
By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — Former second lady Jill Biden, former second lady and wife of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, urged Arab Americans to vote in the Nov. 3 general election during a rally Oct. 20 at Shatila Bakery.
Her stop in Dearborn was in effort to mobilize and energize Arab American voters. She also made other visits in Michigan, including Detroit, Madison Heights and Saginaw, that same day.
She said her husband will be a president for all Americans and that he has a plan to end the COVID-19 pandemic, to rebuild, to reimagine a future that’s better than ever.
“And that means restoring our values as a nation of immigrants and defending the civil rights of all Americans, including the Arab American community that has contributed so much to our nation,” she said. “It means ensuring that you will have a seat at the table and that your voices will be heard.
“It means providing resources to help small businesses recover from this crisis and creating millions of good-paying jobs. But we can’t do it without you. Your community matters to this campaign.”
During her 10-minute speech she spoke to a group of community leaders, elected officials along with supporters who lined up along the barrier in the Shatila Bakery parking lot.
Biden opened her remarks by thanking the bakery for hosting.
“This bakery embodies the American Dream that so many immigrants have when they come to our country and with hard work and grit the Shatila family has built — has been a staple of Dearborn. One that not only creates jobs, but also brings joy to people around the world.”
Those in attendance were U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn), State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-15th District), Dearborn City Council President Susan Dabaja, U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) and Wayne County Commissioner Sam Baydoun (D-Dearborn).
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-12th District), during her introduction, had high praise for Jill Biden as an educator during and urged attendees and those watching via live steam to vote for Joe Biden in the election as well.
“I know who these people are, and they are the best and most loyal, devoted friends that you could ever have,” Dingell told the people in attendance. “They have been allies to the Arab American community in Michigan and in Washington and if you’re tired of the hate and rhetoric fear that’s dividing this country, we need them in the White House.”
Dearborn is home to approximately 94,000 residents, with the one the largest Arab American populations in the country and outside the Middle East. In September, the Arab American Political Action Committee endorsed Joe Biden.
“One vote could make the difference, between winning and losing a precinct, one precinct could win a state and one state, this state, could decide our future for generations to come,” Biden said. “So will you be that one vote?”
To end her speech, Biden thanked Dearborn for their faith in an idea that’s bigger than any single person, which is the idea of building a better nation by doing it together.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected])