E21: Called to serve, a young politician advocates for her community | Councilwoman Safiya Khalid in Lewiston, Maine

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Safiya Khalid, a fearless young politician who is inspiring her community and the next generation of civic leaders. Safiya was born in Somalia and fled the country with her mother and siblings. They were initially placed in New Jersey but found their way to Lewiston, Maine for the community. Lewiston has a large population of African immigrants, with 10% of the population from Somali. Safiya learned how to speak English in Lewiston schools and became an American citizen at age 14. She worked for LLBean making boots during high school and college. Safiya’s mother instilled a strong desire to help others and this upbringing inspired Safiya to run for office to be a voice for her community.  In 2019 she ran for Lewiston city county at age 23. Safiya was singled out by hate groups during her election and received racist messages and threats from all over the country. She didn’t let that hate deter her and won her seat by nearly 70 percent of the vote. Safiya is the first Somali-American council member and is working hard to bring more opportunities to Lewiston and be a voice for her constituents. I am so inspired by her passion, courage and drive to help her community. Safiya is a powerful agent of change and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for this hardworking young woman. As a Mainer, it was really such an honor to get to interview Safiya. You can find a link to additional photos by visiting urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book