Somali-American activist Ahlam Osman is making headlines as she enters Portland’s city council race with the hope of becoming the first Somali-American to hold a council seat in the city’s history. The 34-year-old social justice advocate and community organizer has built a strong following in Portland through years of grassroots work addressing affordable housing, racial equity, and immigrant rights. Her candidacy comes at a pivotal moment as the city confronts multiple challenges ranging from an affordable housing crisis to increasing demands for police reform.
Osman was born in Somalia and fled the war-torn country with her family when she was only six years old. They initially resettled in a Kenyan refugee camp before eventually moving to the U.S. Her family’s journey, filled with hardship and resilience, has deeply influenced her advocacy and political career.
“The fight for a voice is personal for me and for countless other immigrant and refugee families who find themselves carving out new lives in unfamiliar territories,” Osman said during her campaign announcement. “Portland is home. My goal is to ensure every member of our community feels included, protected, and has equal access to opportunities – regardless of their background.”
Osman’s platform strongly emphasizes affordable housing, a crisis that has plagued Portland in recent years. Skyrocketing rents, paired with a lack of sufficient affordable housing, have left many of the city’s lower-income and marginalized communities scrambling to stay afloat. Support for housing, Osman argues, must be met with better financial aid, supportive policies for renters, and substantial efforts to create stable, livable environments for all residents.
Osman has also been a vocal proponent of criminal justice reform. Her platform advocates for rethinking public safety, including investing in community alternatives to policing, and pushing for stronger oversight and transparency in law enforcement.
“We cannot continue to invest in a system that penalizes marginalized people disproportionately,” Osman told supporters. “Making our communities safe cannot come at the expense of Black and brown bodies. We need humane, forward-thinking solutions that protect, not oppress.”
Her venture into politics isn’t without precedent. Across the U.S., increasing numbers of Somali-American women have made their voices heard in public office, most notably Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar. Like Omar, Osman has faced widespread support but also considerable challenges, including Islamophobic and anti-immigrant rhetoric from online critics and political opponents.
Yet, many in Portland’s Somali and wider Muslim communities have rallied behind Osman’s candidacy, seeing her as not only a representative of their interests but also as a symbol of perseverance and progress.
“This election isn’t just about me or about the seat I’m running for,” Osman explained. “This is about every young immigrant kid in Portland who dares to think they, too, belong at every table.”
Her diverse coalition of supporters includes not only Somali-Americans and other immigrants but also progressive grassroots organizations, labor unions, and local social justice groups. Many attribute Osman’s rapid rise in Portland’s political scene to her ability to speak to the broader discontent in the city and articulate bold plans for systemic change.
If elected, Ahlam Osman will make history as Portland’s first Somali-American city councilor and one of a growing number of first-generation immigrants shaping the future of local U.S. politics. With the election fast approaching, all eyes in Portland—and beyond—are on Osman as she seeks to write a new chapter in both the city’s and her community’s history.
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