Dear John,

As we approach the 2024 presidential elections, our community faces critical choices that will shape the future of our democracy and the well-being of Muslim Americans and communities worldwide.

In my latest op-ed published in The New Arab, entitled “Dear Muslim and Arab Americans, voting in Donald Trump won't teach the Democrats 'a lesson,'” I reflect on the complex decisions before us and how we can navigate them in a way that builds power for our community. Let me first acknowledge that there is no “perfect” approach, because in politics, there are none. Candidates, like all of us, are imperfect beings shaped by their experiences and the people they surround themselves with. But what’s at stake in this election is not just about the candidates—it’s about the future we create together through our votes.

Our community has a very difficult decision to make. The Biden administration’s handling of the Gaza crisis has caused profound suffering in Gaza and Lebanon and frustration among Muslim and Arab voters. Still, we cannot forget the harm caused by Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim policies, from the Muslim Ban and the violence it inflicted in Muslim and Arab communities to support for Israeli annexation of Palestinian lands.

No matter which candidate we support, the most important thing is that we show up at the polls. By voting, we build the power needed to influence change on the issues that matter most to us—whether it’s advocating for peace in the MIddle East, fighting Islamophobia, or protecting our pluralistic democracy.

Read the full op-ed here and learn more about how your vote can make a difference in 2024.