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Two American Muslim women, both Democratic candidates, are heading to Michigan and Missouri's state legislatures next year: one after winning big in last week's election and the other continuing on after running as the unchallenged incumbent.
Rashida Tlaib, Michigan's new representative of the state's 12th District, is the daughter of Palestinian-Muslim immigrants. Born and raised outside of Detroit, a city with one of North America's largest Arab and Muslim populations, Rep.-Elect Tlaib is the first Muslim woman to join Michigan's state assembly. She is an attorney, community organizer and mother who was at first reluctant to run for office. She agreed to do so only after repeated requests from her former boss, Jewish-American Rep. Steve Tobocman, who is the incumbent.
Rep.-Elect Tlaib is now part of a small, but growing number of American Muslim legislators. There are two Muslim members of Congress, Democrats Keith Ellison of Minnesota and Andre Carson of Indiana, and only nine Muslim state representatives serving before Tuesday's elections, with only one woman – Jamilah Nasheed – in that list.
Rep. Nasheed was re-elected Tuesday as the unchallenged incumbent for Missouri's 60th District, which includes part of the city of St. Louis. An African-American who was born and raised in St. Louis, she is a small business owner and serves as the Vice-Chairperson of Women in the Democratic Caucus and Vice-Chairperson of the Freshman Democratic Caucus. In addition to her legislative duties, Rep. Nasheed is a member of the St. Louis Public Schools Role Model Program, the African American Heritage Society, and the Lexington Mentor Program.
Photo Credit: AP
Posted on November 11, 2008
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