SKOKIE, Ill. (WLS) Bushra Amiwala became the youngest Muslim to hold office in the United States when she was elected to a Skokie school board at age 21. And that s just the start.
Amiwala is a daughter of immigrants and a rising politician. In 2018, she lost a primary race for Cook County Commissioner, but her parents support did not waver. It was her first time running for office.
She said her family has been a continuing source of inspiration for her to move forward, especially her father, who immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan. I just want to do whatever I can to make them proud, to make them know that they made the right decision coming to this country, she said. They made the right decision to move to Skokie. They made the right decision to raise their kids in an environment away from their family, their community, what they were used to because they wanted us to have a better life with more opportunity.