Fostering Belonging: Jamal Osman’s Record on Immigration and Inclusion
Fostering Belonging: Jamal Osman’s Record on Immigration and Inclusion
October 12, 2025 - Minneapolis, MN
When Jamal Osman arrived in Minnesota as a Somali teenager, his family’s first home was public housing. He remembers translating for neighbors, helping them fill out forms, and learning firsthand how local policy affected daily life. Those early experiences shaped how he sees public service today - not as politics, but as a responsibility to open doors for others.
As the City Council Member for Ward 6, Jamal represents the heart of Minneapolis’s immigrant story - from Cedar-Riverside to Phillips West and Seward. With growing East African and Latino communities, Ward 6 is home to families who contribute to the city’s economy, culture, and civic life every day, yet still face barriers to opportunity. Jamal’s work centers on breaking those barriers, protecting families, and ensuring every resident feels seen, supported, and included.
Key Results
- Defended Minneapolis’s sanctuary city protections and separation rules
- Helped immigrant businesses recover with grants and vending reforms
- Expanded language access and city services for immigrant residents
- Brought immigrant voices directly into city policymaking
Championing the East African Cultural District and Local Businesses
Ward 6 includes the East African Cultural District, one of seven cultural districts established by the City of Minneapolis to uplift communities of color and immigrant neighborhoods through targeted investment. Jamal continues to champion this district as a foundation for economic growth and cultural pride - a place where the city invests in immigrant-owned businesses, community spaces, and the next generation of entrepreneurs.
He regularly promotes local businesses and events. He has co-hosted the East African Business Resource Fair during Minneapolis Black Business Week and works year-round with business associations to connect small business owners with lenders, training programs, and city departments. His office also supports ongoing efforts to improve storefront access, pedestrian safety, and public art that reflects neighborhood culture.
“The East African Cultural District shows what inclusion looks like - when we invest in immigrant neighborhoods, we invest in the future of our city.”
– CM Jamal Osman
Why this matters:
Supporting immigrant-owned businesses builds generational wealth, creates good jobs, and helps prevent displacement, keeping neighborhood economies strong and rooted in community identity.
Opening Doors for Immigrant Entrepreneurs
In 2025, Jamal voted in support of the Sidewalk Cart Ordinance, which modernized the city’s vending rules to give more flexibility to food-cart operators across Minneapolis. For many immigrant entrepreneurs, especially those from East African and Latino backgrounds, food carts are a first step into business ownership - a chance to build stability and independence.
Since its passage, Jamal has continued working with city staff and vendors to ensure the new ordinance delivers on its promise. He promotes the program through community meetings and visits with small business owners who are taking advantage of the expanded opportunities.
“For so many new Americans, a food cart is the first step toward owning a business. Our job as a city is to clear barriers and make success possible.”
– CM Jamal Osman
Why this matters:
Lowering barriers for small vendors helps families earn income, share their culture through food, and contribute to the vibrancy of city life, making Ward 6’s economy as diverse and dynamic as its people.
Defending Sanctuary Protections and Separation Rules
Jamal continues to defend Minneapolis’s sanctuary framework, including separation rules that prevent city staff from asking about immigration status or assisting in federal enforcement. He meets with community leaders and service providers to address concerns, and he uses his role on the Council to ensure city policy and practice reflect these protections so families can access services without fear.
Why this matters:
Clear, enforced protections build trust, keep families together, and ensure every resident can report issues, get help, and participate in community life without intimidation.
Expanding Language Access and City Services
For thousands of residents in Ward 6, English is not their first language - yet critical city services, notices, and applications often rely on it. Jamal has worked to change that.
During the 2024 city budget process, he co-sponsored a Language Access Resource Pilot to strengthen Minneapolis’s Language Access Plan, funding more translation and interpretation services across departments. He also supported additional funding for the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA), which connects residents to housing, employment, and legal aid.
Jamal continues to monitor and support the expansion of language access resources to make sure residents receive city information - from public-safety alerts to rental notices - in the languages they speak at home.
“Language should never be a barrier to opportunity or respect. When everyone can understand and participate, we build real trust.”
– CM Jamal Osman
Why this matters:
Expanding language access gives residents the tools to navigate city systems, advocate for themselves, and be full participants in community life.
Connecting East African Residents to City Jobs
Jamal knows that inclusion also means representation - seeing neighbors reflected in the city’s workforce. Since organizing a Public Safety Career Fair in Cedar-Riverside in 2022, he has continued working with city departments to diversify recruitment and connect East African residents to public-service jobs.
These efforts have opened doors in departments such as Police, Fire, and 911 dispatch, where more multilingual and culturally competent staff help bridge gaps in understanding. Jamal continues to encourage city leaders to expand these outreach programs to include maintenance, IT, and public works positions as well.
“Representation matters. When our city workforce reflects our neighborhoods, we create safety and trust that lasts.”
– CM Jamal Osman
Why this matters:
When city departments reflect the communities they serve, it builds lasting trust, improves service delivery, and strengthens public safety across the city.
Supporting Immigrant Renters and Families
Ward 6 has one of Minneapolis’s largest immigrant-renter populations - families who often face unsafe conditions or language barriers when dealing with landlords. Jamal has made housing stability a priority, supporting policies such as the Renters Rights Mandatory Disclosure Ordinance, which requires landlords to provide clear information about rights and responsibilities.
His office continues to work with partners such as Legal Aid, HOME Line, and Arrive Ministries to host multilingual housing workshops and outreach events. These sessions provide direct connections to inspectors and tenant-support organizations, with interpretation in Somali, Oromo, and Spanish to ensure every resident can access help and understand their rights.
“Every family deserves a safe home and the knowledge to protect it. Empowering renters means empowering communities.”
– CM Jamal Osman
Why this matters:
When immigrant renters know their rights and can access resources in their own language, they’re better equipped to stay housed, report unsafe conditions, and build stronger neighborhoods.
Building Community Through Action
For Jamal, inclusion isn’t a slogan - it’s a daily practice rooted in his own journey. From expanding economic opportunity to breaking down language barriers, his record shows years of showing up, listening, and leading with compassion.
He continues to collaborate with community leaders, faith organizations, and city partners to identify gaps in services and push for equitable policies. He brings immigrant voices directly into city policymaking through regular forums, advisory meetings, and neighborhood walk-throughs - making sure solutions are shaped with the people most affected.
“I know what it means to feel unseen or unheard. My work is to make sure every neighbor has the chance to succeed - no matter where they were born.”
– CM Jamal Osman
Why this matters:
Ward 6 represents what’s possible when a city embraces its diversity - not as a challenge to manage, but as its greatest source of strength.
Explore City Resources
City of Minneapolis Resources for Immigrant Residents
Residents can find city programs, translation services, and community resources at:
Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs
Language Access Services
Tenant and Housing Resources
Small Business Support
The Impact of Jamal’s Vision
From defending sanctuary protections and uplifting immigrant-owned businesses to expanding language access, creating job opportunities, and strengthening renter protections, Jamal Osman’s record reflects a deep, hands-on commitment to inclusion. His work shows that when policy meets compassion, every neighbor benefits.
Rank Jamal Osman #1 - because belonging and progress go hand in hand.
Learn more: jamalosman.org
Media Inquiries: info@jamalosman.org