How Amir Omar Became Richardson’s First Muslim Mayor

In May, the North Texas town of Richardson elected a new mayor. Amir Omar, who served two terms as a city council member, from 2009 to 2013, is perhaps best known for his Tree the Town campaign, a ten-year initiative to plant 50,000 trees that earned him the nickname Amir Appleseed. He made his accessibility a hallmark of his campaign. In June he hosted the first of a series of monthly Coffee With the Mayor sessions, in which he invites constituents to speak with him; about 45 people showed up. “There were Republicans sitting right next to Democrats, and both were nodding their heads,” said Omar, who prides himself on reaching out to both sides of the aisle. Texas Monthly: Everyone’s been talking about Zohran Mamdani’s…

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