Saima Farooqui is running in the Democratic primary for District 96 in Broward County and if elected she could become the first Muslim ever to be elected in the Florida State House.
District 96 encompasses Parkland and portions of Coconut Creek, Margate and Coral Springs. Farooqui was inspired to run after the Parkland shooting. The main issue Farooqui hopes to address is school safety. She wants to increase metal detectors at schools, mental health services, teacher pay and the number of counselors available.
Farooqui says some people have not been welcoming to a Muslim candidate who wears a hijab but describes her campaign as approachable. She gives her personal number to voters when she goes door-to-door spreading her message. “It’s all about communication, building bridges, getting your point out,” she says.
She is one of many women running for state and federal offices across the country this year. Farooqui joined Sundial to discuss her desire to run for office and the primary issues in her campaign.
What was the moment when you decided this is what you want to do? What was it that launched the idea?
In February, when I heard about this tragedy in Parkland -- when that happened that changed everything and that motivated me to run for the office and do something because I just want to make my community, my children safe. So that was the moment that has changed everything. I looked into running around February to April and I was just trying to see what could do and how I can bring change.
So I had read when you started canvassing you had to go door-to-door and introduce yourself to people and I was just curious, what was that experience like? You're going around telling people I'm running for your district and by the way I'm Muslim.
I don't really have to tell that I'm Muslim because I am very visible -- I wear this headscarf. But that was not really an issue for people to accept me at their doors. There were a few interactions they really didn't go well, but for the most part it was very welcoming. When I was introduced as a common person, not a politician, and said I would be running for the office, people were very happy to see someone living in the community and like them visibly. They were really happy to see me and it was very welcoming.
Did you run into anybody who had a problem with that or have a problem with you?
Yes, of course. Not a problem with me specifically but of course some people don't really welcome me, maybe for the lack of knowledge. They have probably never met a Muslim, but whatever they see on the media and they read in newspapers probably that might have just put them in a perception that maybe someone who wears a hijab or looks different might not be a good fit for this position. I was able to talk to them and some people really turned around and they were very happy and at the end they actually signed my petition.
Let's talk about the platform. Let's talk about the issues that are most important to you. When you talk to people what do you say to them about what you are going to represent? What are the biggest issues for you?
Basically, the people living in the district are small-business owners. Their kids go to the schools because the schools are pretty good in my district. They're really concerned about education. School safety is the biggest issue ever since Parkland and health care, but mostly education is a very important issue for it.
Now you talked about schools and making schools safer. If you could do one thing right now to make schools safer what would that be?
I would increase the security like metal detectors in the schools. Students should have some sort of chance to go and talk to their counselors about their problems. So increasing mental health services and counselors would be a big as big initiative.
Editorial note: In the orginal post we stated Pompano Beach as part of District 96. Our apologies.