NewsPoliticsRacial Justice

Diversity in the House Has Spurred Change. But There's a Long Way to Go

By Rishika Pardikar
U.S. Representative-elect Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) arrives inside the House Chamber for the start of the 116th Congress, Washington, D.C., Jan. 3, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Jan 25, 2019
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On Jan. 3rd when Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, assumed office as a member of the House of Representatives, she became the first Somali-American woman, the first Minnesotan of color, and one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress.

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An image of the November 2026 issue of Sojourners, titled "Face to Face." It features George Lakey on the cover
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U.S. Representative-elect Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) arrives inside the House Chamber for the start of the 116th Congress, Washington, D.C., Jan. 3, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst