Getting My Start In Local Politics
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Getting My Start In Local Politics

As told by a volunteer for Abdullah Hammoud.

139
Getting My Start In Local Politics
Ghida Dagher

My love for politics started just before my senior year of high school when I attended a government camp at Michigan State University and created a mock government with give-or-take 200 other young women. I knew that becoming a legislator was something I wanted to accomplish at some point in my lifetime after I had been elected to be a Senator and started passing bills and interacting with the other branches of our fake government -- but that's a story for another week. After my little taste of being in the political arena, I fell in love with politics and have been trying to find ways to get involved in real life to start my own political journey.

Last winter, I met a man from my community who decided to run for State Representative while attending a meeting for an organization that I had just recently joined. The group threw simple questions at him like, "why are you running?" and "why should we vote for you?" and they progressively got more complex and difficult to answer. However, he was very capable of answering each question, and he was very educated on each issue. One thing that stuck with me was when asked if he was a feminist, he told us the story of his mother -- her high and low points and how she serves as a primary inspiration to him. I realized, then, that he was one of the brothers of one of my good friends; one that my friend talks particularly highly of. This man was Abdullah Hammoud.

Throughout the course of the winter semester, I saw Abdullah's name pop up on my Facebook feed quite often and I listened to his brother talk more and more about him; I found myself learning a lot about Abdullah Hammoud this way. I learned that Abdullah is a graduate from Fordson High School, the school that employs my mother. His brother told me about how he was accepted into his Master's program at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor at just 19 years old. I learned that he volunteered in Jordan for a year to help Palestinian refugees. And through all these amazing accomplishments and seeing the more heart-retching side of the world, he decided to come back to his roots and get his own place in Dearborn (this is a huge deal for Arabs, by the way). Abdullah has always had a dream of running for office and giving back to the community and making his mark on the world that way (I have the same aspiration). And after being home for a while, Abdullah decided that now was finally the right time to make his dreams a reality. Though he and his team have been working hard and hosting events since January, I didn't get too involved until the springtime.

Come May, I attended his most recent fundraising event. The support that he has from the community is absolutely incredible. I saw many familiar faces, but more so people I have never seen before. And although I didn't know every face in the crowd, we were all there because Abdullah impacted our lives enough for us to come out and show our support for him -- and I think that is a beautiful thing to have as a local politician. The fact that he is such a well-liked community figure along with all the good he has done and all that he plans to do inspired me to further my support.

After the fundraiser, I have only missed one weekend of volunteering for his campaign. Every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, I have been walking the neighborhoods of Dearborn (discovering some places that I didn't even know that were still considered Dearborn) knocking on doors of registered voters to educate them about Abdullah and encourage them to vote for him on August 2nd. I have walked somewhere around 42 neighborhoods, some ranging anywhere from as little as 15 houses to well over 50. Abdullah and his campaign coordinators, Ghida and Ryan, refer to me as the "veteran" door knocker, and I affectionately joke that I have sold my soul to this campaign. And each and every weekend they thank me over and over again, and every single time I tell them that it's, in all honesty, my pleasure and it's something that I sincerely enjoy doing. The experience is absolutely incredible, and I could not have picked a better candidate to volunteer for -- it makes me so unbelievably excited to run my own campaign, someday.

However, that someday is not today, and today is about Abdullah Hammoud. I have seen people go from not knowing who they wanted to vote for to becoming a supporter of Abdullah Hammoud. I have seen Abdullah's signs pop up in front of businesses and the homes of residents who are going to vote Hammoud next week. I see the other volunteers, Ryan, Ghida, and most importantly, Abdullah working exceedingly hard. Abdullah, himself, has personally walked door to door to meet Dearborn residents, answering their questions, and giving them every reason to show their support for him as I have. I become immensely elated when I knock on a door and someone tells me, "Abdullah has already been here, and he has my vote." It truly makes me feel like our efforts are paying off, and I pray that it shows on Election Day.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70985
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132549
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments