Aisha Wahab made history this week as the first Muslim and Afghan American elected to California Senate.
“I hope to bring my lived experiences to the policies we make, to be more inclusive, and to think about the most vulnerable community members. That has always been part of my policies, even in the City of Hayward,” Wahab, who is currently a Hayward city council member, told ABC 7.
She will represent District 10, which includes parts of Alameda and Santa Clara counties.
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Wahab inspiring journey started long year ago after her father was brutally murdered and her mother died when she was young.
She grew up in foster care until an Afghan family in Fremont, home to one of the largest Afghan communities in the United States, adopted her and her sister.
Her road to California Senate was not easy either. Wahab says she faced racist and Islamophobic attacks, even rape threats and death threats.
“(There were) a lot of dog whistles in the race. A lot of racism, sexism, ageism, you name it, I saw it in this race,” explains Wahab.
Historic Win
Inspired by her life, many Afghan community activists saw her victory as a historic moment for Afghan Americans.
“She has been elected to one of the highest offices, the first Afghan American. It is pride! It’s joy! And I think really long overdue,” said Spojmie Nasiri, an immigration attorney in Pleasanton.
US Muslims made history in midterm elections, with many of them winning seats for the first time across the country.
A total number of 82 local, state legislative, statewide, judicial, and federal American Muslim electoral won in yesterday’s midterm election.