Somali guy running for Mayor in Minnesota lets support this brother

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Samatar ready to run if Rybak doesn't

 

Saturday, December 01, 2012

Posted by: Steve Brandt

 

 

 

If Mayor R.T. Rybak isn’t running for another term as mayor, Hussein Samatar says he’s ready to run.

 

The first elected Somali immigrant in Minnesota is ready to blaze another first. Samatar made history when he was elected unopposed to the school board in 2010 from a district covering one-sixth of the city.

 

Samatar would potentially be competing with two more experienced politicos for the post. Council Member Gary Schiff is mulling whether to run against Rybak, and Council Member Betsy Hodges has filed papers to run, but like Samatar, she will only stand for election if Rybak doesn’t.

“This city has never had a new American to lead,” Samatar said this week. “I think I would be a formidable candidate.”

 

Here’s his logic. He starts with a base of support from what he likes to call “new Americans,” immigrants who reside in the city. He knows finance as a onetime Wells Fargo banker; the founder of the African Development Center, a nonprofit focused on small-scale business lending; and now finance chair for the school board. He’s helped to develop local and state Muslim-focused lending programs. He knows economic development and has good business contacts; that could provide a good fundraising base.

 

Plus, he got to know City Hall a bit after Rybak appointed Samatar to the Library Board in 2005, the last such mayoral appointment before Hennepin County absorbed city libraries.

 

Samatar has been outspoken on the school board for the needs of students learning English. He’s also pushed to break apart data so that the performance of students such as Somalis and Hmong could be distinguished from their larger racial categories.

 

Samatar is 44, has lived in Minneapolis for almost 20 years. He’s a husband and father of four children and they have lived in the Phillips neighborhood for 13 years. He holds an MBA from St. Thomas, and a certificate in community development from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

 

He’s typically nattily dressed, and speaks Somali, English and Italian fluently. He’s also conversant in Arabic and learning Spanish.

[Abwaan]

He is prof. Ahmed & Abdi Samatar's brother right? Good luck to him.

[General Duke]

Good luck to him indeed.

[STOIC]

I doubt he is related to the Samatar's...matter fact I remember a radio debate he once had with Professor Ahmed Samatar about Somalis in Minnesota..He seemed to make more sense than the Professor who was dismissive of the Somalis in America..Good-luck to the guy!

[Farmaraa]

Hussein Samatar is not related to the two greedy power hunger brothers and so called Proffersors. This guy is one the most respected Somali elites in the state of Minnesota and currently is a member of Board of Directors of MInneapolis Public Schools and also the founder and executive director of the African Development Center in Minneapolis.

 

I argue all of you to listen this dabate between Pro. Ahmed Samatar and Hussein Samatar awhile ago and make your own judgement. To me, I was very disappointed the cheap talk of Ahmed Samatar because simply he is not rational at all.

 

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/04/15/midday1/

[Waranle_Warrior]

Good luck to the brother, all the Somalis in America should support him.

[Waranle_Warrior]

But does Minnesota have a mayor or you mean governor? I thought Minnesota was a state or do they have mayors for different states in America instead of cities.

[General Duke]

He might run for the Mayor of Minneaplois. Which a very important City on the entire Midwest.

[Che -Guevara]

^He wants to run as mayor for the city of Minneapolis.

[Somalia]

Why not get on the city council first? I hope he doesn't run as a lose will most certainly diminish his chance of winning another time.

[Abwaan]

Not that I am against Hussein but Soomaalidu dhaqankeeda wax walba kor bay ka billaabaan badanaa..lol....I would not be surprised haddii la arko qod Soomaali ah oo jagada madaxweynaha Maraykanka inuu u tartamo raba dhawr sano ka dib.

[General Duke]

Che -Guevara;895039 wrote:

^He wants to run as mayor for the city of Minneapolis.

It depends if his friend RT runs or not. Abwan, Mr. Samatar is an elected official already. He is the founder as well as Director of one of the largest non profit community based organization in Minnesota. He has done well, can he win is another story altogether. It will be tough, but good luck to him.

[ole-maasai]

Good luck to the brother. I like his Picture He looks More of a Maasai than a Wariyaa.

[rudy-Diiriye]

We shouldnt expect much from humans...but this homie has so far done good shyte! Gdl homie...kick some butt.

[oba hiloowlow]

ole-maasai;895071 wrote:

Good luck to the brother. I like his Picture He looks More of a Maasai than a Wariyaa.

this is a somali forum so kindly exit