South Asians For America Endorses Steven Olikara in WI and Reema Rasool in NY

India-West Staff Reporter

WASHINGTON, DC – South Asians for America, has endorsed two Indian American candidates: Steven Olikara of WI, an entrepreneur, and a nonprofit leader who is running for the U.S. Senate and Reema Rasool, a social entrepreneur, and community organizer who is contesting a Congressional seat from NY.

Olikara  is the first South Asian to qualify on the ballot for the Senate in Wisconsin and the only South Asian in a competitive primary nationwide, SAFA noted. The candidate brings federal legislative experience to this race as the founder and former CEO of the Millennial Action Project (MAP), the largest nonpartisan organization of young elected officials in the country. Through MAP, he trained over 2,000 elected leaders and built diverse coalitions to pass forward-thinking legislation on issues ranging from investing in clean energy and entrepreneurship to countering gun violence and ending partisan gerrymandering. 

The Wisconsin Democratic primaries are scheduled for August 9, and 8 candidates are vying to get the party’s endorsement. He attended Wisconsin public schools and graduated from the University of Wisconsin.

Rasool, SAFA said, is the first South Asian, first woman of color, and first Muslim woman on the ballot to represent New York’s 3rd Congressional District. The primaries are scheduled for August 23and six candidates are vying for the Democratic Party endorsement including Navjot Kaur.

A lifelong New Yorker, Rasool has a bachelor’s degree from New York University and is an entrepreneur, founder of the non-profit trade association, SAY WE and a mother of two.