Written by Phoenix Mintus
In 2018, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar made history as the first Muslim women to be elected to Congress. This was an important first step in United States history to more Muslim representation in politics. Since then, both women have made tremendous progress in promoting bills that advocate for better education systems, healthcare for all, and immigration reform.
Rashida Tlaib
Photo: tlaib.house.gov
Before Rashida Tlaib served in the House of Representatives, representing Michigan’s 13th district, she lived in Michigan and proudly stood up for her community. She was born and raised in Detroit by her Palestinian parents, and she was the first person in her family to attend college. She went on to law school and attended while simultaneously working for different nonprofits and social justice organizations. Before she was in office, Tlaib worked as an attorney at the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice, fighting racism and abusive state agencies in Michigan.
In 2008, Rashida Tlaib was the first Muslim woman elected to the Michigan House of Representatives. During her six years in office, she made important efforts to secure funding for free healthcare clinics and before and after school childcare. She also ensured there was funding for the Meals on Wheels programs for seniors.
Though Rashida Tlaib is well-known for her successes in sessions of Congress, she has also done campaign work in her own home district. She organized the We Have A Right to Breathe campaign when she realized that semi-trucks were causing pollution in her hometown. Before the campaign, the town had a problem with semi-trucks polluting the neighborhood, causing piles of black dust to fall in the rivers and homes, making it unsafe for Detroit residents. After the Michigan Department of Environmental Equality refused to take action, Rashida Tlaib collected samples of the black dust and got it tested. It turned out that the substance was petroleum coke, which is a chemical that causes cancer. After this discovery, environmental efforts were put in place to stop pollution, and Tlaib’s campaign work helped save the neighborhood.
Rashida Tlaib’s efforts in helping families out of poverty and providing environmental justice for residents living in manufacturing-heavy areas have improved many lives. She continues to make history and uplift people’s lives throughout her time in office through her hard work and successes.
Ilhan Omar
Photo: theguardian.com
Ilhan Omar was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1982, and fled the country in 1991 due to the Somali Civil War that was occurring at the time. Her family took sanctuary in a Kenyan refugee camp for four years. At age twelve, Ilhan Omar and her family moved to the United States, and she became a United States citizen in 2000. She grew a love for politics while she was an interpreter for her grandfather at the Democratic Party Caucuses. In 2011, Omar graduated from North Dakota State University with degrees in International Studies and Political Science.
In 2012, Ilhan Omar made impressive efforts by organizing the Vote No Twice campaign. This initiative was targeted towards defeating a voter suppression initiative and another bill that attempted to ban gay marriage throughout Minnesota. Thanks to her efforts, the campaign was successful, and voters do not need to present a photo ID to vote in Minnesota and gay marriage remains legal throughout the state.
In 2016, Ilhan Omar’s time in office began when she was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives. During her time in office, she made important efforts and increased voter turnout in Minneapolis and throughout the state of Minnesota. In 2018, she was elected to the United States House of Representatives, and she made many firsts. She was the first Somali-American, first naturalized citizen from Africa, the first non-white woman elected from Minnesota, and one of the first Muslim women to serve in Congress. In her first year in office, she made many accomplishments, including cofounding the Black Maternal Health Caucus and the Emergency Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health. She was elected Vice President of the Medicare for All Caucus and led many discussions on the importance of the United States becoming a leader in peace and diplomacy in foreign policy. Throughout her time as a Congresswoman, Omar has stressed the importance of funding education for both K-12 and higher education programs, and creating a just immigration system by creating an attainable citizenship program for undocumented immigrants living in the United States.
Ilhan Omar’s work towards promoting voter rights and immigration reform have led to great successes for people in the United States. She continues to promote justice and equality throughout her time as a United States congresswoman. We can’t wait to see what she does next!
References:
About. (2021, March 01). Retrieved from https://tlaib.house.gov/about
Arts, U. (2012, October 22). Vote No Twice. Retrieved from https://www.upstreamarts.org/2012/10/22/vote-no-twice/
Classicalycourt. (2018, November 07). Meet Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, the first Muslim women elected to Congress. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/07/rashida-tlaib-ilhan-omar-are-the-1st-muslim-women-elected-to-congress.html
Meet Ilhan. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://ilhanomar.com/about/
Meet Rashida. (2021, January 07). Retrieved from https://rashidaforcongress.com/meet-rashida/
Phoenix Mintus is an incoming sophomore student at Denison University. He is majoring in Communications and Public Affairs. He is passionate about LGBTQ+ rights and women’s rights. He enjoys reading, writing, and learning new things everyday. On campus, he plans to volunteer and join the student newspaper.