Candidate Profile: Khodr Farhat For Dearborn City Council

Khodr Farhat

Age (as of Election Day)

28

Position Sought

Dearborn City Council

Party Affiliation

Democrat but the office that I’m running for is non-partisan

Family

I have two sisters. Also I am blessed to have my mom and dad alive.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Bachelors degree: political science

Occupation

I have worked in Dearborn public schools, and a healthcare insurance for three years combined. Also, I have been an advocate, activist in public speaker for the past eight years.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

Facebook

Why are you seeking elective office?

My name is Khodr Farhat. I am 28 years old. I was born blind in Beirut Lebanon, and I had immigrated to the United States back in 2009. Upon my arrival, I did not speak one word of English. Everything was new to me as well. Yet, my dedication and determination made everything easier. I pursued my bachelors degree in political science from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Since 2013, I have been heavily involved as an advocate, public speaker and activist. I chose this path because I know what does hardship feel like. I chose political science in particular because I firmly believe that this is the best route to go in order to make a lasting and impactful difference in peoples’ life. in addition, I am heavily involved with many charitable organizations like the Rotary club, Dearborn Goodfellows, the Lions club, just to name a few.
Having said that, I am running for Dearborn city Council to fight for a better city for all. If anything, I am running to ensure transparency, accountability and equity. It is very important to count every voice and make sure that it is being heard.
My platform is very inclusive that covers many issues such as, address are high taxes, fix our crumbling infrastructure, fight for accountability, empower the business community, fight for a better environment etc. However, the most important issue today, especially after the flood that we had couple weeks ago, it’s to hold everyone accountable. We pay amongst the highest taxes in the state, yet we are not getting what we deserve. Therefore, if elected, I will fight for an independent investigation, as well as I will fight for our residents to get answers and to get compensated for what they lost.

Contact information:
I am always accessible regardless if I am running for an office or not. My phone number is 313-686-6953.
The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

As I have mentioned above, we have many things to work on. However, today we are demanding answers and an independent investigation regarding the flood that we had, which resulted in millions of dollars of losses. This is excluding the confusion and frustration that our residents have been going through knowing that over $350 million have been raised since 2004 to fix our sewage. So calling for accountability and transparency, as well as representing people with integrity and sincerity is important more than ever.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am a voice of reason who is able to bring everybody around the table. Not to mention, I am a fighter who never backed down from any fight. In addition, I have the education and experience necessary to fulfill my tasks. also, I am not scared to ask the tough questions at all. Rather, I am there to get my job done and to be the peoples’ voice.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I believe that there are many issues that we can cover here. I do not see fair distribution of resources between major parts of the city. Also, we lack transparency and open dialogue. Needless to say that they failed to protect our residents from flooding that happened three times within seven years recently. We need a more responsive, open and honest leadership.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think that our local government did not pay much efforts compared to our neighboring cities and their officials. I did not see our mayor updating the public. In the meantime, I would like to thank every elected official, organization and community members who did their part. if our government did not show up in such challenging time, then when would be the time to do so? What I could’ve done differently is that I would share with the public all of the updates daily to ensure trust and confidence. Also I would not save any efforts to provide all of the resources and assistance that our city need.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

In addition to all what I stated above, I can tell you that my campaign is inclusive and empowering. I represent something that is very unique, that is, the disabled community. We need a voice at the table. I bring a lot of ambition, motivation and fresh ideas.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My accomplishments as an advocate speak for that. I had never back down from any fight. I was able to transform the University of Michigan into an inclusive campus. I am fighting to reestablish the state of Michigan commission for disability concerns. I have an advocating for a better environment. I have been working on many issues with our business community. So I have been there and I know what is going on.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Never give up and always speak the truth regardless of the circumstances.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Voting for me means that you are voting for a true fighter who does not have a price tag on his values and morals. I pledge to fight for each and every single resident regardless of any circumstance. My advocacy and service are both blind as well. Meaning, I do not discriminate or look at anything when I am fighting for you. Public service is a passion of mine. I hope to earn your vote and support on August 3, and if advanced, on November 2.