Hi John,
My name is Prof. Mohamed El-Sayed. I’m Abdul’s father.
I want to tell you a story about what a union taught me, and how that shaped the values I passed on to Abdul.
John, I teach mechanical engineering at Eastern Michigan University. I also served as president of the faculty union.
During that period, the university administration lost touch with reality. They stopped remembering that a university exists for students and learning, and started focusing on privatizing everything.
So, we as a faculty went on strike.
Soon after, I was sued for striking, being president of the union.
I did not flinch.
I used to say — and still believe — that if you face consequences for doing the right thing, even going to jail, that is not something to fear. It’s an honor.
The power of unions exists to balance the greed of people who get to the top and forget where they came from. Union power is not about taking whatever we want. It’s about having the power to fix what’s wrong.
And throughout my life, I’ve tried to follow a simple rule: We have to do the right thing.
Abdul grew up watching that. He was an amazing kid.
He’s always had a strong sense of justice and fairness, and that made him really able to reach people — to feel what they feel and put himself in their shoes.
That empathy shaped Abdul’s life, and it’s why he understands that the struggle for healthcare in this country isn’t going away on its own.
Healthcare was at the center of our faculty strike. It almost always is.
This issue is one of the great unfinished fights of our time, and it’ll only be settled when people like Abdul get into the Senate and convince others that access to healthcare is good for the country.
Being president of my union taught me that when power is abused, you don’t look away — you stand up and do the right thing. Abdul is carrying that lesson forward by running a Senate campaign that isn’t afraid to fight for working people.
If you’re able to, I hope you’ll consider supporting him by donating today:
I’m so proud of my son, and I believe he’s the kind of leader this country needs right now (iA).
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
With gratitude,
Prof. Mohamed El-Sayed
