Wednesday, July 27, 2016
By Tim Pugmire
Asad Aliweyd is one of four Somali Americans in Minnesota’s DNC delegation. Tim Pugmire | MPR News
Philadelphia — Minnesota’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention has a noteworthy amount of racial and ethnic diversity, including three Somali-American delegates and one alternate.
Asad Aliweyd of Eden Prairie, a delegate supporting Bernie Sanders, was proudly boasting about the high representation Tuesday at the delegation’s hotel outside Philadelphia.
“We have only one other Somali, from South Carolina. That’s it,” Aliweyd said. “Minnesota has the largest delegates of Muslims and Somalis in the entire convention.”
Aliweyd is joined by Abdul Ahmed, a Clinton delegate from Coon Rapids, and Samakab Hussein, a Clinton delegate from St. Paul. Fartun Weli of Minneapolis is a Sanders alternate.
Aliweyd said he thinks the number of Somali-American delegate reflects well on Minnesota and its welcoming environment to immigrants. He said hopes to see even more political participation in the future.
“We feel that we are part of the society, and we feel like we’re part of the DFL party, he said.