Aisha Chughtai

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Aisha Chughtai
Member of the
Minneapolis City Council
from Ward 10
Assumed office
January 3, 2022
Preceded byLisa Bender
Personal details
Born1996/1997 (age 24–25)
Political partyDemocratic (DFL)
Residence(s)Whittier, Minneapolis
WebsiteCampaign website

Aisha Chughtai (born 1997/1998)[1] is an American community organizer and politician serving on the Minneapolis City Council from the 10th Ward. A member of the DFL, she was elected in 2021 to succeed retiring Council President Lisa Bender. She is the youngest person and first Muslim woman elected to the Council.[2]

Early life and career[]

Chughtai's parents are immigrants from Pakistan, her father worked as a mechanic and her mother worked as a Quranic instructor. She grew up in Houston where her family experienced housing instability and moved to Mankato, Minnesota during the 2008 financial crisis.[3][4]

Chughtai has worked on numerous political campaigns including as campaign manager of U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar's 2018 campaign. She later worked as a political organizer for the SEIU Minnesota State Council.[1]

Minneapolis City Council[]

See also: 2021 Minneapolis City Council election

Chughtai announced her intention to run for retiring Council President Lisa Bender's seat in Ward 10. Her campaign focused on expanding affordable housing and introducing a $15 minimum wage across the city.[3] The DFL did not issue an endorsement in the ward due to no candidate achieving the necessary vote threshold.[5] She was endorsed by the abortion rights organization #VOTEPROCHOICE.[6]

She won the instant-runoff election on November 3 with 50.3% to her nearest challenger's 33.6% according to unofficial results.[7][8] She took office on January 3, 2022, becoming the first Asian American, Muslim woman, and youngest member of the Council.[9] She took the oath of office on a ceremonial Quran also used by Ilhan Omar, Keith Ellison, Omar Fateh, and numerous other Muslim officials elected in Minneapolis.[10]

She advocates for community control over the police.[11]

Personal life[]

A renter, Chughtai lives in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis.[12][11] She is a member of the Twin Cities DSA.[13]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Whalen, Eamon (October 28, 2021). "In Minneapolis, the Movement Heads for the Voting Booth". The Nation. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  2. ^ Birnstengel, Grace; Collins, Jon (November 9, 2021). "Socialism comes to the Minneapolis City Council". MPR. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Gustavo, Solomon (February 4, 2021). "Meet the Minneapolis City Council Candidate: Aisha Chughtai". MinnPost. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  4. ^ Simba, Cynthia (April 23, 2021). "Rep. Ilhan Omar's former campaign manager running for Minneapolis City Council". Mshale. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  5. ^ Mahamud, Faiza (June 10, 2021). "Minneapolis DFL endorses in seven council races, fails to endorse in six". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  6. ^ #VOTEPROCHOICE https://www.voteprochoice.us/endorsed-candidates-2021. Retrieved 14 February 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ Peters, Joey (November 2, 2021). "Your Minnesota Election Day 2021 results: All the updates on races in Minneapolis and St. Paul". Sahan Journal. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  8. ^ "2021 City Council Ward 10 election results". vote.minneapolismn.gov. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  9. ^ Navratil, Liz (January 3, 2022). "Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, new City Council are sworn in". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  10. ^ Ansari, Hibah (January 3, 2022). "A special Qur'an holds the signature of almost every Minnesota Muslim elected to office. At a historic swearing-in ceremony, three Minneapolis City Council members added their names to the list". Sahan Journal. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  11. ^ a b Rybak, Charlie (December 7, 2021). "An interview with incoming Ward 10 Council Member Aisha Chughtai". Southwest Voices. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  12. ^ "A guide to the 2021 Minneapolis mayor and City Council candidates". Star Tribune. October 1, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  13. ^ Marcetic, Branko (November 8, 2021). "Last Week's Elections Actually Gave Leftists Plenty to Cheer". Jacobin. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
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