Preet Didbal becomes the First Sikh woman to be elected as the mayor in US

Becoming the first woman to hold the position in the United States, Preet Didbal has been elected as the mayor of Yuba City in California.

Dibal was appointed by the California city council and will be sworn in on December 5. Didbal was elected to Yuba City Council in 2014 and is currently vice mayor.

“Seeing someone that looks like you, that comes from the same faith as you, to be elected to a public office in this country is inspiring and exciting. And it’s definitely moving,” Jaydeep Singh of the Sikh Coalition said.

The Sutter-Yuba region is home to one of the largest Sikh communities in the country. On November 8, Bhalla became the first ever Sikh mayor of New Jersey’s Hoboken city after a stiff competition that turned ugly when he was labelled a terrorist in slanderous flyers.

The Sikh Coalition estimates around 500,000 people who follow the Sikh faith live in the United States.