Meet Omar

My name is Omar Fateh, and I currently serve as the Minnesota State Senator representing District 62, a seat I first won in 2020 and again in 2022. My terms in the Minnesota Legislature and my current mayoral campaign are the culmination of a life dedicated to improving the lives of my neighbors and fellow Minnesotans, informed by progressive values and strong community bonds.

I was born to immigrant parents from Somalia who instilled in me the values of a strong education, personal sacrifice, and community leadership. My early dedication to public service led me to pursue a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, where I engaged with at-risk youth, especially students of color, to connect them with greater educational opportunities.

My early service to Minneapolis included my role as a Community Specialist, where I worked to improve the City’s outreach to East African communities. I then became a project coordinator for the MN Department of Transportation, functioning as a liaison between the state and outside researchers investigating the impact of MNDOT projects on communities and the environment. I also served in the MN Department of Revenue. Throughout my career in public service I have also been employed at the University of Minnesota as a business analyst.

In 2020, I won state-level office and became the first Somali American and the first Muslim to serve in the Minnesota Senate. I authored 54 bills during the 2021-2022 legislative session, including a bill to exempt fentanyl test strips from classification as drug paraphernalia, which passed and has resulted in increased overdose prevention.

After winning reelection in 2022, I was appointed chair of the Higher Education Committee, and vice-chair of the Human Services Committee. My most notable achievements during this term have been a higher-education bill proposing free public college for students from households that make less than $80,000/year, and serving as chief author of a bill to secure a minimum wage and worker protections for Uber and Lyft drivers.

My career in public service is defined by my belief that community members are experts on their own needs, and leaders must listen to them when developing policy. I have deep ties in our community and have worked on issues such as environmental and racial justice through restorative urban planning, including reparations to Black neighborhoods destroyed by highways. I will continue fighting for these initiatives as Mayor to ensure that Minneapolis becomes an equitable and welcoming city for all of its residents.