Speak up, Kenyan-born US politician tells young people

Her family immigrated to the United States when she was just nine years old, but Huldah Momanyi Hiltsley has never even for a minute forgotten about her motherland Kenya.

“I miss the Kenyan sun and food. I love my ugali and that says a lot about my love for this country,” she says lightly during an interview with People Daily in Nairobi.

Just over a month ago, Huldah made history by becoming the first-ever Kenyan-born immigrant to be elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Democrat elected on the Farmers-Labour Party, she will be representing District 38A.

The representative-elect jetted into Kenya on Tuesday for an eight-day tour, and she was met with jubilation by family, friends, relatives and politicians.

“The feeling of coming back home is so surreal. I’m still in awe of the reception that I have received. I wasn’t expecting this,” she says.

“As somebody who comes from a very humble beginning to be able to be accorded the courtesies I have been accorded is definitely humbling.”

Huldah says it has taken the grace of God for to be where she is.

“This is so because nobody from my village was expected to be anything. I didn’t come from a background of luxury and money or status,” she says.

“My grandfather passed away when my father was just five years old and in the context of the Kenyan culture that we live in, having your father pass away when you are at that young age and having your mum raise nine kids in a very male-dominated society was tough.

“But my dad was that one person that my grandmother Milcah really fought to educate. So, he went to India finished from there and then went to the USA and everything else is history.”

Culture shock

Looking back at her journey, she sees God’s hand in each step she has been able to take. Huldah says when she looks back, she realises that it took a village to raise her and that everything that happened back then, even if she was just a little girl and the magnitude of some of the happenings, she sees that it was God who was orchestrating all that.

She says: “Maybe this moment is part of a bigger story that we do not even know about. People have their perceptions of, ‘You can be the president’, which I can’t under the Constitution of the United States, but my leadership experiences and how I’m have been shaped up by how grew up and how my parents raised us.”

Huldah started her education at Kisii Primary School, and then joined St Anne’s Primary School, Mumias, in Kakamega county, before relocating with her family to the US. She is now a data governance expert, but says her passion for the community is unparalleled, especially the marginalised who can’t afford a voice for themselves. She says it’s this passion that gave her the drive to run for office.

Coming from a country that was not as advanced as the US, she had culture shock about how things are run there, especially the education system.

“The education in the US is meant to allow the students to think critically, explore and apply themselves. Here [in Kenya], I feel like it’s about memorising everything so that you could pass that one particular test,” she says.

“Allowing somebody to think critically allows them to be innovative, and that’s why you see a lot of innovation coming from the US, because they know the value of critical thinking. So, I had to adjust.”

She says her parents (both teachers) were very instrumental in talking about giving back and that’s how she found herself in leadership roles.

“I really never saw myself as a politician, especially in the American context, because not a lot of us are in those spaces of power and so you don’t see yourself actually running and even winning a race. So, why even bother,” she offers.

‘Protect democracy’

But it was during her community work that she found spaces to rally behind the African-American community and lobby leaders about them. It was around 2020/21 that she gave it a serious thought to run for an office.

Huldah says young people are not given enough credit.

She says: “If we can create an environment and invite those young people, you’d be shocked and amazed about the amount of creativity that comes out of them.

“So I encourage young people, especially girls, to be authentic to themselves, and know that they are valued and worth it. Be consistent … Don’t try to conform to the next trend, because all these trends come and go.

“You don’t have to come from a place of wealth, influence or power to be somebody. All you need is to be true to who you are, your consistence, not afraid to put in the work. Be an influence in the sphere of your community.”

She encourages young people not to be afraid to speak up, especially on the matters that concern them.

“Continue speaking the truth and holding your leaders to account and protect your democracy. Kenya has been a beacon of hope in East Africa and the African continent,” she says.

“Kenya, in general, compared with other countries in Africa, has always had that optimism of opportunity. So, how can you protect your democracy? Go out and vote for the right leaders come 2027,” says the married mother of two.

She sought to allay fears that with the election of Donald Trump as president of US, Kenyan immigrants will be deported in droves. She says that everything Trump can do must be in accordance to the law.

“All we can do is prepare for [what’s coming] in terms of what are our rights under the law and keep him accountable for that. And that’s the beauty of American democracy,” she says.

“No matter who you are, we will hold you accountable in accordance with the law in Minnesota. We are working closely with our attorney general, just in case he [Trump] passes some crazy policies at the federal level. We have our sovereignty as a state to protect our citizens and residents.”