ISLAM IN AMERICA
Voice for the People Those who want to enter politics must look into the role they want BY JIHAN AIYASH
Jihan Aiyash is sworn into office as her brother, Abraham Aiyash, holds a copy of the Quran.
J
ihan Aiyash, the first Yemeni woman elected official in Michigan and the nation’s second, serves as secretary of the Board of Education for Hamtramck Public Schools (HPS) and on the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) Resolutions and Bylaws Committee (2020-21). She is the first HPS Board of Education member to be appointed to an MASB committee. Her campaign was unique in that she ran and won a write-in campaign. Those usually do not go well for candidates, and she had no time to raise funds. She spent nothing on her campaign and still won with more than double the votes for her opponent: 542 to 290. Here is my story. My strategy was to relational organize. The district was unique in that it was small and tight knit. I did a lot of personal outreach, texted and called every person I could think of and posted all of my campaign efforts on social media. It was overwhelming to see the support I received! Alhamdulilallah! I did not realize the magnitude of my role until I was sworn in! I’m a voice for the
people. The Board of Ed had been entirely White [and mostly male] for a very long time. There is no issue with whiteness, but there is an issue with a majority Brown/Black district being represented by the White minority. At one point there was one Black member, but he had passed away. The board acquired some Brown representation within the last six years, but it was still majority male. My being elected empowered the girls and women in my district. For the first time in the district’s history, girls who looked like me — visibly Muslim and ethnic — saw that we are not bystanders in our own story. Positions of power are not reserved for White saviors. We can be our own representatives and our own spokespersons.
Our district has lots of improvement to do, especially with student and parent communication. Administration and teaching staff had gotten away with neglecting or ignoring concerns for decades. Students and parents started approaching me with concerns and becoming more vocal about the weak curricula, prayer in schools, the limited afterschool programs, the language barriers and so much more! I didn’t realize how just being in a position of power empowers constituents. Don’t underestimate what you’re doing. God tells us, “O you who have believed, fear God and speak words of appropriate justice” (33:70). I serve on a seven-member board, with colleagues of diverse interests. Even though a Board of Ed is non-partisan, everyone has their own purpose for running for a seat. For example, business owners see the district as an essential part of their business strategy. Some have kids in the area charter and private schools and thus have conflicting interests. Some just want to “maintain tradition.” As a Muslim, I’m obliged to be responsible for my society. It is irresponsible to stay in a bubble as part of the model minority and pretend that oppression of those around you does not exist because you are not impacted. In my weekend Quran school, I learned that I’m responsible for working toward justice for my family, neighbors, friends and colleagues. So I started doing grassroots work through community and social organizations. Even in doing grassroots work, I avoided politics as often as I could. During graduate school, I realized that I wouldn’t be as effective as an organizer if I didn’t get involved in the mess of politics. It’s impossible to be apolitical! You just can’t let people write policy about you, without you, and think you don’t need to know it. Policies at all levels affect everyone. If I had gotten involved politically earlier on, I would have been more effective as a vessel for justice. But it’s okay that I’m learning in my mid-20s! I also learned perception matters! I am
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POSITION YOU’RE LOOKING INTO. MANY POSITIONS ARE NOT CONTESTED, SO THE SAME CANDIDATE ENDS UP WINNING AGAIN AND AGAIN. IN FACT, PEOPLE ARE OFTEN UNAWARE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
38 ISLAMIC HORIZONS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
