Mazahir Salih announced she will try to make a return to the Iowa City City Council in this year’s election.

Salih previously served a full term on the city council from 2018-21 and was elected to the position of Mayor Pro Tem from 2020-21. Her election to this seat made her the first Sudanese-American official elected to public office in the U.S.

After stepping away from the council following her first term, Salih said she has been called back to the realm of public service this election cycle and is now running for an at-large seat.

Other than serving as a city councilor, Salih has been involved in several local organizations. In the past, Salih founded the Center for Worker Justice in 2012, serving as an executive director and the Sudanese-American Women and Children Organization.

Her other involvements include the Black Voices Project, Iowa City’s Downtown District Association, Iowa City’s Community Police Review Board, and more. Salih is currently involved in the Iowa City Free Medical Clinic and the Immigrant Welcome Network of Johnson County.

In an interview with The Daily Iowan, Salih said her main focuses when she was on the city council were economic development, affordable housing, and transportation, and she said she helped the council make progress on these items.

For example, Salih said she helped the city council bring the 2019-2020 Iowa City Area Transit Study to fruition, which has been used to make changes and improvements to local public transit.

Along with those goals, Salih said she wants to build upon past work by the council and use her own experiences to make the city more equitable and inclusive. 

“As one of the few Black voices on the city council, I bring a unique perspective that enriches our discussion,” Salih said. “I am committed to represent and advocate for all of the voices and the concerns for all Iowa City residents and underrepresented communities.”