Waiting in the lobby of the Minneapolis City Hall, I watched as active constituents walked by to meet with their council members––quite a busy afternoon for a Thursday. I wasn’t there to meet with my council member, but instead, to meet with a young woman named Ilhan Omar, the DFL Vice Chair in District 60, and senior policy aide to Minneapolis City Council Member Andrew Johnson (Ward 12).

Originally hesitant to meet for an interview after having been involved in a dispute at the local DFL caucus a few weeks prior, she kindly agreed to meet with me to discuss her life and love of politics. And when Omar crossed the lobby bearing a huge smile and traditional hijab saying, “Hello! You must be Parker––I am so excited to meet you in person,” I knew that I had found an invaluable asset for learning about the Somali Political Movement.

After joking about whether we were Political Science majors or undercover reporters from the Star Tribune, I explained, much to her surprise, that my videographer and I were actually here for our school newspaper and that we wanted to ask her about her role in politics, and how the Somali community was organizing to make their political mark.

Background

When Civil War broke out in Somalia in the early 90s, much of the world watched in horror as one of the biggest humanitarian crisis unfolded before their eyes. With millions displaced, a lack of basic necessities, and diseases spreading rapidly, many wondered how something this devastating could happen so quickly.

In the aftermath, 400,000 people were displaced within their own country, and 300,000 more were displaced in neighboring countries and around the world. One such place that they sought refuge was in the United States––specifically Minnesota.

Many wonder why Minneapolis, Minnesota, one of the coldest places in the continental United States, would become home to over 30,000 individuals from Africa, but the answer is simple, Minnesota lives up to our “Minnesota Nice” standard. Churches and other social welfare services have played a significant role in allowing a war-stricken people to find safe refuge, by assisting in the complicated and red-tape filled process of resettlement.

Groups like Lutheran Social Services, Catholic Charities, and World Relief Minnesota are extremely active in their aid to refugees from around the world and helped to create a new place to call home. “The reason we came to Minnesota is not because of the weather,” Haji-Husein said, “but instead because the resources in the state make it possible”.