St. Louis Park Mayor Nadia Mohamed has fired back at critics who criticized her recent trip to Somalia during the country's 250th anniversary weekend. The trip sparked controversy after photos and video of Mohamed's visit with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud surfaced, showing her arrival with a large welcoming party waving American and Somali flags.
Mohamed addressed the criticism in a video posted to her social media accounts, saying she was apologizing for "having the audacity" to take vacation time to see family members she hadn't seen in 10 years. She sarcastically apologized for utilizing the federal holiday to visit her grandmothers, saying she was "so sorry" for being inconsiderate and treacherous.
Mohamed also brought up a previous meeting she had with a president, though she didn't specify which country, saying it was unfairly ignored by the press. She vowed to "do better next time" and to be more forthcoming about her personal trips in the future.
The city of St. Louis Park has confirmed that Mohamed's trip was personal and privately funded, and unrelated to city business. However, the city did not provide a return date for the mayor, saying only that Council Member Yolanda Farris is currently performing the mayor's duties as designated mayor pro tem.
Mohamed concluded her video by calling the complaints about her trip "bullying," saying it was an attempt to generate "clicks" off the backs of "hating" Somali people. She argued that the minute Somali people are mentioned, the critics' views and clicks increase.
The controversy surrounding Mohamed's trip has highlighted the complexities of navigating cultural identity and public office, particularly for individuals from diverse backgrounds. As the first Somali American elected mayor of a U.S. city, Mohamed's personal and professional life is subject to intense scrutiny.
