New Somali-American mayor in Maine hopes to be an inspiration for young refugees
Deqa Dhalac was sworn in as the new mayor of South Portland on Dec. 6, 2021. (Rebecca Conley/ Maine Public)
Deqa Dhalac was sworn in Monday as the new mayor of South Portland, Maine, making her one of the first Somali-American mayors in the country.
Dhalac was first elected to the South Portland City Council three years ago, but has long worked in community-building roles: as an activist, social worker, and currently, as the family engagement and cultural responsiveness specialist for the Maine Department of Education. She’s lived in South Portland for more than a decade, following stints in Lewiston and Atlanta after emigrating to the U.S. from Somalia in 1992.
Her new role has limited power beyond the normal duties of a city councilor, but it does include facilitating meetings and handling ceremonial duties. And Dhalac hopes that her presence as a public face of the city can lead younger generations of immigrants and refugees to run for office.
“Kids who are coming from refugee camps can look at me and say, if she did it, I can do it. So that’s the other reason I’m doing this public service — so our communities and young people can step up and do the same thing that we’re doing,” she said.