Harvard graduate Maali Luqman seeks to represent Dearborn residents on School Board.
By Yaser Alarami - Yemenis of America
Dearborn, After 17 years of professional work in the field of education, Yemeni-American Ma'ali Luqman is seeking to attain membership of the School Board of Dearborn city and representing the city's residents by running in the elections scheduled on 3rd of November.
Luqman is competing with three other candidates and Dearborn's residents must choose only one candidate to fill the two-years vacancy, while eight other candidates are competing to fill another seat of six years, including two Yemenis; Adel Mozip and Sharifa Galab.
Ma'ali Luqman began her career as a professional young leader in the field of education, then worked as a teacher starting from regular classes to a teacher of English as a second language and as well as support teacher for special needs ESL students before becoming an Associate Dean overseeing administrative operations and student services at Wayne County Community College.
This is what distinguishes Ma'ali and makes her the right person, she knows exactly what it means to represent students in the City's Educational Board.
Ma'ali Luqman is a Dearborn girl; she started her education in Dearborn Public Schools and then enrolled at Henry Ford College. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education with a focus on mathematics and English as a second language from the University of Michigan. She went on to earn a master’s degree from Harvard University and achieved the Dean’s award for academic achievement. She published her thesis, about the effects of political discourse on marginalized communities, into a book which also received the Thesis Director’s Award from Harvard University.
After this distinguished career, Ma'ali hopes to obtain the support of the residents of Dearborn and to be elected on the third of next November to occupy a position of Trustee on the school Board in the city for two years.
Ma'ali believes that she is the most suitable candidate, saying in her interview with the Yemenis of America newspaper, "I have 17 years of professional experience working with students of various grades and needs."
While the political participation of Yemeni American women is almost limited, Luqman believes that her candidacy for public office also indicates that the Yemeni society, which forms a large segment of the population of Dearborn in Michigan, must have representation, and that her victory, generally, will represent an important voice for all Arab women in Dearborn.
“having a voice on the table means that we are equally as important as every other member in our community. We represent a large number of the population of Dearborn, as well as its schools, and the staff of these schools, yet we do not have any fair representation on the board of education and it is time to fill this void." Luqman added.
Luqman has a broader vision. Her victory as a member of the Dearborn School Board will not only represent a large number of Arab and Hijabi students but will also represent teachers, paraprofessionals, non-instructional staff, and administrators that identify as coming from the same ethnic group.
Luqman stresses that it is time to obtain a seat on the school board to reflect the reality of the diversity represented by the city; "We are an important part of the city and schools and need representation."
Regarding her message to the members of the Yemeni and Arab community about engaging in the political process, Luqman says that everyone needs to be civically engaged in the community in which they live. "You are here and this is home and so you need to actively take part in your community to ensure you are accounted for. In whatever capacity you have, make sure you are getting involved where you live. For everyone that looks different, but for everyone, there is a way to stay connected and engaged with the city they live".
Luqman is currently focusing, through her work, on guiding university students to choose the right paths to success. She is passionate about education as a tool for empowerment and social progress, and she believes in the need to ensure that all Dearborn students have equal opportunities in education.
To donate to the campaign of Ma'ali Luqman, click here
