18 Facts About Awet Tesfaiesus

Previously a lawyer who represented asylum seekers and refugees, Tesfaiesus was elected as a city councillor for the city of Kassel in 2016.

Awet Tesfaiesus was elected in the 2021 German federal election as a member of the Green Party list in the state of Hesse.

Awet Tesfaiesus is the first black woman to ever be elected to the Bundestag.

Awet Tesfaiesus was elected to Kassel's city council in 2016 and introduced anti-discrimination legislation inspired by her experiences dealing with racism in her daily life.

Awet Tesfaiesus cited her experience of being shut out of being offered apartments due to her surname, only to have her German-born husband call and be accepted.

Awet Tesfaiesus cited the 2020 Hanau shootings, where a far-right extremist engaged in a racially motivated mass shooting in Hesse, her home state, as her reason for entering national politics.

Awet Tesfaiesus had previously considered withdrawing from the political scene, but was incentivized to step forward in response to the xenophobic attacks.

Awet Tesfaiesus was in ninth position on the Greens party list for the state of Hesse, and was elected to the Bundestag.

Awet Tesfaiesus became the first black woman elected to the Bundestag in what was a younger and more ethnically diverse Bundestag cohort than previously.

Awet Tesfaiesus aims to remove barriers to naturalization within Germany, including lifting restrictions imposed by the dual citizenship status.

Awet Tesfaiesus wished to use her platform to demonstrate to people who did not "look German" that they had a place within Germany's society and political culture.

Awet Tesfaiesus's family had sought asylum in Germany to escape political persecution, as her father was sought out by the Ethiopian police due to his support for Eritrean independence.

Awet Tesfaiesus's family emigrated to the city of Heidelberg when Tesfaiesus was ten years old.

Awet Tesfaiesus received aid from individuals who supported her in her childhood, including teachers and church groups, and she decided to pursue a career which would help repay their efforts.

Awet Tesfaiesus eventually was able to become a German citizen, and after contemplating it in 1996, she subsequently accepted the offer.

Awet Tesfaiesus studied law and moved to Kassel in northern Hesse, where she had lived for the past 20 years.

Awet Tesfaiesus primarily focuses on cases pertaining to foreigners and asylum law, and often represents asylum seekers and refugees.

Awet Tesfaiesus had considered moving to Belgium with her 10-year-old son and husband following the Hanau shootings and the elevated xenophobia which had been the cause for the incident.