DETROIT —  Several Arab Americans attended the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) convention Feb.23, but it was the youth who made the Arab community more visible to the more than 3,600 delegates there. 

About 35 members of the Arab Student Union (ASU) from the University of Michigan Dearborn and Fordson High School (FHS) engaged with politicians and regional leaders at the convention. 

“A large group of youth attracted a lot of attention from many of the politicians as well as the candidates for MDP chair. The members were able to meet and discuss qualifications with both Lon Johnson and Mark Brewer,” said Zahra Dabaja, President of the ASU U-M Dearborn. 

Their presence was a clear indication of how the community is transforming, and what to expect from the next generation of Arab Americans, who will be very different than the ones before them. 

“Now you’re seeing young Arab Americans taking on positions and going into fields people in the community typically didn’t pursue such as art or photography. We’re much different,” said FHS ASU President Jad Elharake. He’s 16, and says nine of the ASU FHS members at the convention were freshmen. 

“This is important, the policies these leaders introduce are going to impact our futures,” he said. 

More young Arab Americans are emerging in the political scene, most recently attorneys Tarek Baydoun and Susan Dabaja who’re both candidates in the upcoming race for Dearborn City Council and were at the convention. 

Longtime MDP Chairman Mark Brewer withdrew his candidacy at the convention before  delegates. He held the position for 18 years.     

Johnson, bottom center, poses for a group photo with members of the ASU after being announced longtime MDP Chairman Mark Brewer’s successor. Photo courtesy of ASU

Democrat Lon Johnson was elected as the party’s next chairman. Johnson is married to Julianna Smoot, deputy campaign director for President Barack Obama.

In Novemeber, Johnson, 41, lost the race for state house in a highly republican district. He’s known for leading effective fundraisers.  

Brewer says he still plans on working and fighting for his party, but can’t do it alone and called on grassroots activists to help lead and ensure its success. 

“I’m not going anywhere. I plan on spending the next few weeks catching up with friends and family and thinking about how I can best contribute to our party’s success. I will let you know about my plans and hope you all will stay in touch,” Brewer said in a statement. 

Community activist Rashid Baydoun, who’s only 27, and the former president of the ASU U-M Dearborn was elected member-at-large of the MDP newly drawn 13th Congressional District longtime Congressman John Conyers represents.  

Baydoun will lead grassroots efforts in the district. He called Johnson a “fresh new leader.”

Baydoun says Johnson presented bold and innovative ideas that included having a MDP office in metro Detroit, since there currently isn’t one, and the region has a significantly high number of Democratic voters particularly in the city. 

The new office would make room for more volunteers and people to support the party. 

Ismael Ahmed, was elected as the third vice chair of the MDP. Ahmed is a associate provost at U-Michigan Dearborn. 

Other Arab Americans at the convention included Wayne County Corporation Counsel Zenna ElHasan, Assistant U.S. Attorney Abed Hammoud, Fay Beydoun, executive director of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, and Ali Baleed of the Yemeni American Benevolent Association.

Rehab Amer, a Dearborn resident met with politicians and encouraged them to support House Resolution 102, the “Rehab and Ahmed Amer Foster Care Improvement Act of 2013 which was introduced by Conyers. 

The Act, was passed in Michigan in 2010. It seeks to amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to require states to follow certain procedures in placing a child who has been removed from the custody of his or her parents.

ASU members are widely known for being politically active in statewide and local elections. 

“The youth are the future of our community. In order to adequately prepare ourselves to lead and represent our community in the future, it is mandatory we become active politically to ensure that the Arab American voice is always taken into account. We need to be able to mold the youth into future political candidates to represent our community or use other means to serve our community exceptionally. Politics surrounds every profession and most aspects of life. If we are not politically involved, our community will not have the edge like other communities,” said Zahra. 

She says some ASU members are elected precinct delegates and use the position to serve the community. 

To Elharake and others the ASU is more than a school group. He says it’s molding him and others into the future leaders of tomorrow. “Going into politics is something I would consider,” he said.