Five Arab American Women Who Have Made an Impact in Politics

posted on: Jun 17, 2020

By MacKenzie DiLeo/Arab America Contributing Writer

Even though we are still awaiting a female president in office, women have still made an impact in politics since the mid-1800s, which was before they were even eligible to vote. We have seen women run for positions in local, state, and national politics more than ever in recent times. While this could seem like a norm for some who are used to seeing women in leadership roles, this is still a major milestone considering where we started.

As a woman interested in politics herself, I am proud of how far we’ve come. To further educate myself, I researched Arab American women who have influenced politics in the past four years. Using the Arab American Institute, I have compiled a list of five women who I feel have left a lasting impact. While I am only listing five women, this is far from inclusive and there are many more than five who have also left a lasting influence.

1. Sherrie Mikhail Miday

Sherrie Mikhail Miday is an Egyptian American judge elected to the Common Pleas Court in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2017. Miday’s parents are both immigrants from Cairo. Miday worked as an attorney in Cleveland for six years, which qualified her to run for the judicial position. She was a prosecutor for three years and an assistant to a judge for another three years before deciding to run for office. Miday faced criticism due to her Arab American background.

“I was called an ‘Arab terrorist’ accused of bringing Sharia law into the courtroom. My Arab American supporters’ last names were associated with ISIS,” Miday said to the Arab American Institute.

Miday is the first Egyptian American judge in the history of the United States, which is a major accomplishment. She has spoken at conferences such as the Cleveland Sister Cities Conference and is involved with the Coptic Women Fellowship, a ministry for women.

2. Annissa Essaibi-George

Annissa Essaibi-George is a Tunisian American politician who serves as an at-large member of the Boston City Council. She was first elected in 2017 and was reelected in 2019. Her father is an American immigrant from Tunisia. As a councilwoman of the Boston City Council, she is also the chair of the Committee on Homelessness, Mental Health and Recovery. Essaibi-George is passionate about issues relating to Boston’s schools, public safety and economic development. She provides regular legislative updates on her website, which have recently included her efforts to create a small business task force and COVID-19 helpline. Essaibi-George can relate to this issue herself as she owns a store called Stitch House, which sells yarn and fabrics and offers classes in knitting, sewing, quilting, and crochet.

3. Donna Shalala

Donna Shalala has served as the U.S. Representative for Florida’s 27^th congressional district since 2019. She is of Lebanese descent. Shalala previously served as the 18^th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Bill Clinton, and she was president of the Clinton Foundation from 2015 to 2017. As if her political career isn’t impressive enough, she is also a former president of the University of Miami and Hunter College and a former chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2018, and her district includes half of Miami as well as the city’s eastern suburbs.

As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Shalala served for a total of eight years, making her the nation’s longest-serving HHS secretary. She was also the first Lebanese American to serve in a Cabinet position. When running for the representative position in Florida’s 27^th district, Shalala pushed for universal healthcare coverage because she believed individuals who liked their employment-based healthcare plans should be able to keep them. More recently, Shalala was newly appointed by Nancy Pelosi to serve on the COVID-19 Congressional Oversight Commission to oversee the implementation of the CARES Act.

4. Rashida Tlaib

Rashida Tlaib is a congresswoman for Michigan’s 13th congressional district, which includes Detroit and its surrounding cities. She is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants. In 2008, Tlaib became the first Muslim woman to serve in the Michigan legislature. Tlaib is most known for her efforts to combat billionaires and corporations who tried to pollute her district. When Matty Moroun brought polluting semi-trucks into the neighborhood streets of Tlaib’s district, she forced him to fulfill his obligations to protecting public health after launching the “We Have a Right to Breath” campaign. Tlaib stepped forward and demanded change when the rest of the Michigan legislature would have let it slide. Prior to serving in office, Tlaib was an attorney who focused on combating issues related to racial inequality, abusive state agencies and promoting equitable development.

5. Athena Salman

Athena Salman was elected as an Arizona State Representative in 2016 and is the daughter of immigrant parents. Her father was born and raised in the West Bank. Salman has been passionate about issues regarding religious freedom, criminal justice reform, and women’s rights. She introduced House Bill 2222, which sought to provide a free, unlimited supply of feminine hygiene products to women in Arizona state prisons. Salman advocated for Proposition 205 in 2016, which would legalize marijuana for recreational use for individuals 21 and up. Salman has also advocated for efforts to improve public education, immigration reform, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ equality.

In terms of recognition, Salman was awarded the City of Tempe’s MLK Diversity Award in 2016. She was also recognized as 2018’s Best Politician by Phoenix News-Times.

Source

https://www.aaiusa.org/arab-americans-in-political-life-top-summary

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