Hi John,

The primary elections in Ohio are just around the corner, and we have a huge opportunity with Basheer Jones running for Mayor of Cleveland. If elected, Basheer Jones would become the first Muslim Mayor of a major metropolitan city. With his vision for Cleveland, he will ensure that those voices most overlooked are heard. With his plan for Cleveland, the voices of the most vulnerable will echo throughout his administration and into the services that keep a roof over their heads, heat during the coldest of Cleveland nights, food for those in class or sleeping with empty stomachs, and water for those looking to quench their thirst or keep up with hygiene. 

Your investment is not a charity, but an act of justice in a vision that will provide security and dignity to those most in need in Cleveland Ohio.

Often in the Muslim American community when we think about forgotten voices, we think about refugees or those suffering from the consequences of man-made foreign policy, war, or greed. And so we invest millions into congressional members to make decisions for those impacted by foreign policy decisions. With the hope that one day foreign policy will shift on the basis of humanity over interest. All while our elderly, our children, the working poor in our community, the people who can't afford to take care of their homes, to keep a roof over their heads, to keep the heat on during the coldest of winter nights, or food for those sleeping with empty stomachs have no choice but to not forget. Those are our forgotten voices in America. 

This is a direct product of poor local representation. It is our council members, mayors, county executives, and school board members who fund assistance programs to serve our most vulnerable and our ever-expanding low and moderate-income populations. It is our local representatives who ensure that the mother who can not afford to provide food for her children has access to food. Or the child whose stomach growls while sitting in their classroom has access to a free lunch. Or the elders who struggle with mobility have access to quality care and to COVID vaccines during a pandemic. Or the father who can not afford to pay their gas bill during those cold winter nights has access to subsidies to ensure that their heat is not cut off. These are the voices of those struggling in silence, shoulder to shoulder next to you in prayer.

“Poverty is not an accident, like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human-beings” - Nelson Mandela

As my organizing partner, Aysha Ahmed, mentioned weeks ago we have an opportunity to invest in Councilman Basheer Jones who understands the importance of programs like those that can not be forgotten. Councilman Basheer Jones who is running to become the first Muslim Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio is a candidate who truly believes that “the true definition of success is not how far you go but how you come back and bring others with you.” Who as councilman brought billions of dollars in investments to his community, who helped start the first-ever free clinic in Cleveland with local Muslim doctors, who helps feed over 1,000 mouths a month with a local food bank in his ward, and who at one point as a child lived in a homeless shelter himself. A leader who centers those most vulnerable, those most impacted by poverty, children, the elderly, single mothers, those impacted by gun violence, those known as the forgotten voices in America.

Next weekend our team will be traveling to Cleveland to amplify voter outreach in the final days leading up to the election. Stay tuned on our social media to see our team in action!

In solidarity and service, 

Mohamed Gula, National Organizing Director

3425 US HWY 98 N

Lakeland, FL

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