Co-Chair, Green Party of the United States
(elected August 2009)
Farheen Hakeem has participated in the Green Party since 2002, knocking on doors for a Green Party endorsed gubernatorial candidate. In 2004, she was campaign manager for a congressional candidate that received about 6 percent of the vote (approx. 18,000). Farheen ran for Mayor of Minneapolis in 2005, being the only Green endorsed candidate ever in the race. Of the 12 candidates in the race, Farheen was the only woman, where she finished in 3rd place. The following year, Farheen ran for Hennepin County Commissioner where she earned 30 percent of cast votes (approx. 17,000). At that time a documentary was filmed about the campaign, which received a Student Emmy Award.
In 2007, Farheen Hakeem was elected as a GPUS delegate and was one of the founding members of Minnesotans for McKinney. Farheen left the group however to run for State Representative where she came in second earning 30 percent of the vote, while the Democrat received 60 percent and the Republican received only 10 percent. Currently, Farheen Hakeem is a campaign manager for Jeanine Estimé, Green Party endorsed candidate for City Council. Farheen recruited 2 out of the 6 candidates for city elections this year, both of which are people of color and one of which is a woman.
Farheen Hakeem was elected as Co-chair to the National Green Party in August of 2009, making her the highest-ranking Muslim woman political officer in any political party in the United States.