Omar Fateh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Omar Fateh
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Fateh in the Minnesota Senate chambers in 2021
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| Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 62nd district |
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| Assumed office January 5, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Jeff Hayden |
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| Born | April 19, 1990 Washington, D.C. |
| Political party | Democratic (DFL) |
| Residence | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Alma mater | George Mason University |
| Occupation | Legislator |
Omar Mahmood Fateh (born April 19, 1990) is a politician from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Senate. He belongs to the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL).
Omar Fateh represents District 62, which includes parts of south Minneapolis in Hennepin County. He is the first Somali American and Muslim person to serve in the Minnesota Senate.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Omar Fateh was born in Washington, D.C. His parents came to the United States from Somalia.
He went to Falls Church High School. Later, he earned both his first degree and a master's degree from George Mason University.
After college, Fateh worked in different government jobs in Minneapolis. One of these jobs was helping people learn about voting.
Serving in the Minnesota Senate
In 2020, Omar Fateh decided to run for the Minnesota Senate. He challenged the person who was already in office, Senator Jeff Hayden.
Many groups supported Fateh, including the Democratic Socialists of America and the Sunrise Movement. He also received support from the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Fateh won the primary election in August and then won the general election with a large number of votes.
He officially started his job in the Minnesota legislature on January 5, 2021.
Key Work in the Senate
In 2022, Omar Fateh was re-elected to the Senate. After this election, his party gained control of the Senate, House, and governor's office. This meant they could pass more of their ideas into law.
Fateh was chosen to lead the Senate Higher Education committee. He also became the vice chair of the Senate Human Services Committee.
He worked on an important bill for higher education. This bill aimed to make public colleges and universities tuition-free for students from families earning less than $80,000 a year. It also included more money for programs that help students with food and emergency needs.
Fateh also led efforts to create better pay and protections for drivers who work for companies like Uber and Lyft. Many drivers supported this bill. It passed in both the House and Senate, but the Governor did not sign it into law.
Looking into Issues
Sometimes, politicians face questions about their work. Omar Fateh has been connected to a couple of situations that local news reported on.
One situation involved a program called "Feeding Our Future." When problems with this program came up, Omar Fateh said he did not support any wrong actions. He returned money he had received from people connected to the program.
Another time, the State Senate Ethics committee looked into a complaint. Fateh had not reported a small payment for advertising, but he fixed this mistake once he knew about it. There was also a complaint related to a volunteer on his 2020 campaign. Most of the complaints against Fateh were dismissed by the ethics committee.
Running for Mayor
On November 20, 2024, Omar Fateh announced that he plans to run for mayor of Minneapolis in the 2025 election. He said he wants to work with other progressive leaders in the city.
Personal Life
Omar Fateh lives in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis. His parents are immigrants from Somalia.
See also
- List of Democratic Socialists of America who have held office in the United States
