First Somali-American Lawmaker Begins Work in Minnesota

Ilhan Omar made history this week when she began her term as the first Somali-American lawmaker in the United States.
伊尔汉·奥马尔（Ilhan Omar）本周开始就任美国第一位索马里裔议员，她创造了历史。

Omar was sworn into the Minnesota House of Representatives on January 3, the opening day of its 90th legislative session.
奥马尔于1月3日在明尼苏达州众议院宣誓就职，亦即第90届立法会议开幕当天。

Few people thought a campaign like Omar's would be possible this election year. Muslim-Americans had been at the center of a strong political debate about immigration and terrorism.
几乎没有人认为奥马尔这样的候选人今年能够当选。美国穆斯林一直是有关移民和恐怖主义的激烈政治辩论的焦点。

A historic day for Muslim-Americans
美国穆斯林历史性的一天

Many supporters filled the Minnesota State Capitol for Omar's first historic day. They were there to support Omar as she took her ceremonial oath of office.
很多支持者挤进明尼苏达州议会大厦见证奥马尔历史性的头一天。他们在奥马尔的宣誓就职仪式上表达支持。

Asad Zaman was one of the supporters present. He is the executive director of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota.
阿萨德·查曼（Asad Zaman）就是现场的支持者之一。他是美国穆斯林学会明尼苏达分会的执行主任。

"The Muslim community needs a win...the ethos of America that can embrace a Somali-American, hijab-clad Muslim woman as their representative, I think that says something amazing about America."
他说，“穆斯林社区需要有人当选。美国精神可以拥抱一个索马里美国人，可以让一个披着头巾的穆斯林女性作为他们的代表，我认为这说明了美国惊人之处。”

An image of hope
希望的图腾

Omar was born in 1982 in Somalia. But after a civil war began, she fled with her family to a refugee camp in Kenya. She immigrated to the United States in 1995.
奥马尔1982年出生在索马里。内战爆发之后，她同家人逃到了肯尼亚难民营，并于1995年移民到美国。

As an adult, Omar worked on several legislative and city council campaigns. She later became the director of policy & initiatives for the Women Organizing Women Network in Minnesota.
成年之后，奥马尔参加了几次立法机关和市议会的竞选。随后她成为了明尼苏达州妇女组织网络的政策和动议主任。

Omar is now an image of hope for Muslims, and particularly Muslim women around the world.
奥马尔现在是穆斯林，尤其是全球穆斯林女性希望的图腾。

Nausheena Hussain is with an organization called Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood of Empowerment, or RISE. She spoke to the crowd of Omar supporters gathered at the state capitol building.
纳西拉·候赛因（Nausheena Hussain）就职于伊斯兰姐妹复权组织。她对聚集在州议会大厦的奥马尔的支持者群体发表了讲话。

"We may not have shattered that glass ceiling in electing a president or head of state in our country, but for me, and the thousands of Muslim women, and women of color, Ilhan Omar is that ceiling that's been shattered for us," Hussain said.
侯赛因表示，“我们可能尚未打碎选举成为总统或州长的玻璃天花板。但对我个人，以及成千上万的穆斯林女性以及有色人种女性来说，奥马尔就代表了那层已经为我们打破的天花板。”

A "glass ceiling" means a barrier, usually affecting women and minorities, to how far someone can grow in their profession.
玻璃天花板是指通常影响妇女和少数族裔职业上限的一层障碍。

America's 2016 presidential election campaign included calls from some politicians to ban Muslim immigrants from entering the country.
在美国2016年总统竞选中，有一些政客呼吁禁止穆斯林移民进入美国。

However, Omar views her role in the national conversation about Muslim-Americans as a positive one.
然而，奥马尔认为自己在有关美国穆斯林的全国性对话中的作用是积极的。

"It sort of provides a counter narrative to say that all is not bad. That there is good, and if someone like Ilhan, who has all the odds against her, can succeed, then we are able to see that, as a country, we do have a balance of both good and bad and we just have to figure out a way to come together and make sure we are amplifying the voices of good."
奥马尔说，“我的当选提供了一个反面教材，说明一切没那么糟糕，还是有好的一面。如果像伊尔汗这样的人，在万事不利的情况下都能成功，那我们可以看到，作为一个国家我们能够平衡好坏，我们只需要设法团结起来，并放大好的声音。”

Going outside the community for support
争取穆斯林社区之外的支持

Ilhan Omar appealed to many different types of voters. She did not win a majority of the Somali-American votes in her district. More Somali-Americans voted for her opponent, Mohamud Noor. He is also from Somalia.
奥马尔吸引了各类选民。她在自己的选区未能赢得多数索马里裔美国人的选票。更多索马里裔美国人投票给她的对手穆罕默德·诺尔（Mohamud Noor）。他同样是来自索马里。

But Omar won more votes from people outside the Somali-American community. Asad Zaman explained that Omar practiced "inclusive politics."
但是奥马尔赢得了更多来自索马里裔社区以外人士的选票。查曼解释说，奥马尔践行了“包容性政治”。

"She's been able to put forth a candidacy that is attractive to a largely white liberal group of voters and she has convinced them that she is the best candidate."
他说，“奥马尔参选吸引了大部分白人自由派选民，她说服了这些人，让他们相信她是最佳候选人。”

Omar's election is giving others outside of Minnesota hope that anything is possible.
奥马尔的当选让明尼苏达州以外人士相信万事皆有可能。

"Hearing about young people who are running for elected office in Kenya and in Somalia because they were inspired by my race...I think messages like that ... truly put things into focus."
奥马尔说，“听说有些年轻人在我参选的鼓舞下也在肯尼亚和索马里竞选公职，我认为这类消息才是重点。”

Omar says one of her biggest goals now is meeting the expectations and hopes people have for her, as she begins her work in Minnesota's House of Representatives.
奥马尔表示，她目前最大的目标之一就是在她开始进入明尼苏达州众议院工作之际，实现人们对她的期望。

Zaman says that many people outside of Minnesota will be following Omar's journey and progress.
查曼说，明尼苏达州以外的很多人也将会关注奥马尔的工作历程和发展。

"This is a big deal and I think the whole world is watching what we are doing here today."
查曼说，“她的当选是件大事，我认为全世界都在关注我们今天所作的一切。”