Page 15 - The Indian EYE 111822

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline NOVEMBER 18, 2022 | The Indian Eye 15

Shri Thanedar Aruna Miller Nabeela Syed Kumar Barve Vandana Slatter

endorsed by the organization working civic engagement initiatives such as tor as an entrepreneur. For over 25
for greater Indian-American repre- mobilizing voters, curbing sexual as- years, Thanedar built small business- AND THE WINNERS ARE
sentation at all levels and several oth- sault on college campuses, and en- es and created thousands of well-pay- GEORGIA
er prominent Indian-American orga- hancing gender equity, according to ing jobs that helped families. He is a • Nabillah Islam, Democrat, Senate
nizations. her official website. three-time recipient of the “Entrepre- District 7
NABEELA SYED She is also active in her religious neur of the Year” award by Ernst and • Farooq Mughal, State House, Dis-
community at the Islamic Society of Young.
nother Indian American wom- Northwest Suburbs and advocates Thanedar supports progressive trict 105, elected
an who had a big win is Na- interfaith dialogue and aims to em- solutions, including the $15 minimum MARYLAND
Abeela Syed. The 23-year-old power young Muslim women to lead, wage, because he knows how import-
Indian-American Muslim woman has according to her website. ant it is for Michigan families to have • Kumar Barve, Democrat State
House, District 17 reelected.
made history by becoming the young- SHRI THANEDAR opportunities to earn a good-paying
est person to win a House seat in Illi- wage with one job instead of needing MICHIGAN
nois. Syed, a Democrat, also becomes n another big victory for the two or three jobs to make ends meet, • Sam Singh, Democrat, State Sen-
the first South Asian in the state leg- community, Indian American according to his website. ate, District 28 beat Daylen How-
islature. Ientrepreneur-turned-politician A record 35 Indian American ard, Republican
In winning the 51st House district Democrat Shri Thanedar has become candidates ran in the high stakes
in the Nov 8 midterm elections, Syed the first person of Indian descent to midterm elections from Arizona to • Ajay V. Raman, Democrat, Oakland
County Commissioner, elected.
also flipped Republican-held sub- be elected to the US Congress from Wisconsin. At the federal level, eight • Ranjeev Puri, Democrat, State
urban district defeating incumbent Michigan state in upper Midwestern Indian American candidates ran for Senate District 21, reelected
Chris Bos. An elated Syed took to United States. seven House seats with incumbent
Twitter to shared her happiness over Thanedar’s win, who ran unsuc- Democrat Ro Khanna engaged in a ILLINOIS
her election. “My name is Nabeela cessfully for the Democratic party contest with Republican Ritesh Tan- • Kevin Olickal, Democrat, State
Syed. I’m a 23-year-old Muslim, Indi- nomination for governor in 2018, den. House, District 16 beat Vince Ro-
an-American woman. We just flipped would add a fifth member to the ‘Sa- A dozen Indian Americans also mano, Republican
a Republican-held suburban district,” mosa caucus’ – as the Desi lawmak- ran for State assemblies in Florida, • Nabeela Syed, Democrat, State
she tweeted noting, “I will be the ers in the Congress have nicknamed Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, House, District 51, elected
youngest member of the Illinois Gen- themselves. Michigan, New Hampshire Ohio and
eral Assembly.” Thanedar’s win represents a Pennsylvania. Six more are trying IOWA
Syed contended that she won quintessential rags-to-riches story, their luck in State Senates in Arizona,
the election because she engaged in having arrived in the US in the 70s Michigan, Vermont and Washington. • Megan Srinivas, Democrat, State
House, District 30, elected
a conversation with people – to give with just 20 dollars in his pocket. Af- Nine others are vying for elective of-
them a reason to get involved in our ter losing his father, Shri Thanedar fices with Republican Harry Arora PENNSYLVANIA
democracy and hope for better lead- worked as a janitor to support his running for State Treasurer in Con- • Dr Arvind Venkat, Democrat,
ership that represents their values. studies and family, before working as necticut and Sim Gill for District At- State House, District 30, elected
“When I announced for State a scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Re- torney in Salt Lake County, Utah.
Representative, I made it a mission search Centre in Mumbai. All but three or four of the 35 In- • Tarik Khan, Democrat, House
District 194, elected
to genuinely engage in conversation A proud Maharashtrian, Tha- dian American candidates in the fray
with people – to give them a reason nedar who grew up in Belgaum in are Democrats. TEXAS
to get involved in our democracy and Karnataka, came to the US in 1979 As Indian Americans are almost • Monica Singh, Harris County
hope for better leadership that rep- in search of the American dream and 4.5million in population with a high Judge, elected
resents their values.” she wrote on In- now wants to serve the community he concentration in critical competitions • KP George, Democrat, Fort Bend
stagram. “We won this race because lives with. A PhD scientist, Thane- and swing states spanning Florida, County Commissioners Court
we engaged in that conversation.” dar grew up in a working-class family Georgia, Arizona, Virginia, New Jer- • Juli Mathew, Democrat, Fort
Born and raised in Illinois, Syed that suffered financial hardship He sey, Texas, and California, they want
graduated from the University of Cal- paid for his education by working as their voice be heard on important is- Bend County Court at Law No. 3
ifornia with a degree in Political Sci- a teacher’s assistant, according to his sues and policy matters. WASHINGTON
ence and Business and served as the official bio. By all accounts, Indian American • Vandana Slatter, Democrat, State
president of a pro-bono consulting During that time, he earned voters turned the tide for Democrats House District 48, reelected.
organization that helped local busi- just $300 a month and sent $75 each in 2020 in key battleground states and
nesses. month to his family, who were dealing helped Joe Biden come to power. WISCONSIN
She currently works for a with financial hardship, so that they Now, they might have done the same
non-profit, helping them in digital could put food on the table. in the midterm by joining the blue • Josh Kaul, Democrat, Attorney
General, reelected.
strategy and supporting a myriad of He then entered the private sec- wall to stop the so-called red wave.

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