Ilhan Omar's Journey to Congress

Ilhan Omar's remarkable journey to becoming a U.S. Congresswoman is deeply rooted in her childhood experiences, beginning in Somalia. Born to a Somali father and a Yemeni mother, her early life was filled with cultural diversity but was uprooted by civil war at the age of eight. This traumatic experience forced her family into a refugee camp in Kenya, where they faced immense hardships, including lack of basic necessities and educational opportunities. After four years, Omar and her family were resettled in the United States, where she had to navigate cultural barriers and learn English, ultimately shaping her perspectives on safety, community, and the impacts of policy on people's lives.