Celebrating Pride Month: Ahmad Zahra, first openly gay Muslim to be elected to office in US

Ahmad Zahra, born and raised in Syria, is the first openly gay Muslim to be elected to office in the United States.  He was a tight race to win a seat on the Fullerton City Council, representing District 5 November 2018.  He ran on a platform of eliminating child poverty.  Other issues were environmental preservation and revitalizing Fullerton's economy.

He lives with Miguel, his partner of 15 years (probably 17 now)

Celebrating Pride Month: Rosemary Ketchum, first openly transgender elected official In West Virginia

Rosemary Ketchum, an openly transgender woman, won a seat on the Wheeling City Council earlier this week, making her the first to be elected in West Virginia.

She said her platform was not based on  her gender, but focused on affordable housing and opioid addiction.  She is one of 27 openly transgender officials in the United States.

Celebrating Pride Month: James Cooper, first openly gay OKC Councilman

James Cooper was sworn in April 2019 as Oklahoma City's first openly gay city councilman.  He had previously served on OKC's transportation board and campaigned to expand public transit.  Mayor David Holt welcomed Cooper who was 37 at the time as bringing in "new energy". 

Celebrating Black History Month: Andrea Jenkins, first African-American transgender woman elected to public office

Andrea Jenkins, born 1961 in Chicago, Illinois, is the first African-American transgender woman to be elected to public office in the U.S.  She attended the University of Minnesota and afterwards was hired by the Hennepin County government where she worked for ten years.

She worked as an aide for Robert Lilligren who sat on the Minneapolis City Council for four years.  Then she went to work for Elizabeth Glidden when she was elected to the city council.  When Glidden announced she would not run for reelection, Jenkins announced she would run to represent Minneapolis' 8th Ward on the city council.  She won the election on November 7, 2017 with more than 70% of the vote.