YAN – Dearborn
After repeated attempts and painfully close elections, Adel Mozip became the first-ever Yemeni American member of the Dearborn School Board after he was appointed to the seat by his now-fellow trustees last month.
He finally did it.
And despite the jubilation of the moment, Mozip was almost immediately ready to move on from the celebrations and get to work on behalf of all the students in the district.
Mozip is aware that his appointment increases the diversity of the board and helps it reflect the population of the city, where the growing Yemeni community lacks representation in public office, but he says “loyalty to Dearborn and all of its components” is what matters.
“I want to be an agent of progress to help every student in the district equally,” he told the Yemeni American News. “I hope I can live up to the expectations of all parents and students without exceptions.”
Who is Adel Mozip?
Mozip was sworn in by Dearborn Judge Gene Hunt at Henry Ford College on April 15 in a brief ceremony attended by dozens of activists and community members.
The new trustee immigrated to the US as a teenager. He learned English and graduated from Fordson High School in 2004. He, then, went on to earn a degree in computer engineering from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and an MBA from Wayne State University.
In many ways, this immigrant success story is not uncommon in the Arab community. But what makes Mozip stand out is his interest in public service, since the day of high school, where he said he was active in academic clubs and helped tutor other students.
Mozip has always had a keen interest in encouraging higher education in the community and he founded the American Association of Yemeni Students and Professionals (AAYSP) for that purpose.
Having a seat at the table
Since getting involved in the world of education since 2010, Mozip found the lack of diversity on the school board problematic. Despite the growing number of students of Arab background, there was only one Arab American on the seven-member board at the time.
“It’s not like the other trustees were not great,” Mozip told the Yemeni American News. “But there are certain things you have not address if you have not lived and experienced.”
Mozip wanted to be a part of the decision-making process by having a seat at the table.
He first sought a seat on the board four years ago when a vacancy had to be filled after one of the trustees resigned to move out of town. He was not selected.
He ran in the 2016 elections and came in third place in a race for two open seats. Another vacancy opened up a year later, he applied for the position but was overlooked under controversial circumstances. He ran again in 2018, and he came atop a crowded field of Arab American candidates. Still, he was only a few hundred votes away from clenching one of the two open seats.
“I feel fulfilled when I participate in volunteer activities,” he said. “I feel happy when I help others and see them succeed.”
Still, Mozip is humble about his contributions to the community, stressing that he has not done much.
Inspiration
As a college graduate and education official, Mozip hopes to continue to inspire students to go to college.
“When I used to go to high school and present the ‘Way to College’ program,” he said. “I’d see the students looking excited to hear my story and see theirs in it. It’s a tremendous feeling that pushes me to give more to society.”
As for his persistence and ultimate success in seeking a place on the board, Mozip says it can be a “grain of hope.”
“For those who try and don’t succeed in the first time, they should keep trying until they get there.”
