‘Amazing feeling.’ 1st Somali mayor in US shares her vision

By PATRICK WHITTLE
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Deqa Dhalac is the first Somali immigrant to become the mayor of a U.S. city. The 53-year-old became mayor of South Portland, the fourth largest city in Maine, on Monday. She describes her rise in local politics as very old fashioned with her election coming after years of volunteering and building relationships in the community. Voters elected Dhalac to the South Portland City Council in 2018 and the seven-member board this year chose her to serve as the city’s mayor. Jaylani Hussein of CAIR, a Muslim civil rights organization, has tracked the rise of Somali politicians in the U.S. and confirmed Dhalac is the first Somali immigrant to become mayor of a city.