Nadia Mohamed: Representing a New Dynamic
It all started when Nadia Mohamed said yes.
A friend requested her help organizing a community Iftar dinner, open to anyone and everyone who called St. Louis Park home. It was a new experience for Nadia, who seldom ventured outside her own SLP neighborhood and its well-worn streets.
Not that she didn’t want to. But it was a matter of months since the 2016 presidential election, and concern about potential harassment or even hate crimes was real. As much as she loved her city, Nadia knew that many St. Louis Park residents are white, middle-aged, non-Muslim. It was hard to hold back the fear.
“Back then, I wasn’t saying yes to many things,” she remembers.
Still, Nadia yearned for a connection to her community.
The need for togetherness and connectedness runs in her blood. So she committed herself to accepting the next opportunity that came knocking at her door.
And when her help was needed at the Iftar, she said yes.
As a visibly Muslim woman of color, Nadia was accustomed to entering an unfamiliar space with her defenses armed and at the ready. But during dinner, over rice and sambusas, she and her tablemates talked about what community meant. One said, “I noticed that there are more Muslims moving to St. Louis Park, and I really want them to feel part of our community.”
With that single sentence, Nadia’s defenses fell away.
“That night, the fear shattered,” remembers Nadia. “Because there was no more excuse of ‘They don’t want to know’ or ‘They don’t care.’ It was no longer ‘they’ — it’s ‘we.’”
That night opened up an entire world of yes’s. And since that night, Nadia never stopped believing in “we.”
On October 19th, we were joined by our Shero Nadia Mohamed, candidate for St. Louis Park City Council. Listen to Nadia talk about her civic engagement journey and her commitment to making sure that her community is represented and reflected in its local government.
a city’s changing dynamics
After that Ramadan, Nadia began chasing after opportunities to connect. She joined the St. Louis Park Multicultural Advisory Committee, which acts as a bridge between the city’s police department and the community, with particular focus on underserved residents. The first action that she took as a committee member was guiding the city in recognizing and mourning the bombing in Mogadishu alongside Somali-American St. Louis Park residents.
Nadia also collaborated with Sagal Abdirahman to teach two classes through the St. Louis Park Community Education program, called World Hijab Class and First Generation Somali Experience. And she started volunteering with St. Louis Park High School’s High Achievement Program.
Meanwhile, the annual community Iftar continued to grow. By the time that Nadia hosted the third iteration, city officials were attending and taking time to connect with their Muslim constituents. The entire community, regardless of religious practice, was intermingling.
For her commitment to interfaith and multicultural work, Nadia was awarded the 2018 St. Louis Park Human Rights Award. This award recognizes individuals, groups, organizations, or businesses that have made an outstanding contribution toward increasing understanding and cooperation between community members of different backgrounds.
Soon enough, her efforts were recognized by Thom Miller, At Large B City Council Member.
“We know that the city’s dynamics are changing,” Councilman Miller said to her. His term was coming to a close, and — acknowledging his own perspective and privilege as a white man — he wanted a new council member representing those changing dynamics to take his seat. Nadia agreed to survey her network, searching for someone who was ready to run.
Two weeks later, she returned to Councilman Miller with a single prospect. “Listen, I couldn’t find anybody but me,” she told him.
He laughed and said that he had her in mind from the very beginning. In July, she declared her candidacy.
difference, perspective, and power
One of Nadia’s first learnings as a city council candidate was “drink, drive, flush.” It’s a favorite saying of local officials to serve as shorthand for their fundamental responsibilities: drinkable water, safe roads, and a usable sewage system. “And then we build on that,” says Nadia.
When it comes to building on the bounties that St. Louis Park offers, Nadia has ideas, ideas, and more ideas. For her campaign, she’s organized them into three priorities — affordable housing, youth engagement, and diversity and racial equity.
Nadia’s platform has received an outpouring of support from her city. A short drive through St. Louis Park will show you the yard signs, and a quick online search will show you the letters to the editor. Still, there are some residents whose priorities fall along different lines.
“I’ll be talking about affording housing or climate action, and someone will ask me what I’m going to do about our sidewalks,” says Nadia.
Different perspectives, different priorities. These questions certainly demonstrate the race and class disparities that exist in St. Louis Park. “The people who are usually calling about the sidewalks are wealthier,” explains Nadia.
But she always makes time. “Let’s talk about the sidewalks,” she’ll say. She listens, and she understands. She’s grateful for each and every perspective — “it makes me aware that there’s a lot more to city decisions than we realize.”
It works the other way, too. “If there’s a person who’s concerned about what their kid is going to do after school or who’s worried about how they’ll pay for their rent, I’m not going to stand in front of them and talk about how I fixed their sidewalk or added a bike lane in their neighborhood,” says Nadia.
When it comes to representing these constituents, it’s Nadia’s differences that brings her power and perspective.
All current city council members are homeowners, established in their professions, and well into middle age. Nadia, on the other hand — she’s still in college. She lives in affordable housing. She benefited from social assistance programs when her family arrived in St. Louis Park as immigrants.
“It’s not just the color of my skin that’s different,” she says. It’s the multifaceted collection of diverse, distinct lived experiences that sets her apart when she’s civically engaged.
And when someone with those same lived experiences calls the city council and asks about sidewalks — “that’s the day that I know we succeeded,” says Nadia.
saying yes
Running for office isn’t red carpet glamor, Nadia wants her sisters to know.
“It’s not just being in front of the camera every day,” she says. “It’s sending out emails, attending house parties, communicating with your campaign team, making connections wherever you can, and going to lots and lots of meetings.”
But she’s so excited for the day that she’s joined by other Muslim women on the campaign trail.
“Just know that when you’re ready to run, people will line up and ask how they can help you,” she says with a welcoming smile.
Nadia will be first in line. She’ll say yes. And with her warmhearted embrace and her undying work ethic, you’ll be glad to have her on your side.