About me.

I first moved to North Minneapolis when I was 12. My mother brought me and my siblings to Minnesota in search of a better life. We found it. That’s not to say it was easy. My mother raised us on her own. We didn’t have much money, and programs like Section 8 and food stamps provided a much-needed lifeline. From an early age, my mother taught me the importance of civic engagement. She never let a single election day go by without reminding us that people died for our right to vote. I owe my passion for politics to my mother.

I paid my way through school by working a variety of jobs like food service and assembly line. I was the first member of my family to graduate from college. Twenty years ago, I decided that I wanted to pursue my passion for public service. I left the corporate world, and started working in community health. I’ve worked in North Minneapolis at NorthPoint Health & Wellness, Inc. for the last 15 years. I serve as the Director of Health Policy and Advocacy. In this role, I’ve brought together coalitions of hundreds of community members and young people to push for real public health policy change at the state and local level.

In 2017, I ran for Minneapolis Park Board. It has been an incredible honor to serve the people of Minneapolis in this role, and it was a very tough decision to leave my seat on the Park Board. That said, I am proud of my accomplishments on the Board. During my tenure as chair of the Intergovernmental and Legislative Committee, I worked with other elected officials and Northside community members to secure $5 million in funding for North Commons and an additional $3 million for the 26th Avenue North trail connection. I spearheaded the creation of the Walt Dziedzic Innovation Fund which fosters thoughtful, innovative recreation programs in Minneapolis Parks. The fund prioritizes programs serving the Somali community, girls and young women (aged 21 and younger), children or teens (aged 17 and under), and adults (aged 55 and older).

I decided to run for the City Council because I feel called to do more for our city and our ward. The people of Ward 4 are struggling with the impact of COVID-19, increased violence, and unemployment. I think I can help because I’ve struggled in many of the same ways.

Today, I live in Ward 4 with my husband Ronald and our (fur)baby Bobby. My mother, brother, and sister still live in North Minneapolis. My nieces and nephews also live close by. Being an Auntie is one of my favorite things in the world. I also enjoy gardening, seeing the city on my scooter, walking Bobby in the beautiful Minneapolis park system, and traveling with my husband.