Samina Mahmood, a secondary school supply teacher, is working to encourage more Asian women to get involved in politics in their communities. She lives in Accrington’s Milnshaw neighborhood. Samina has initiated her campaign to become Hyndburn’s first female Asian Labour councilor. She has opted to run for local councilor in the Huncoat ward in this year’s elections.
The number of Asian women elected as councilors in the region remains extremely low. Hasina Khan, a councilor in Chorley, became the first Asian woman to be appointed Mayor in 2006, and the first female Asian councilors in Blackburn with Darwen were only appointed in 2018. Samina said that she knew her direction is right, but she must work hard.
Samina stated that sadly, local politics in the Asian community is still overwhelmingly dominated by men. She believed that it would be a good and beneficial shift for everyone. She believes that through participating in local politics, she will be able to motivate more women to get engaged. Samina said that she no longer believes that any woman needs to be concerned as things have progressed in many areas.
Furthermore, Samina stated that she ran for office because she wished to make a meaningful difference in the community. She is familiar with Huncoat and is dedicated to assisting all the ward’s people. Samina also leads her own women’s organization, Empowering Women, which conducted several events in Accrington Library after COVID, including English classes, sewing, and health awareness sessions. The secondary school teacher is working hard to become the voice of all the women in the area.