--- title: Ilhan Omar: Minnesota's Somali-American Female Legislator description: Former refugee Ilhan Omar became America's first Somali-American Muslim woman legislator after her victory in the Minnesota House race canonical: https://time.com/4564296/ilhan-omar-first-somali-legislator/ author: Kate Samuelson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-11-09T15:41:38.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:44:47.646Z article:section: Politics og:title: Minnesota Elects First Somali-American Female Legislator og:description: Ilhan Omar became America's first Somali-American woman legislator og:url: https://time.com/4564296/ilhan-omar-first-somali-legislator/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2530e944172103d7/6988adc0a988ca29ca6ba178/gettyimages-621811306.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5200 og:image:height: 2925 og:image:alt: US-VOTE-ELECTION og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Minnesota Elects First Somali-American Female Legislator twitter:description: Ilhan Omar became America's first Somali-American woman legislator twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2530e944172103d7/6988adc0a988ca29ca6ba178/gettyimages-621811306.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Minnesota Elects First Somali-American Female Legislator > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ce5fcae7-bcb1-4fad-a9b6-58eafc62ddc1&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ce5fcae7-bcb1-4fad-a9b6-58eafc62ddc1&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=ce5fcae7-bcb1-4fad-a9b6-58eafc62ddc1&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ce5fcae7-bcb1-4fad-a9b6-58eafc62ddc1&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) by [Kate Samuelson](https://time.com/author/kate-samuelson/) ## Kate Samuelson Nov 9, 2016 3:41 PM UTC  Ilhan Omar, a candidate for State Representative for District 60B in Minnesota, gives an acceptance speech on election night, November 8, 2016 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ilhan Omar, a candidate for State Representative for District 60B in Minnesota, gives an acceptance speech on election night, November 8, 2016 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. STEPHEN MATUREN—AFP/Getty Images by [Kate Samuelson](https://time.com/author/kate-samuelson/) ## Kate Samuelson Nov 9, 2016 3:41 PM UTC Although the U.S. did not [elect](http://time.com/4563685/donald-trump-wins/?xid=homepage) its first female president Tuesday night, one woman still made history. Former refugee Ilhan Omar, who proudly wears the hijab, became America’s first Somali-American Muslim woman legislator after she claimed a strong victory in the Minnesota House race. The 34-year-old moved to the U.S. at the age of 12, after four years living in a Kenyan refugee camp following her escape from the Somali civil war, the [_Star Tribune_](http://www.startribune.com/ilhan-omar-will-be-nation-s-first-somali-american-legislator/400478961/) reports. As well as her political duties, she is director of policy at Women Organizing Women Network—a group that aims to empower all women, particularly first and second generation immigrants, to become engaged citizens and community leaders. > [](https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/796188582650281984) House Minority Leader Paul Thissen told the _Tribune_ that Omar’s victory “says something important about the future of Minnesota, and what it means to be a Minnesotan.” Speaking to [_The Guardian_](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/29/minnesota-candidate-ilhan-omar-district-seat-super-tuesday) earlier this year, Omar said she believed her representation could change how people see the political process. “For me, this is my country, this is for my future, for my children’s future and for my grandchildren’s future to make our democracy more vibrant, more inclusive, more accessible and transparent which is going to be useful for all of us,” she said. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4564296/ilhan-omar-first-somali-legislator/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4564296/ilhan-omar-first-somali-legislator/"},"headline":"Minnesota Elects First Somali-American Female Legislator","datePublished":"2016-11-09T15:41:38.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-19T07:44:47.646Z","description":"“For me, this is my country, this is for my future, for my children’s future and for my grandchildren’s future\"","url":"https://time.com/4564296/ilhan-omar-first-somali-legislator/","keywords":["Minnesota","2016 Election"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2530e944172103d7/6988adc0a988ca29ca6ba178/gettyimages-621811306.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Kate Samuelson","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/kate-samuelson/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2530e944172103d7/6988adc0a988ca29ca6ba178/gettyimages-621811306.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"US-VOTE-ELECTION","caption":"US-VOTE-ELECTION","creditText":"STEPHEN MATUREN—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/minnesota/","name":"Minnesota"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4564296/ilhan-omar-first-somali-legislator/","name":"Minnesota Elects First Somali-American Female Legislator"}}]}] ```