# Jamal Osman (Jamaal Cismaan)

> Jamal Osman: Somali-born Minneapolis council member for Ward 6, vice president since 2026.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/jamal-osman/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Who is he?

Jamal Osman is an American politician in Minnesota's Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party who has served on the Minneapolis City Council for Ward 6 since 2020 ([Wikipedia, Jamal Osman (politician)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamal_Osman_(politician))). Ward 6 includes Cedar-Riverside, Elliot Park, Stevens Square, much of Phillips and part of Seward (same source). He was born in Somalia, grew up in refugee camps in Kenya, and arrived in the United States at 14, living in public housing (same source). See [Somalis in Minneapolis–St Paul](/en/diaspora/minneapolis-st-paul/).

## Before office

He worked as a resident advocate for CommonBond Communities, an affordable housing non-profit, and as a community organiser on housing, education and social services in the East African community ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamal_Osman_(politician))).

## City Council

He won a special election on 11 August 2020, succeeding Abdi Warsame, and was re-elected in 2021, 2023 (48.3% after ranked-choice counting) and 2025 (58.7% in the first round) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamal_Osman_(politician))). In January 2026 the council elected him vice president, and he chairs the Business, Housing and Zoning committee (same source). Wikipedia notes that questions were raised in 2020 over a Maplewood address he had used (same source).

## In short

A former refugee who now helps lead the Minneapolis City Council.

---
I want to help with this: email hello@calankii.com. Fix this page: email hello@calankii.com with the page link and your source.