Saida Omar, a Rochester businesswoman, is running for the Ward 5 Rochester City Council seat.
She’s running to represent Rochester’s increasing ethnic community while also trying to improve the city as a whole, according to her.
“I’m trying to make sure the city is aware that it is expanding and that the population is getting more diverse,” she explained. “I just want to get my foot in the door and see what I can do to serve the community as a minority resident.”
Omar, a Somali immigrant, said she moved to Rochester from Washington, D.C., to receive her father the best medical care possible. Her family saw a need for transportation services for persons with disabilities in the city, so they founded Remjoy Transportation Services, she added.
She said her work and experiences locally have fueled her desire to do more for residents of Rochester.
The filing period for the Nov. 8 council election started Tuesday and will continue throughout the end of the month.