In 2019, Bushra Amiwala, then 21, was elected to the Skokie School District Board of Education in Illinois, making her the first Gen Z elected official in the United States. Now, after seven years of service and an MBA from Northwestern University under her belt, 27-year-old Amiwala is ready for her next challenge: running for Congress.
As part of what she tells Her Campus is the next “natural step” in her political career, Amiwala is running for the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Illinois’s 9th Congressional District, a seat being vacated by longtime Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky. The Democratic primary is set for March 2026, with the general election taking place on November 3, 2026. “As someone who was really involved in nonprofit work, for me, running for public office was the next thing to make a long-term tangible change,” Amiwala tells Her Campus exclusively when asked why she first got into politics. “The best way to do that is through public policy.”
Amiwala grew up Muslim and is the daughter of immigrants — identities that have deeply shaped her outlook on politics. “Something I take from my faith is two things that are in my control: my intentions and my effort,” Amiwala says. “Those are the two things I will control in my campaign — whether it be the policy platform I have or the issues I choose to prioritize. Coupled with my effort, I will put in everything I possibly can to do the best I can.”
As a young candidate, Amiwala is no stranger to criticism, as she acknowledges that some have called her “inexperienced” or “opportunistic,” or others simply make assumptions about what she stands for. “I think a lot of people wanted to say what I represented in their words prior to me saying them myself,” she says.
Amiwala thinks the current political climate may have something to do with that. Just like when she first ran for office, Amiwala is campaigning amid a Donald Trump presidency — a fact she believes has a strong bearing on how she’s perceived as a candidate. “The administration at the national level — it does set the tone for the way people talk to each other,” she says. “It sets the tone for the way people consume media. It sets the tone for the way people cast their vote in inadvertent and subconscious ways.”
However, the current political climate is also a huge reason why she’s stepping up — to Amiwala, the stakes are too high to stay on the sidelines. “The fact that we’re in another Trump administration, the fact that all of our rights at a human level are at stake, the fact that our taxpayer dollars are being misused and mismanaged in ways that we as individuals do not abide by — I think this generation is being failed by current leaders, especially considering the nuance behind the issues young people are facing today,” she says.
Amiwala credits much of her past success to surrounding herself with mentors and allies — something she plans to continue in Congress if elected. “To me, success — even the first year — would look like building allies and coalitions within the Democratic Party,” Amiwala says. She says she’d love to be affiliated with the Squad, a group of progressive Democratic members of Congress which originally included Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib, though others have since joined (meaning there certainly could be room for Amiwala).
Staying grounded in her roots also remains a top priority. “I want to make sure I’m very present in my district,” she says. “I want to make sure people know exactly who I am. I want people to be able to say they’ve met me, and that’s how they know who I am and can speak well of me.”
As a proud Gen Z candidate, Amiwala is calling on her generation to get involved as well — whether that means running for office or simply showing up by signing witness slips, volunteering for campaigns, writing to elected officials, or even just talking to your reps.
Amiwala also wants young people to know that their perceived shortcomings can actually be their greatest assets. “Your strengths are what you think are your weaknesses,” she says. “The differences that you hold mean you have a different perspective to offer. That is your unique ability and superpower to get involved.”