This Is What America Looks Like, Ilhan Omar

 

This Is What America Looks Like: My journey from refugee to congresswoman by Ilhan Omar is a book about a member of The Squad and I had to pick it up.  Special ordered it from a local brick and mortar book store and it jumped up in my list if things to read because she is so important to America.

Started: 2/13/2021
Completed: 2/20/2021
Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Recommended By: Ilhan Omar's campaign which sent me an email about the book becoming available

Review:

I am so glad I read this book.  I really didn't remember who Omar was.  She was a member of The Squad and their forward thinking, progressive policies were enough for me, but I really did not understand who she was.  I'd even forgotten that I'd emailed her and offered to drive her around DC if she needed it in response to her op-ed about the cabbie in DC before she became a representative.

She is far from perfect and it is important to remember that about those who represent us in Congress.  It was good to see that she was more than a policy wonk as well (Elizabeth Warren really benefited in my opinion from her discussion with Colbert--those discussions helped us see her as more than a politician).  I look forward to one day meeting her and thanking her for her role in making government more supportive of the people.  Of course, that will have to wait until after this COVID nonsense is well past over.  And, of course, I'm just another old white guy who thrills to see diversity in congress, so likely nothing special in her book.