Two of the seven candidates supported by the non-profit Project Mobilize won their races in municipal elections April 5. Project M views the election as an important first step to get the Muslim American community more involved in local politics.

When it started last year, the non-profit group Project Mobilize, or Project M, hoped to change the political landscape in suburban Chicago by promoting Muslim Americans as election candidates. So far, there are no Muslim Americans serving as elected officials in the Chicago area. But Project M hopes that will change in municipal elections April 5.

Across the country, dozens of Muslims have actively engaged in the American political process, running for — and winning — elected offices. In Chicago, Muslims have been active in voter registration for decades, but for the first time this year there is an organized effort to prepare and mobilize Muslims to run for political office.

Running for public office is not something that women are encouraged to do in male-dominated Arab Muslim culture. But five of the seven Arab Muslim candidates running for local office in Chicago’s Southwest suburbs are women.

By Sara Al-Farhan, Medill News Service Seven Arab Muslims are running for the April municipal elections in Chicago’s Southwest suburbs—an unprecedented number to run from their minority group in the area. “Look at what’s happening in Egypt,” said Itedal Shalabi who is running for the North Palos School District 117 School Board. “People are dying [...]