Video: Egyptian-American Mary Alexander-Basta, mayor in Illinois, says was raised 'Egyptian way'

CAIRO – 27 July 2021: Egyptian-American Mary Alexander-Basta, mayor of Bolingbrook, Illinois, has told Youm7 that the was “raised the Egyptian.”

Alexander-Basta spent only five years of her childhood in Egypt and then immigrated to the U.S. She said she faced many difficulties in her education and the cultural differences, and so returned to Egypt to study at the American University in Cairo.

Despite the great difference between the Egyptian and American cultures, she was able to both commit to the Egyptian traditions and assimilate into the U.S. society until she became a mayor.

She worked at a hotel, and after becoming a mother she worked at schools. That was a game changer for Alexander-Basta because that is when members of her local community asked her to run for a seat in the town council.

Alexander-Basta won a seat and then was nominated to replace the major who had not finished his term. Later, she ran for the position and was elected ahead of nine other rivals.

In March 2021, the multi-ethinc advisory board headed by Congressman Danny Davis of Illinois as one of the 20 Global Woman of Excellence for 2021.