DES MOINES, Iowa — The 2024 legislative session is coming to a close, and so is longtime Iowa Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad's time in the legislature.
Abdul-Samad represented Polk County for nearly two decades in Iowa's House District 34. Though his tenure in the Iowa Legislature is only one part of his legacy, it's a piece he's incredibly proud of.
"I feel good. When I first came on the hill, yeah, of course, I was new. I was a newbie, as we say. And so it was like going to a college campus every morning, and I was going to class, and I was learning. And I left there, realizing that I still hadn't graduated. So, you know, I'm still learning because that's what life is about," Abdul-Samad said.
When reflecting on the most important moments in his career, Abdul-Samad cites the summer of 2020, when protests filled Iowa's capitol city following the murder of George Floyd.
"I mean, I get chill bumps. You know, when I when I think about that, because that was during the George Floyd incident, working with the young people — and I call them game changers, you know — working with legislators, working with both parties," Abdul-Samad said. "And the governor will able to go into the meetings and start negotiating, what can we do, you know ... what came out of that was a more perfect union."
Abdul-Samad told Local 5 it was the first time in years he'd seen negotiation and teamwork lead to a bill signed in such short time.
"That is something that I could always use and talk about, about how Iowa came together, how individuals came together and made it better for Iowa," he said.
The Des Moines native also founded Creative Visions Human Development Institute and is the co-chair of the Iowa Democratic Black Caucus.
Abdul-Samad announced his retirement in February, and plenty of people have thrown their hats in the ring to take his spot, including John Campbell, Samy El-Baroudi, Rob Johnson and Dudley Muhammad. Republican Danielle Duggan is also aiming for the seat.