UMich regents candidate Amir Makled tells Dearborn forum he has faced Islamophobia since high school
Three candidates for the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents discussed free speech, student protections and tri-campus relations at a community forum on the university’s Dearborn campus ahead of the Nov. 3 election, The Michigan Daily reported on October 21.
Incumbent Regent Paul Brown, a Democrat; civil rights attorney Amir Makled, a Democratic nominee; and Vesco Oil co-owner Lena Epstein, a Republican nominee, attended the forum, which was hosted by U-M Dearborn Student Government in collaboration with the American Parliamentary Debate Association.
Makled, a U-M Dearborn alum who would be the first Muslim on the Board if elected, told those in attendance he has experienced Islamophobia since high school, including during his campaign for regent.
"I understand firsthand what it feels to be a religious minority in a community that isn’t understanding of you and has a question mark (about your identity)," Makled said. "Even now, in the election that I’ve been pursuing on the campaign trail, I’ve seen both the Islamophobia and antisemitism that’s rampant on the campaign trail. It’s bad. There’s no room for hate."
According to the U-M Dearborn 2022 Faculty, Staff and Student Campus Climate Survey on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion report, about 23 percent of the student body identifies as Muslim.
Asked how they would remedy tri-campus inequalities, both Brown and Makled advocated increased funding for the Dearborn and Flint campuses. Makled said he would like to see an increase in state funding for both satellite campuses, which receive $33 million and $28 million respectively, compared with $376.8 million for the Ann Arbor campus.
"I’d like to see more government relations coming from the University’s Dearborn and Flint campuses and getting a fair share of the resources as a whole," Makled said.
Republican nominee Michael Schostak, Kyle Maas of the U.S. Taxpayers Party and Libertarian Andrew Chadderdon did not attend the forum.