For the last few days, the world watched as the United States held its mid-term elections, and as the results rolled in, two women were sprung into the spotlight for having made history as the first two Muslim women to be elected to US congress.
Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib—a child of two Palestinian immigrants—snagged a congressional seat for the state’s 13th district. Tlaib fills a vacant position following the resignation of former representative John Conyers, who stepped down amid allegations of sexual harassment earlier this year.
Ilhan Omar’s win marks a slew of historic firsts. The Somali-American congresswoman is not only the first black woman to hold her post and the first refugee, she’s also the first to wear the hijab.
In celebration of her shared historic feat with Tlaib, Omar tweeted:
Congratulations to my sister @RashidaTlaib on your victory!
I cannot wait to serve with you, inshallah. ??
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) 7 novembre 2018
Both women are members of the Democratic party, and they’ve both been critical of President Trump’s administration. Soon after her win, Tlaib quickly took to Twitter to express her intentions to “hold Trump and Republicans accountable”.
The voters last night elected progressive fighters to hold Trump and the Republicans accountable. That’s our mandate, and that’s what I intend to do. The people want courageous representatives who won’t back down!
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) 7 novembre 2018