HISTORIC ELECTION

Somali community won big on Nov. 5

The recent election in Minneapolis was a historical event for the Somali community in Minnesota. Abdi Warsame, a rising star in the community, will be the first Somali member of the City Council. He defeated Robert Lilligren, who was a progressive partner with the Somali community during his 11 years on the council. We hope Abdi will continue this legacy.

Also in the Nov. 5 election, Mohamud Noor was elected to the Minneapolis school board. He'll take the seat vacated by Hussein Samatar, who died earlier this year. This election revealed that the Somali community has finally come to understand the power of the ballot box. It is hoped that the Somalis will continue to exercise their voting rights.

It is a dreamlike experience to realize how the power to cast a vote can lead to change. It has been ingrained in our understanding that to topple a dictator, or for that matter any level of government representative, one has to resort to violence and insurgency. But this was not the case in Minneapolis, as the results of the recent election have shown.

People woke up in the morning, marched to designated areas of voting, then quietly cast their vote and went about their business without a single shot being fired. Now that the election is over, it's time to address public safety, economic development and living standards with fresh, diverse City Council members and a vibrant and dynamic new mayor, Betsy Hodges.

OMAR JAMAL

The writer is a Somali community activist in Minneapolis.