Who is Nabeela Syed, the 23-year-old Indian-American who made history in US midterms?

A 23-year-old woman has made history in the US midterms by becoming the youngest woman ever elected to the Illinois Assembly.Indian-American Nabeela Syed, a Democrat, handily defeated Republican incumbent Chris Bos in the 8 November election for the 51^st district in the Illinois State House.Syed on Wednesday took to Twitter to introduce herself to the wider public.But who is Syed? What do we know about her?Let’s take a closer look:According to her campaign website, Syed, a Muslim, was born in Palatine.She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Political Science and Business Administration.Also read: Desi crisp, videshi filling: It is raining 'samosas' in the US midtermsShe also served as the president of a pro-bono consulting organisation assisting local businesses and non-profits at the University of California.She has previously worked with a variety of organisations, including EMILY’s List to raise money to elect Democrats to Congress. She currently works for a non-profit in digital strategy supporting a variety of their civic engagement efforts including voter mobilisation, ending sexual assault on college campuses, and promoting gender equity.According to her campaign website, Syed a has been an active voice for her community, especially those who are underserved and underrepresented in government institutions.She recently served as the Campaign Manager for current Township High School District 211 School Board Member Tim Mc Gowan — a campaign that emphasised the values of accountability, community, and equity in our schools.

Syed has also served as a mentor for youth as a high school debate coach.

She is also active in her religious community at the Islamic Society of Northwest Suburbs and is a strong advocate for promoting interfaith dialogue and empowering young Muslim women to lead.Her campaignAs per The Quint, Syed defeated  Chelsea Laiberte Barnes to win her party’s nomination for the seat in June.Syed during her campaign vowed to advocate for issues such as healthcare, education, taxes, and equal rights.Her campaign website says Nabeela has worked to advance progressive causes on the local and national level by knocking on doors to help elect Democrats in Schaumburg and Palatine, organising Asian-American voters to flip Senate seats in Georgia.A slew of Indian-American candidates have now been elected to prominent positions during the 2022 midterms.

In the US House of Representatives alone there are now five Indian-origin members.

Indeed, there is now a ‘Samosa caucus’ –  an informal grouping of Indian-American lawmakers who are either part of the House of Representatives or the Senate.The term was coined by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi to give credence to the growing number of “desi” lawmakers in the US Congress.While the caucus itself is relatively new, its purpose is the same as that of any other Congressional caucus – to pursue common legislative objectives, as per The Times of India.With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.