I came to the U.S. when I was three years old with my family, after the outbreak of a civil war in Somalia. One of our first ports of entry into America was at Sea-Tac Airport. Similar to many families, we came to the United States to build a better life and contribute to our new home.
I grew up watching my mother juggle her job at Sea-Tac Airport, her job as a daycare provider, and her home responsibilities. When I was 15, I started working as an elementary school tutor through Team Read and working at our local businesses to help my family make ends meet.
I also grew up hearing about the challenges my father faced as a trucker, especially when a workplace injury left him with 50% vision and multiple broken bones, making access to quality healthcare a constant struggle. My parents’ experiences taught me firsthand the importance of advocating for policies that ensure working people have access to the resources they need to thrive.
Throughout my life, I have had cousins who worked at the Port of Seattle facilities. As a kid, I would go with them to the port parking lots near the terminals—T-18 and T-25—where I would sit in the trucks they drove and hear about their work. I was fascinated by the massive operations and the hard work that kept everything moving. Those same cousins still work at the port today, and I often hear about the financial difficulties they face, especially with the impact of trade wars.
For me, this is a daily reminder of the real-world consequences of the decisions made at our ports and the importance of prioritizing people—putting workers first.
The experiences of my family—my mother’s jobs at Sea-Tac, my father’s life as a truck driver, and my cousins’ work at the Port of Seattle facilities—have given me a deep understanding of the everyday challenges faced by working people, especially those who keep our ports running both locally and globally.
Today, I have dedicated my life to public service, advocating for small businesses and working families at the local and federal levels. I live in South King County with my husband, and we are both University of Washington graduates, now raising our son in the region we love. I’m a proud aunty and mentor to dozens of young people, and I’m working hard to protect their generation’s future and beyond.
In addition to my work at the Port, I serve as a Department Director for the City of Seattle where I am responsible for implementing policies, overseeing programs, and managing budgets to serve the city’s residents.
Prior to my time at the city, I served as policy advisor to King County Executive Dow Constantine and implemented internal and external policies, including training development for over 15,000 county employees. Also, I advise on the County’s $12 billion budget and manage initiatives that invest millions in small businesses, community organizations. I also served as the Deputy District Director for U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, helping small- and medium-size businesses navigate the impacts of new public policies. Prior to that, I worked for CARE International and the Refugee Women Alliance in roles dedicated to fighting poverty and empowering communities.
Hamdi and her husband, Daud Ali
Hamdi and Daud handing out items at the Federal Way testing site. A friend took the picture.c
PORT PRIORITIES
As Port Commissioner my priorities include:
Economic development to make the Port more competitive and create local jobs;
Economic advancement for workers, including workforce development programs that improve pathways to living wage careers, improve diversity, and bring young people into training and apprenticeship programs;
Small business development, including prioritizing family and locally owned vendors at Sea-Tac, and support for neighboring businesses, local contractors and suppliers, and entrepreneurs in related industries;
Environmental justice and climate action by expanding the Port’s role in reducing toxic pollution and promoting renewable energy; and
Reducing the impact of aircraft noise and pollution on our neighbors.
As the only Port Commissioner living in South King County and representing the neighborhoods around the airport, I am a strong voice for these communities and play a unique role advocating for working people in and around Port facilities.
At the Port, I have the opportunity to serve on a variety of internal and external committees and working groups. My current Port assignments include:
