Thirty years ago, Said Abdirahman Abdikarim was known in District 7 as “the kid with the long name.” Later, he became known as “the orange shirt man”, a nickname tied to the first shirt he received upon arriving in Boston, and a symbol of the opportunity and hope he found in this community.

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For nearly a decade, Abdikarim has been a tireless advocate for affordable housing, equitable education, thriving small businesses, vibrant community spaces, and social and environmental justice, fighting to secure a better quality of life across District 7.

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A proud 30-year Bostonian, BPS father, former student, husband, and the eldest of ten siblings, Abdikarim was shaped by the hardship of growing up in four Boston public housing developments and witnessing friends lost to gun violence and substance abuse. Despite these challenges, he found strength in community centers, parks, and moments of refuge with mentors. At 13, he began selling newspapers to support his family, sacrificing parts of his education to carry the weight of responsibility in a single-income household.

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He champions the voices of those too often unheard, with a record that speaks for itself: securing $643,000 in federal funding to support Black- and Brown-owned businesses, advancing the development of 150 affordable homes through the Welcome Home Boston initiative, and advocating for summer learning programs that have reached over 18,000 students.

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Recognized with the Transformative Leadership Award, Abdikarim brings deep experience in nonprofit leadership, a commitment to justice in all its forms —mental, social, economic, and environmental —and has served in leadership roles at Harvard University and beyond.

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He and his wife of 20 years are raising their children in District 7, where they remain deeply rooted in the fight for a more just, more united, and more compassionate future.