Young People Next Political Representation…That’s Why I am Running for Office.
By Guest Editor: Nashra Mohammed, candidate for District 74 School Board (Lincolnwood, IL)

This year has proven the resiliency of American students. Despite challenges, we have persevered, adapted to new technology, and created new understandings of what it means to learn. Yet, this year has also exposed the implications of unequal access to safe and quality education. Far too many students have fallen behind, or worse, been left behind, due to factors outside of their control. Many of these students are here in our very own district, at our very own public schools.

Zip codes should not govern educational outcomes and life pathways. However, for my fellow neighbors in District 74, our locale too often determines the quality of the education that is available. Being a former student at Chicago Public School and transferring to Niles West High School, I experienced just how unequal education can be. This is not fair.

Motivated by my desire to ameliorate these inequities and make meaningful changes in my community, at 18, I entered the race for School Board. I gained the support of 2,500 people in my township, despite running against more experienced and well-funded candidates. This year, I am running again with even more experience and drive.

My experience running for School Board has only furthered my belief that we need more diversity in our representation, especially at the local level. Getting my foot into the world of politics was both challenging and eye-opening. Being 18, I struggled to get other candidates to take me seriously. Being a woman, many people disparaged my decision to run for public office. I was told it was a man’s job and that I could not do it. These people were wrong.

After the experience of running when I was 18, I said I would never run again. But at the same time, how could I sit back idly? At times, it feels like I am fighting against the entire world to be elected on the school board. Within my own community and friends, I face an uphill battle to gain support. I have had to fight for this district to see me not just for my identity, but by the fact that I am the strongest candidate for the school board because of my unique experience as a young person, a woman of color, and growing up in an immigrant family. Despite these obstacles, I have found the courage to put myself back out there, to fight for what I believe in, and to create a better future for the young people of District 74.

This unique moment in American history creates an opportunity for young people to design new and innovative approaches to the problems passed down by earlier generations. Young Americans, especially women, are essential to the conversation surrounding education, an issue that most directly impacts them. We deserve a representative voice and a seat at the table. If elected, I will provide more diversity on the board. Young women of color, like myself, will see that they too can and should run for local office.

My election to the School Board in District 74 will allow students to get the representation they deserve in decision-making that directly affects their lives. As a School Board member, I will ensure that no student is left behind and that special education is always prioritized. I will champion equal access to quality education for each and every family in my village. I will fight to rectify the learning loss experienced during COVID-19.

I know today’s standard of education, I am living through it. I know this district inside and out. A school board must be comprised of people that bring in various expertise and qualifications. My position as a current student provides me with unique qualifications for the District 74 School Board. The policies that I plan to achieve as your School Board member are not just words on a page, they are deeply personal for me. I will fight for you and your family as if you were my own when I am on the District 74 School Board.