Local Limelight: Nida Allam on life in Durham and the rematch
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Nida Allam says in her three decades in the Triangle, one of the most beautiful things she's witnessed is the blossoming of a vibrant community of immigrants.
Why it matters: The county commissioner launched a congressional bid at a time when immigration is front and center in American politics.
Zoom in: Allam, 32, grew up locally in an Indian-Pakistani family and now lives in Durham, where she's been a county commissioner since 2020.
- She was attending N.C. State in 2015, a man murdered three of her friends in a high-profile shooting in Chapel Hill. They were all Muslim, and Allam says the hate crime spurred her into politics.
State of play: Democratic voters will pick between Allam and incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee in the primary election March 3.
We talked with Allam for our latest Local Limelight conversation. This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.
📱 First read in the morning? My WhatsApp. Usually, my sisters and I send pictures of our babies first thing in the morning to our family chat, because our parents love to see them first thing.
🥪 Favorite place to eat in the Triangle? Right now, I've been really loving Fonda Lupita. They have a birria grilled cheese. Honestly, I feel like I might be getting a heart attack every time I'm eating it, but I can't stop.
☕️ And what about your favorite coffee shop? I can't handle coffee, but if I do, I usually go to Cocoa Cinnamon because I can get churros.
- And also I'll get the decaf Amuleto, iced.
🇺🇸 What do you think the Triangle is missing? A true progressive champion in Congress who will stand up for working families every single day and not be beholden to right-wing special interest groups.
✍️ If you could pass any one law, what would it be? The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, because I feel that if we had fair maps and everyone's right to vote were protected, we would be able to pass every other law that we need.
🎧 Do you have a go-to podcast? I don't really listen to podcasts, but I'm always having to listen to (my husband) Towqir's Philadelphia Eagles podcasts in the car.
📖 Last great book you read? I'm currently reading the "Throne of Glass" series, and it's been really fun to just disappear into a magical fantasy world.
🎬 Last great movie you watched? I haven't been to the movie theater in a while, but I was just talking to my friends about this movie today — "Paddington."
🧡 You grew up in the area. Why did you choose to stay? This is my home. Now that I have my own kids, I want them to be able to thrive in the public school system that really shaped who I am as a person.
- And the diversity of this community. To have grown up and come here when our Muslim community, our immigrant community, was so tiny, to now see such a flourishing, diverse group of people living in the South, celebrating one another's culture. The fact that the town of Morrisville has city-hosted Diwali events — it's beautiful, and I want my kids to grow up in a place that's accepting and loving like that.
🛒 Favorite long weekend spot? My mind immediately went to Costco.
🗳️ Your primary this time is a rematch of 2022. Is there anything you are intentionally doing differently? It's a rematch based on the candidates, the two of us, but it's also a very different race. The district has been redrawn significantly. There are not six other candidates in the race. And our political climate has changed with Trump back in the White House.
- One thing we're making sure voters see and hear is how they don't have to wait for change. Anyone who tells them that they can't put up a fight right now isn't representing you the way that you deserve.
🥘 What's something you're looking forward to, unrelated to politics or work? I was telling my team that Monday, the day before the election, I'm going to be off. I'm going to be with my kids.
- But then I realized I have a county commission work session, so I'll be off after the work session for family time, and I'm going to cook with my kids. And I invited the campaign team over for dinner so we could have one last supper.
📚 How do you unplug at the end of the day? With my Kindle, reading.
🌙 What has campaigning during Ramadan been like? The thirst hits you, but it is also very centering at the same time, because Ramadan is not just about refraining from food and water.
- It's also a time to recenter yourself and your values, and to have that during this stressful time has helped me, honestly, a lot.