-fueled attacks would become a distraction. So she deleted her Facebook account, asked friends to look out for worrisome comments and went back to pounding the streets with her leaflets and her clipboard.
Khalid, 23, won her race by a “significant margin” Tuesday night, and may be the youngest person to ever serve on the Lewiston City Council, as well as the first Somali immigrant, the Washington Post report states.
Another 23-year-old Somalian woman, Nadia Mohamed also won a seat on the St. Louis Park City Council in Minnesota.
Additionallly, another Somalian refugee, Abdulsalam Adam, won a seat on a school board in Minnesota, according to a Twitter post by Bernie Sanders Iowa political coordinator Abshir Omar.
Last night America sent a strong message to @realDonaldTrump by electing three Somali Muslim Refugees to public office. Refugees are welcome here. Well done folks 👏🏽
Safiya Khalid – City Council, ME
Nadia Mohamed- City Council, MN
Abdulsalam Adam – School Board, MN— Abshir Omar (@AbshirDSM) November 6, 2019
BREAKING: HUGE night for Somali women: Safiya Khalid wins a seat on the Lewiston City Council in Maine.
Nadia Mohamed also won a seat on the St. Louis Park City Council in Minnesota.
They are both 23 and will become youngest members to hold seats on their respective council. pic.twitter.com/6imSumGGhn
— Mukhtar M. Ibrahim (@mukhtaryare) November 6, 2019
HISTORIC: #Somali refugees elected to City Councils in Lewiston, ME and in St Louise Park City, MN for the FIRST time:
• Safiya Khalid, ME
• Nadia Mohamed, MNBoth are 23 years old
Both faced massive racist trolls
Both won overwhelmingly!#ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/EzKIiIIpU0— Dr Omar Jibriil Abdi Mohamed Ahmed (@dr_jibriil) November 6, 2019
Fellow Somalian refugee Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) tweeted in response to the report, “You might smear us. You might hurl racist attacks at us. But we will always rise up to serve our communities. Congratulations, Safiya!”
You might smear us. You might hurl racist attacks at us. But we will always rise up to serve our communities.
Congratulations, Safiya! 💪🏽 https://t.co/Q7IrAEdWee
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 6, 2019
Racist trolls targeted a Somali refugee’s campaign. She still managed to pull off a historic victory. https://t.co/vfZTJDkEGo
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 6, 2019
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