Jamal Osman (politician)

Jamal Osman is a Somali-American politician in Minnesota's Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. In August 2020, he was elected to the Minneapolis City Council to represent the city's 6th Ward.

Early life
Osman was born in Somalia and was a refugee in Kenya before coming to the United States when he was 14. After arriving in Minnesota, he lived in public housing.

Career
Osman is a social services worker and has worked as a resident advocate for the non-profit CommonBond Communities. He has also served on the board of the Phillips Community Clinic.

Minneapolis City Council
A special municipal election was held on August 11, 2020, for Ward 6's vacant seat. The previous councilmember, Abdi Warsame, resigned from the seat in March 2020 to head the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. The special election occurred after the George Floyd protests and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Osman said he would address the opioid crisis and advocated for access to affordable housing. Osman defeated 10 other candidates in the race and was sworn into office on August 28, 2020.

As of January 2024, Osman serves as the chair of the Business, Housing & Zoning Committee.

Personal life
Osman is married to Ilo Amba, the founder of the non-profit organization Urban Advantage Services. The couple has five children. According to Osman, the family has resided in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood, but questions arose about Osman having had a Maplewood, Minnesota, residential address during his 2020 city council campaign.

 Homophobic and antisemitic Facebook posts 

In 2022, Jamal Osman issued an apology for making antisemitic and anti-gay comments on Facebook between 2011 and 2013. The posts referred to Israelis as "dogs" and expressed support for Hitler. Osman also advocated for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and made derogatory remarks about Jews and non-Muslims. In response to the revelations, Osman apologized and disavowed his comments, stating that they do not reflect his current beliefs and values. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey criticized Osman's comments as divisive and dangerous and expressed forgiveness while emphasizing the need for recognizing common humanity and repairing harm caused. Osman's wife's connections to a child nutrition program implicated in fraud were also reported. Osman faces difficulties in his 2023 re-election campaign due to these controversies. Another candidate, Abdirizak Bihie, who has publicly condemned gay marriage, is running for the same seat.