Greens in Dearborn are asking the Green Party of Michigan to establish a state caucus for Arab and Muslim Americans. Dearborn, which recently gave the party one of its strongest presidential showings nationwide, has the highest proportion of Muslim residents of any city in the country.
“Establishing a caucus within the Green Party dedicated to representing the Arab and Muslim American communities will provide a platform for advocacy on issues specific to these communities, including civil rights, anti-discrimination efforts, fair immigration policies, and peace-oriented foreign policy,” states a recent proposal by the Dearborn Greens, published in a blog post by the national party.
“Creating this caucus will further enrich the Green Party’s diversity and bring critical perspectives to the forefront of discussions, ensuring that the needs and voices of Arab and Muslim Americans are better represented in party platforms and actions,” the proposal continues.
The proposal was introduced by Wissam Charafeddine, a Green organizer in the Dearborn area, at a state membership meeting of the Green Party of Michigan later in the month. According to the blog post, similar organizing efforts are reportedly underway in Minnesota.
The Green Party’s most recent presidential ticket of Dr. Jill Stein and Butch Ware performed remarkably well in Dearborn compared to other cities. According to unofficial results maintained by the city government, the Stein-Ware ticket garnered 7,697 votes, or 18.37% of the 42,923 votes cast. President-elect Donald Trump ultimately won the city with a plurality.
Other Green Party candidates also performed notably in Dearborn. Douglas Marsh earned 14.87% in his campaign for the U.S. Senate race, Sami Makhoul received 10.72% in a vote-for-two race for Governor of Wayne State University, and John Anthony La Pietra achieved 7.67% in a vote-for-two race for Trustee of Michigan State University.
Notably, Stein’s performance was likely bolstered by her making several campaign stops in Dearborn throughout the campaign season, focusing heavily on its Arab and Muslim communities. She also considered Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud as a potential vice-presidential pick but ultimately passed him over due to his being under the age of 35. Additionally, Stein was endorsed by several American-Arab and Muslim organizations in the lead to the election, including one group based in the community.
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