Meet Omar

Senator Omar Fateh currently resides with his wife in the Steven's Square Neighborhood in Minneapolis. He represents Senate District 62, which covers the Southside of Minneapolis. Senator Fateh was the first Somali American and Muslim to be elected to the Minnesota State Senate. 

Senator Fateh was born and raised in Virginia by his immigrant parents. He graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Public Administration. During his time in college, the Senator spent time working with at-risk youth helping them find opportunities in education, particularly with students of color.

Senator Fateh was a volunteer mentor and volunteered in neighborhood groups and the union Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE). As a Community Specialist, the Senator has also worked to help the City of Minneapolis improve its outreach to East African communities. 

During historic unrest, Senator Fateh successfully defeated incumbent Senator Jeff Hayden in the Democratic primary in 2020 running openly as a democratic socialist. Since then, the Senator has used his position to champion progressive values in the State Legislature, fighting for working-class people in his district and across the state.

In 2023 as Higher Education Chair, Senator Fateh successfully fought for one of the most transformational Higher Education Omnibus budgets in the state’s history, granting tuition-free college to families making under $80,000. In 2024, working with MULDA (The Minnesota Uber-Lyft Driver Association), Senator Fateh led the fight to pass historic protections for rideshare workers, winning them a 20% increase in wages among other benefits.