Meet the first-ever Ghanaian-American to run for U.S. Congress

U.S Democrat, Kojo Asamoa-Caesar is the first Ghanaian-American to be nominated for the U.S Congress in the recent American primaries.

According to a report by New York Times, Mr Asamoa-Caesar polled 34,380 votes which represented a total vote cast of 63.6%. 

On 30 June, 2020, this win made history.

Kojo Asamoa-Caesar also becomes the first-ever first-generation American, first-ever Black person to win nomination, first-ever resident of North Tulsa, and the youngest ever Democratic nominee to run for U.S. Congress.

Asked why he was running for office, he said, “I am running to champion solutions that meet the urgency of our problems.”

“A hundred years ago, this wouldn’t have been possible. But today, because of all of you who exercised your right to vote, and voted for change—this is possible. Change is possible and change is coming. Thank you! Onwards to November!” he said on social media while announcing his landslide victory.

In a post on Instagram, he shared that in representing his district and the Black community present in Oklahoma, he would continue to drive change and invest in growth for his community.

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When the primary election results come in on June 30, were we to win, it would represent a few firsts for a nominee in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District: . . -First ever Black person to win nomination -First ever first-generation American -First ever Ghanaian-American -First ever resident of North Tulsa -Youngest ever Democratic nominee I am well aware that I represent a threat to the established order in Oklahoma—to the status quo, to the way things have always been. A commenter on one of my posts remarked: “I guess we have another Trouble Maker going to run for office. Tulsa doesn’t need anyone else stirring the pot. We have gotten along for too many years now to start trying to ignite trouble.” Well, as civil rights hero, John Lewis, often reminds us: “There’s nothing wrong with getting into some good trouble.” That’s how progress happens. Well behaved people rarely make history. The time has come for us to be more devoted to justice than to unjust “law and order.” We must prefer a positive peace, which is the presence of justice, over a negative peace, which is the absence of tension. Change is happening, because constructive conversations are taking place, on social media and around the kitchen table, and people are paying attention. This moment feels different. In our personal lives we understand that growth happens when we get outside of our comfort zones. The same principle applies to our collective growth as a community. We mustn’t fear nor resist change, because on the other side of it, is everything we’ve ever wanted—an America as good as its promise. #kojoforcongress #changeiscoming

A post shared by Kojo Asamoa-Caesar (@kojoac) on Jun 15, 2020 at 6:53am PDT

Born to a nursing assistant and a taxi driver, the Democratic nominee has always assumed positions that aim for positive impact in society.

While in university, he was elected student body president and founded T.R.U.S.T., an organisation dedicated to developing young adults as positive change agents in their communities.

He also holds a degree from the second oldest Law School in the United States, College of William & Mary.

In 2013, he took a job as Kindergarten teacher under the Teach America Organization and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma after graduation.

With part of his background in education, Mr Asamoa-Caesar later served as the founding principal of Greenwood Leadership Academy, an elementary school in North Tulsa.

Prior to his campaign for Congress, he served as Interim Executive Director at 36 Degrees North, a co-working space that serves as Tulsa’s base camp for entrepreneurs, serving over 500 members representing over 47 different industries.