Iman Jodeh
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Iman Mohamad Jodeh
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = ar
| image = Colorado State Senator Iman Jodeh 2025 (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| alt = A woman in glasses and a tan jacket stands at a wooden podium, holding a pen. The background features ornate woodwork.
| caption = Jodeh in 2025
| office = Member of the
Colorado Senate
from the 29th district
| term_start = January 9, 2025
| term_end =
| predecessor = Janet Buckner
| successor =
| state_house1 = Colorado
| district1 = 41st
| term_start1 = January 13, 2021
| term_end1 = January 9, 2025
| predecessor1 = Jovan Melton
| successor1 = Jamie Jackson
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Denver, Colorado, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Democratic
| education = University of Colorado Denver (BA, MPP)
| spouse =
| children =
| residence =
| religion =
| website = {{URL|https://www.imanforcolorado.com/meetiman|Campaign website}}
}}
Iman Mohamad Jodeh is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Colorado Senate from the 29th district. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2020, she is the first Muslim elected to the legislature and assumed office on January 13, 2021. She became a Colorado State Senator on January 9, 2025.
Early life and education
Jodeh was born in Denver, the daughter of Palestinian parents who immigrated to the United States in 1974.{{Cite web|title=Iman Jodeh: The Testimony of a Coloradan Muslim {{!}} History Colorado|url=https://www.historycolorado.org/profile-field/2020/04/15/iman-jodeh-testimony-coloradan-muslim|access-date=2021-01-22|website=www.historycolorado.org}}{{Cite web|title=من هي إيمان جودة.. أول مسلمة في الكونغرنس الأمريكي عن ولاية كولورادو؟|url=https://mena-monitor.org/من-هي-إيمان-جودة-أول-مسلمة-في-الكونغرن/|access-date=2020-11-05|website=مرصد الشرق الاوسط و شمال افريقيا|language=ar}} She grew up in neighboring Aurora, and graduated from Overland High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and history in 2004 and Master of Public Policy from University of Colorado Denver in 2006.{{Cite web |last=DeWind |first=Alex |date=2021-12-18 |title=“A bigger, broader American Dream” – Rep. Iman Jodeh, CU Denver Alum, Encourages Fall 2021 Graduates to Celebrate Achievements, Contribute to a Better World |url=https://news.ucdenver.edu/a-bigger-broader-american-dream-rep-iman-jodeh-cu-denver-alum-encourages-fall-2021-graduates-to-celebrate-achievements-contribute-to-a-better-world/ |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=CU Denver News |language=en-US}}
Career
Jodeh has worked as a community liaison for the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado. In 2008, she founded Meet the Middle East, a non-profit whose mission is to bridge understanding between Americans and what she says is the "most misunderstood region of the world."{{cite web|title=MEET OUR LEADERSHIP|url=https://meetthemiddleeast.org/meet-our-leadership/|access-date=2021-01-22|website=Meet The Middle East|language=en-US}}
Colorado House of Representatives
A member of the Democratic Party, she was elected to represent the 41st district in the Colorado House of Representatives in the 2020 general election, and is the first Muslim lawmaker in the state's history.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-10|title=Iman Jodeh Is Colorado's First-Ever Muslim Lawmaker|url=https://www.5280.com/2020/11/meet-iman-jodeh-colorados-first-ever-muslim-lawmaker/|access-date=2021-01-22|website=5280|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=GOODLAND|first=MARIANNE|date=|title=Meet Iman Jodeh, Colorado's first Muslim and Palestinian-American lawmaker|url=https://gazette.com/news/meet-iman-jodeh-colorados-first-muslim-and-palestinian-american-lawmaker/article_48b3fc20-55c7-11eb-8749-a7c470b084e4.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-22|website=Colorado Springs Gazette|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Luckey|first=Avicra|date=18 February 2021|title=What's in a name? Colorado State Rep. Iman Mohamad Jodeh|url=https://www.9news.com/article/news/community/voices-of-change/whats-in-a-name-rep-iman-mohamad-jodeh-colorado/73-c7e867e1-ae32-4db9-918f-9f4298864185|access-date=2021-12-10|website=9news.com|language=en-US}} The district includes part of Aurora in Arapahoe County. In the election, she defeated her Republican opponent, winning 65.86% of the vote.{{cite web|author=|date=2020-11-05|title=State representative — District 41|url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/105975/web.264614/#/detail/541|access-date=2020-11-05|website=Colorado election results, November 3, 2020 general election|publisher=Colorado Secretary of State|quote=}} During the 2021 legislative session, Jodeh co-sponsored a healthcare bill (Colorado Option) that would later be passed aimed at creating affordable standardized health insurance.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Faith |last2= |first2= |last3= |date=17 June 2021 |title=Polis signs Colorado Option bill into law, along with bill meant to reduce prescription drug prices |url=https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/polis-signs-colorado-option-bill-into-law-along-with-bill-meant-to-reduce-prescription-drug-prices/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Colorado Newsline |language=en-US}} Jodeh sponsored a successful bill that created the Colorado Office of New Americans within the Colorado's Department of Labor and Employment. The office's stated purpose is to help immigrants and new residents integrate into their new communities and function as a resource for state leaders and community members.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=28 June 2021 |title=Office of New Americans to help integration and Colorado’s economy |url=https://www.csbj.com/news/office-of-new-americans-to-help-integration-and-colorado-s-economy/article_2bee17f0-d831-11eb-8b43-6fcfbe4eb8b6.html |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=Colorado Springs Business Journal |language=en}}
In the 2022 Colorado House of Representatives election, Jodeh was re-elected to represent the 41st district.{{Cite web |date=8 November 2022 |title=Colorado State House - District 41 Election Results {{!}} Journal Sentinel |url=https://www.jsonline.com/elections/results/race/2022-11-08-state_house-CO-6354/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=www.jsonline.com |language=en}} On November 12, 2022, Jodeh was selected as majority co-whip of the state House.{{Cite web |last=Birkeland |first=Bente |date=12 November 2022 |title=Colorado’s new Democratic leaders are more diverse than ever, most are women |url=https://www.cpr.org/2022/11/12/colorado-new-democratic-leaders-diverse-women/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Colorado Public Radio |language=en}}
Jodeh's political policies include working on access to healthcare (including mental health), jobs, protecting civil rights, affordable housing, and education.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-14 |title=Colorado State House District 41 candidate Q&A |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2022/10/14/colorado-state-house-district-41-candidate-questionnaire-2022/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=The Denver Post |language=en-US}}
Jodeh served in the Colorado House of Representatives until January 9, 2025, at which point she was appointed to fill the vacancy in the Colorado Senate left by the resignation of Senator Janet Buckner.
Colorado Senate
On November 21, 2024, State Senator Janet Buckner announced that she would resign from the Colorado State Senate effective January 9, 2025, one day after the start of the 75th General Assembly.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-25 |title=Another Colorado state senator announces their resignation just after winning reelection to a four-year term |url=https://coloradosun.com/2024/11/21/janet-buckner-resigns-colorado-legislature/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=The Colorado Sun |language=en-US}} On January 6, 2025, a vacancy committee selected Jodeh to fill the seat left vacant beginning January 9, 2025.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-06 |title=Arapahoe County Democrats choose Rep Iman Jodeh to replace District 29 Sen. Janet Buckner |url=https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/democratic-vacancy-committee-chose-rep-jodeh/article_2a560136-cc94-11ef-aba3-87d3b65d3b7b.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Colorado Politics |language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.imanforcolorado.com/meetiman Campaign website]
- [https://ballotpedia.org/Iman_Jodeh Ballotpedia Page]
{{Colorado Senate}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jodeh, Iman}}
Category:American politicians of Palestinian descent
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Democratic Party members of the Colorado House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Colorado General Assembly
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Politicians from Aurora, Colorado
Category:Muslims from Colorado