Minnesota Elects First Female Somali American Lawmaker

History was made this week when a 34-year-old former refugee was elected to the Minnesota state legislature.
这个星期，一名34岁的前难民被选进明尼苏达州议会，这创造了历史。

The woman, Ilhan Omar, will become the country's first Somali-American lawmaker.
伊尔汉·奥马尔（Ilhan Omar）这位女性将成为美国首位索马里裔议员。

Omar was the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate for the legislature in Minnesota's 60th district. She easily defeated her Republican opponent on Tuesday.
奥马尔是明尼苏达州民主党农工党联盟的议会候选人，她隶属于明尼苏达州第60选区。周二她轻松击败了她的共和党对手。

Omar told supporters Tuesday night that her victory means a lot. "My success is not only for me but for every Somali, Muslim and minority, particularly the young girls in the Dadaab refugee camp where I lived before coming to the U.S.," she said.
奥马尔周二晚上对支持者表示，她的胜利意味良多。她说，“我的成功不但是为我自己，而且是为了所有索马里人、穆斯林和少数民族，尤其是为了那些我到美国之前所住过的达达布难民营的小女孩们。”

From Refugee to Representative
从难民到众议院议员

As a girl, Omar fled her home in Somalia because of the country's civil war. She spent four years at the Dadaab Camp in Kenya, before moving to the United States with her family. She was 12 years old at the time.
作为一个女孩，奥马尔因为索马里内战逃离了家园。她在肯尼亚的达达布难民营度过了4年，之后与家人搬到了美国。当时她只有12岁。

Her family first began their new life in Arlington, Virginia, and then settled in their current home in Minneapolis.
她的家人首先在弗吉尼亚州的阿灵顿开始了他们的新生活，然后定居到了目前所住的明尼阿波利斯。

Omar began her career as a community activist. She is currently director of policy at the Women Organizing Women Network. The group works with immigrant women, helping them become engaged citizens and community leaders.
奥马尔以社会活动家的身份开始了她的职业生涯。她是Women Organizing Women Network的现任政策主任。该组织与移民女性合作，帮助她们成为活跃公民和社区领袖。

Concerns about Trump
对川普的担忧

Minnesota is home to the largest population of Somali refugees and immigrants in the United States. Many Somalis who spoke to VOA before the election said they were supporting Hillary Clinton for president because they felt that Donald Trump was anti-Somali.
明尼苏达州是人数最多的索马里难民和移民的家园。许多索马里人在选举前对美国之音表示他们支持希拉里成为总统，因为他们认为川普反索马里。

Earlier, Trump has said there are problems in Minnesota caused by poor vetting of refugees. He said there were large numbers of Somali refugees entering the state, and that this was unknown to state officials. He also said that some of the refugees had joined the Islamic State group. He accused them of spreading their extremist ideas "all over our country and all over the world."
早些时候川普曾经表示，明尼苏达州因为难民审查不当导致了一些问题。他说，有大量索马里难民进入该州，而这是官方不知情的。他还表示，一些难民加入了伊斯兰国组织。他指责这些人把他们的极端主义思想传播到了美国各地以及世界各地。

Asha Ahmed, a Somali American, said "We are shocked that Trump is president, but we got relief that Ilhan will be representing us at our state House of Representatives. For me, America is my country, it is where my future and dreams always depended on and the only home for my children... [Omar's] success means a lot to me and my family, three children and a husband."
索马里裔美国人Asha Ahmed表示，“我们很惊讶川普当上了总统，但是我们松了口气，因为奥马尔将在我们这个州的众议院代表我们说话。对我来说，美国是我的国家，它是我未来和梦想的依托，也是我孩子唯一的家园。奥马尔的成功对我以及包括我3个孩子和我老公在内的家人来说意味着很多。”

Jibril Mohamed, a lecturer at Ohio State University, expressed satisfaction at Omar's election to the Minnesota state legislature.
俄亥俄州立大学讲师Jibril Mohamed对奥马尔当选明尼苏达州议员表示满意。

"It is like an anti-pain relief for the Somalis, who voted against Trump because of Trump's anti-Somali rhetoric that continued even to the last days of the election campaign," he said.
他说，“这就像是给投票反对川普的索马里人的一剂止疼药，因为川普的反索马里言论甚至持续到了竞选的最后几天。”

Ahmed Hirsi, Omar's husband, told VOA that the campaign was a long struggle for his family to witness this day.
奥马尔的丈夫艾哈迈德·希尔斯（Ahmed Hirsi）对美国之音表示，为了见证今天，他的家人经历了一场漫长的斗争。

"It is a big historic day for us and Ilhan, a symbol and role model for many Somali refugee girls. It is a success that came through hard work and the support of our Minnesota people," he said.
他说，“这对我们和奥马尔来说是历史性的一天，奥马尔是许多索马里难民女生的象征和榜样。这是通过努力奋斗和明尼苏达州人民的支持而得来的成功。”