Zaynab Mohamed

Zaynab Mohamed is a Somali American lawmaker whose courage, advocacy, and historic election are reshaping representation in Minnesota politics.

Zaynab Mohamed

Zaynab Mohamed is an American politician, community advocate, and member of the Minnesota State Senate. A Democrat affiliated with the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, she represents District 63, which includes parts of southeast Minneapolis. She assumed office on January 3, 2023, after winning election in November 2022.

Mohamed was born on May 3, 1997, in Somalia and immigrated to the United States with her family when she was nine years old. She grew up in Minneapolis, where her family built a new life in a working-class immigrant community. Her personal experience has become central to her public service and political vision.

Her election made history in more than one way. Mohamed became one of the first three Black women elected to the Minnesota Senate, the first Somali American woman to serve in the chamber, and the youngest woman ever elected to the Minnesota Legislature. At the time of her election, she was 25 years old.

Zaynab Mohamed’s career reflects a commitment to equity, immigrant rights, public safety reform, economic opportunity, and community power. Her rise from local advocacy to statewide office shows how lived experience can become a foundation for effective leadership.

Zaynab Mohamed Early Life and Education

Zaynab Mohamed was born in Somalia and moved to Minneapolis with her family as a child. Her family settled in the Powderhorn neighborhood on the city’s South Side, an area known for its diverse communities, immigrant families, and strong tradition of grassroots organizing.

Mohamed has often spoken about the sacrifices made by her parents. Her mother worked long shifts in a factory, while her father held multiple jobs to support the family. Those experiences gave her an early understanding of economic hardship, resilience, and the importance of public policy in people’s daily lives.

She attended the University of Minnesota and graduated in 2019 with a degree in human resources. Her education gave her practical skills in organization, communication, and workplace advocacy, which later supported her work in community organizing and public service.

Before entering elected politics, Mohamed gained experience through internships, advocacy work, and policy roles. She interned with Ayada Leads, an organization focused on increasing political participation among Black immigrant women. That experience helped shape her belief that underrepresented communities must have a direct voice in government.

Community Advocacy Career

Mohamed worked as a community advocacy manager for the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Minnesota, commonly known as CAIR-MN. In that role, she advocated for policies related to civil rights, public safety, and the protection of marginalized communities.

One of her major areas of advocacy was public safety reform. She opposed no-knock warrants, a policing practice that has raised serious concerns about civilian safety and accountability. Her work placed her at the center of important conversations about policing, community trust, and government responsibility.

Mohamed also worked as a policy aide in Minneapolis city government. This role allowed her to learn how local policy is developed, how legislation moves through government, and how elected officials can respond to the needs of residents.

Her professional background also included work in recruitment and banking. Those experiences gave her a broad understanding of economic opportunity, workplace challenges, and the practical concerns facing working families.

Zaynab Mohamed Political Career and Achievements

Zaynab Mohamed entered electoral politics in 2022, running for the Minnesota State Senate in District 63. She won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor primary against Todd Scott in August 2022 and then defeated Republican nominee Shawn Holster in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Her victory was historic. Mohamed became one of the first three Black women elected to the Minnesota Senate, joining Erin Maye Quade and Clare Oumou Verbeten. She also became the first Somali American woman and the first Muslim woman to serve in the chamber.

At 25 years old, she became the youngest woman ever elected to the Minnesota Legislature. Her election demonstrated that young people, immigrants, and members of underrepresented communities could win at the highest levels of state government.

Mohamed took office on January 3, 2023, during a period when Minnesota Democrats held control of the governorship and both legislative chambers. That political environment allowed her to help advance major legislation on economic development, public safety, immigrant rights, and social equity.

Legislative Priorities

Mohamed has focused on policies that support working families, immigrants, small businesses, and communities affected by inequality. Her legislative work reflects the concerns she saw growing up in South Minneapolis and through her years as an advocate.

She served as vice chair of the Senate Jobs and Economic Development Committee. In that role, she worked on efforts to support small businesses, especially those affected by the civil unrest and economic disruption that followed the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020.

Mohamed helped secure grants and loans to rebuild small businesses and strengthen local economies. Her work emphasized that economic recovery must include communities that have historically faced barriers to capital, investment, and opportunity.

She was also instrumental in passing Minnesota’s Driver’s License for All legislation. The law allows eligible adult residents to obtain a driver’s license regardless of immigration status, improving access to work, education, health care, and daily life for immigrant communities.

Mohamed was a leading advocate for the creation of Minnesota’s Office of New Americans. The office supports immigrant and refugee integration through cross-agency collaboration, policy innovation, and improved access to state services.

Her policy interests also include public health and harm reduction. She has served on the Opioid Epidemic Response Advisory Council, where she has advocated for approaches that treat addiction as a public health issue and support affected families and communities.

Leadership and Recognition

Mohamed has taken on leadership roles beyond her individual legislative portfolio. She has chaired the Minnesota Senate’s People of Color and Indigenous Caucus, a group that advocates for policies affecting communities of color and Indigenous peoples across the state.

Her leadership has earned recognition from organizations focused on women in politics, emerging leaders, and public service. In 2024, she was named a Young Concordia Leadership Fellow and completed the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development.

In 2025, Mohamed was selected as a Transatlantic Inclusion Leaders Network Fellow. The program brings together emerging political leaders from Europe and North America who are working to advance inclusion, democracy, and equitable governance.

In 2026, she was nominated for EMILYs List’s Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award, an honor recognizing women leaders who demonstrate exceptional promise and commitment to public service. The nomination highlighted her historic election, legislative accomplishments, and advocacy for immigrant communities.

Zaynab Mohamed Legacy and Lasting Impact

Zaynab Mohamed’s legacy is still developing, but her impact is already clear. She has expanded the image of who can serve in state government and shown that young immigrant women can lead with both lived experience and policy expertise.

Her election challenged long-standing barriers in Minnesota politics. By becoming one of the first Black women in the Minnesota Senate, the first Somali American woman in the chamber, and the youngest woman ever elected to the Legislature, she opened a path for future leaders from communities that have often been excluded from political power.

Mohamed’s advocacy has also produced concrete change. Her work on driver’s licenses, immigrant integration, small-business recovery, public safety, and public health demonstrates that representation can lead directly to policy outcomes.

Her story is especially inspiring for young people from immigrant and working-class backgrounds. Mohamed’s journey from Somalia to the Minnesota Senate shows that community roots, education, organizing, and persistence can create real political change.

As a legislator, advocate, and public voice, Zaynab Mohamed represents a new generation of American leadership. Her career reminds people that government works best when it reflects the communities it serves and when leaders listen to the people whose lives are most affected by policy.

Her lasting impact will likely be measured not only by the offices she holds, but by the doors she has opened for others. Through her work, Zaynab Mohamed continues to show that representation, courage, and community-centered leadership can help build a more just and inclusive future.