Meet: Ajmeri Hoque
Located in central Ohio, the city of Dublin has one of the highest AAPI populations in the state. But currently there are countless large decisions being made without acknowledging the well-being or existence of this vast population by an entirely white city council. The fact that many folks of color are not being actively included in local politics is disappointing, but unfortunately not surprising. Ajmeri Hoque seeks to change all that. By running for Dublin City Council Ward 1 , Ajmeri hopes to channel her energy into initiatives to provide better language accessibility, promote inclusion and improve quality of life for all citizens of Dublin, especially those east of the river.
For Hoque this political drive has been years in the making, but feels all the more urgent now. She shares, “I think I need to set an example not just for my child but... also for South Asian women everywhere. I’m the first generation of Bangladeshis that came to this country and I was part of the first generation who went to college, I was part of the first generation to go to law school… I want other people who look like me to run.” Ajmeri would be only the second Bangladeshi woman to be elected to office in the US.
Pushing back against the imposter syndrome that many women, especially women of color face when running for office, Ajmeri says, “I feel like if I don’t run now it’s never going to happen.” She shares she feels an exciting shift in Dublin politics where people are more willing to outwardly support candidates who reflect themselves and to take a stand. This past year, full of unstable and chaotic politics, has made it more evident than ever that representation serves as a catalyst of change in and of itself. When candidates like Hoque are able to provide firsthand accounts and lived experiences we move closer to a truly representative democracy where elected officials are able to share the desires and perspectives of the people they are representing. Hoque hopes to give power back to the people to ensure their voices are heard, valued and all are welcomed in her community.
Check out the replay of our livestreamed interview with Ajmeri and Mikayla Lee of LEAD Ohio!
This candidate storytelling project is a collaborative campaign of Ohio Women’s Alliance Action Fund and LEAD Ohio working to uplift the voices of women of color around the state working to better their communities through electoral pathways .Ohio Women’s Alliance Action Fund and LEAD Ohio are nonpartisan 501c4 nonprofit organizations registered with the IRS. This storytelling project is an effort to uplift women candidates running across the state of Ohio regardless of political affiliation. We reserve the right to interview or not interview applicants based on their alignment with our policy platform and organizational values. Interviews and blog posts are not representative of an organizational endorsement. If you are interested in sharing your story, please submit this form.