Ohio state Rep. Ismail Mohamed (D), one of the first Somali Muslims elected to the Ohio General Assembly, spoke entirely in Somali in a recently posted video in which he thanked Somali National TV and discussed efforts to honor a Somali historical figure, organize Somali American political representation, and lobby on behalf of Somalia.
Mohamed appeared in a video posted online in which he spoke exclusively in Somali, with English captions providing a translation. Mohamed, elected in 2022 as one of the first Somali Americans to serve in the Ohio General Assembly, addressed viewers in the video.
According to the English captions, Mohamed began by thanking Somali National TV and its management before describing two “historic achievements” in Ohio, particularly in Columbus. The first, he said, was naming a street after Sayid Mohamed Abdullah Hassan, whom he called “the father of Somalia whose dignity and honor is unequaled by any other Somali throughout the history” and “worthy enough to have a street named after him.” When discussing the street naming, the video showed a photo of Mohamed standing beside a street sign bearing Hassan’s name. Mohamed explained, “I’ve pioneered the idea of commemorating a monument even before I got elected.”
He went on to note the presence of “20 or more different political representatives,” including Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) at the federal level, and more than ten Somali American representatives serving at city and state levels. Mohamed described a “tight-knit organization” of Somali American officials who communicate in a group chat. “Our main objective is to discuss things that concern Somalia. It’s our country and our people. Our aim as a united front is to lobby for Somalia, helping waive Somalia’s national debt and maritime crisis,” the captions read. Mohamed called on residents of Columbus to “please vote,” adding, “We need your support. We want you to knock doors.”
This is not the first video of its kind. Minnesota state Sen. Omar Fateh (D), now a candidate for mayor of Minneapolis whose platform is similar to that of New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, posted a campaign video directed at Somali voters in which his only English-language phrase was “rental assistance program.”
Minnesota Sen. Omar Fateh speaks in support of the North Star Act – which would make Minnesota a “sanctuary state” for immigrants without permanent legal status – at a rally in front of the state capitol building in St. Paul, Minn., on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Trisha Ahmed)
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who Mohamed mentioned in his video, previously delivered remarks at a Somali American event in 2024 that went viral after a translation circulated online. According to that translation, Omar stated, “the U.S. government will only do what Somalians in the U.S. tell them to do” and described herself as “Somalian first” and “Muslim second.” The translation drew calls from Republicans for her resignation. Omar disputed the accuracy of the translation, saying it misrepresented her remarks, and accused critics of spreading “harassment and lies.”
Somali American political representation in Minnesota was also a factor during events involving former Democrat vice-presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz’s (D-MN) administration. In 2022, federal prosecutors charged 47 Somali immigrants with stealing $250 million from a federal food aid program for children during the COVID-19 pandemic. An audit later found that Minnesota’s Department of Education, under Walz, failed to act on warning signs before and during the fraud scheme.
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