WARREN — Look out Democratic office holders! An up and coming young Arab American woman may some day vie for your job. Indeed, Fatima Mansour, an Eastside resident headed off to Michigan State in the fall, already knows she wants to be a U.S. senator. And she’s been showing her leadership abilities for a while now.

Fatima will graduate from Lincoln High School here next month. She has served two years, including her senior year, as class president. She is this year’s valedictorian, with a 4.0 GPA. Her parents, Mohamad Mansour of Dearborn and Deborah Mansour of Warren, are justifiably proud of their “east side star.”

“I am so excited and proud of her,” said her mother, who herself is immersed in political activism for the Democratic Party and ran for mayor of Warren in the recent election. “She can go anywhere she wants and do anything she wants, she has proven that to me.”

“I want to help people and change society,” Fatima told The Arab American News. “As a senator, I could help pass laws that would have a positive impact on society.” The 17 year old has been to the nation’s capital and toured the Capitol Buidling. She has volunteered for Senator John Kerry, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow in past campaigns and is working for Senator Barack Obama now, whose book she just finished.

“I think he has a lot of good ideas for the country,” she said, “especially in healthcare.” Activist Michael Moore has had a great influence on her, she said. “I saw “Sicko” and I learned how many people are suffering and I want to change how things are.”

Until the nomination she will work for Obama, “but if Clinton gets it, I will work for her. The most important thing is to get a Democrat in,” she said.

Mansour is also president of the National Honor Society, president of Business Professionals of America and participates in Link Crew, a mentorship program. She is a peer mediator and the student representative to Van Dyke Public Schools, where she monitors upcoming events and reports on issues of concern that need to be changed.

Fatima lives with her mother, sister Amira and brother Ali in Warren. Her hobbies are reading, politics and hanging out with friends.

She will pursue a double major at State in political science/pre-law and political theory/constitutional democracy.