Meet Sharifa Galab: a Yemeni American woman running for Dearborn school Board
By Yemenis of America
Sharifa Galab, a Yemeni-American young woman, is entering the public sphere in Michigan by competing for a seat on the Dearborn Board of Education in the elections scheduled for the third of November.
Sharifa Galab has passion, energy, and fresh ideas, which makes her the perfect choice to represent the residents of Dearborn. As she states in her interview with Yemenis of America newspaper, Galab immigrated to the United States of America with her parents when she was four-year old and settled in Dearborn, where she attended the public schools. She then studied at Henry Ford College before graduating from Eastern Michigan University with a BA in Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Professionally, Galab currently works with the Dearborn Police Department as a Communications Dispatcher. Her background includes experience in education, having previously worked as a substitute teacher in Dearborn Schools, and as a youth counselor, and parent educator. Galab’s campaign has the endorsement of the Mayor of Dearborn Jack O'Reilly, the Dearborn Fire Fighters Association, the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC), and the Yemeni American Michigan Democratic Caucus (YAMDC), and other current and former Board of Education Trustees.
"I am running to serve my community and my city because I believe that in order to ensure a quality life for our children, we need to provide them with the best education possible" Galab added. She also believes that communication is the most effective tool for resolving disputes and disagreements. She believes that she is a well-qualified candidate, because she is a good listener, open to working with other Board members, and able to be a productive partner to parents, teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders.
If elected, Sharifa Galab says that the first issue she will work on will be tackling the problem of overcrowding which afflicts the schools, as well as upgrading many of the school facilities. "We need to invest in our infrastructure at the K-12 level and make sure it is adaptable to non-traditional learning methods, such as the current situation with COVID. This is also true of HFC as college classes may be predominantly non-traditional in the future" she added.
As a young Yemeni-American woman seeking to hold public office, at a time where the number of Yemeni women, or even men, in this field is very limited, Galab says: "I strongly believe in public service in any capacity and that is why I am running for a seat on the Dearborn Board of Education. I am also running to inspire other Arab American and Yemeni women like myself to be involved and run for office." She continues: "Our culture and traditions have always placed more value on other careers than running for public office. Parents often encourage their children to receive the highest education possible and to find the best-paying and most prestigious job. When it comes to politics and public jobs, the culture is usually not as encouraging, especially for women. That is why today we do not have any Yemeni American woman elected to public office in the State of Michigan, as far as I know and I hope I am wrong."
Galab pointed out that other Arab American communities have been able to be more represented in government through the participation of men and women. She stresses that there is no reason for Yemenis to be less represented. "We have the talent, the drive, the education, and all the other reasons that would make us great in public service, men and women," she states.
She urged the Yemeni American community to get more involved in political work because of its importance, saying, "the rest of America should see that Yemeni Americans are as talented, as capable, and as willing to serve as anyone else. Our voice can only be heard if we are involved and we are a part of the process."
To donate to Sharifa Galab’s campaign, click here
