By Mohamed Elmi 

I recently attended the kickoff event for Senator Omar Fatah’s mayoral campaign in Minneapolis. Here are my reflections on a journey of leadership, resilience, and community-driven progress.

In December 2018, while living in Arizona, I received a pivotal text message from Omar as a friend. It would mark the beginning of a transformative journey. I flew to Minneapolis for Omar’s first kickoff event when he ran as a MN House Representative, but unfortunately, victory was not ours in that election season.

However, in August 2022, Omar successfully defeated Jeff Hayden in the Senate race. I had a strong intuition that Hayden’s popularity had waned, and I believed that real grassroots organizing could change the landscape.

Omar’s campaign efforts were grounded in community organizing, driven by the belief that positive change was possible if we united around a common vision. We came together to articulate a clear message: Omar could win if given a fair chance. We held numerous meetings in various venues, including the old Sanaag restaurant; we leveraged social media, and employed other campaign strategies to reach as many people as possible.

Once elected to the Senate, Omar focused on tangible accomplishments that directly impact our communities. Collaboration has been central to his work, especially in his efforts to maintain strong partnerships with the Governor, part of the 2023 DFL trifecta. This stands in stark contrast to other political leaders, such as Mayor Jacob Frey, who struggled to work cohesively with his City Council. The Council’s override of his veto on workers’ rights for Uber and Lyft drivers is one example that Jacob does not care about the needs of underserved communities. 

With a DFL majority in the Senate, Omar emphasized that Democrats must work together for shared interests and community priorities, without letting outside special interests dictate our community agenda. This principle guided his actions in legislative initiatives aimed at improving the lives of all Minnesotans.

The linchpin to DFL majority in the Legislature was based on the seat held by Sen. Omar and his District. Thus, Omar saw collaboration with colleagues across the aisle essential to passing critical bills. After the Governor vetoed a crucial piece of legislation, a task force was created to resolve the differences. However, Omar took a strong stance and chose not to attend one single task force meeting. Ultimately, he shut down the Senate until the bill for workers’ rights for decent wages and benefits was passed because the Democrats had one seat majority in the Legislature. This decisive action demonstrated Omar’s unwavering commitment to community priorities.

Some of his key accomplishments include:

• Establishing the North Star Scholarship, which provides free public college tuition for families earning $80,000 or less.
• ⁠Advocating for higher wages for ride-share drivers, including those working for Uber and Lyft.
• ⁠Advancing the Minneapolis 2040 Plan to ensure affordable housing for all, access to livable wages, modern transportation system, and policies that support business and investment opportunities.
• ⁠Passing legislation to provide 100,000 fentanyl testing strips, significantly reducing opioid drug overdoses and saving lives.

Together, Omar has shown that leadership rooted in integrity, collaboration, and an unyielding focus on the needs of the people can achieve meaningful change. He remains committed to working alongside his constituents to build a future that reflects the values, hopes, and dreams of our community.

Mohamed Elmi 
Email: ahafinance@gmail.com

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References:

1. Spencer, Cari. (2024, December 2). Sen. Omar Fateh announces candidacy for Minneapolis mayor. MPR News.
2. Siyad Said Salah. Somali TV Minnesota