Cover Story
R
ashida Tlaib is all smiles as she
drives up to our designated
interview spot. We’
re in Stoepel
Number 1 Park, in Detroit’
s historic
Rosedale Park neighborhood. It’
s part of
Michigan’
s 13th Congressional district,
which Tlaib is trying to defend in her
Aug. 4 primary. She steps into the park’
s
tennis courts, which have weeds poking
through them, gives an elbow-bump
greeting and happily poses for photos.
This is the first time Tlaib has talked to
the Detroit Jewish News. She and her staff
claim this is the first time they were aware
the JN had tried to contact them; but, in
fact, the JN has made several interview
offers to her since 2018, when she became
the first Palestinian woman elected to
Congress and began making headlines for
her polarizing comments about Israel.
As a member of “the Squad,
” a group
of progressive women legislators of color
that also includes Reps. Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, Tlaib’
s
words echo far beyond Detroit.
Now, Tlaib’
s district (which includes
large portions of Detroit and Dearborn
Heights, as well as communities like
Romulus, Ecorse and Inkster) is dealing
with high rates of COVID-19 and ongo-
ing protests against racism and police
brutality. “Have you seen the marches?”
she asks. “Jews and Muslims holding signs
together … It makes me smile.
”
Tlaib’
s primary race, against Detroit
City Councilwoman Brenda Jones, is
competitive, and some Detroit-area
Jews see danger no matter who wins. At
the same time, Tlaib has many Jewish
supporters, and says she wants to have
a respectful dialogue with everyone. “I
have an open-door policy,
” she said. “Even
when we disagree, if we can look at each
other in a way that at least we feel heard,
that’
s all I ask.
”
In that spirit, here is what Tlaib told
the JN about her identity in Congress, the
BDS movement and fighting bigotry of all
stripes.
This interview has been condensed and
edited. A longer version can be found at
TheJewishNews.com.
JN: To many of our readers, you are Public
Enemy No. 1. What is your reaction when
you hear that?
Well, instantly I think of my community.
I grew up in Wayne County, all my life in
Southwest Detroit, and have worked with
organizations like Detroit Jews for Justice
on stopping water shutoffs, pushing the
community benefits movement in the
city, always working side-by-side on social
justice issues. That is what I want people
to remember. I truly believe in human
rights for everyone.
Have your positions on Israel and
Palestine been mischaracterized in the
media?
I think they’
ve been misinterpreted or not
fully understood. If people saw me more
as a granddaughter, versus a congress-
member, they would understand why I
have said we need to push for true equali-
ty and justice in Israel. The lens I bring to
the issue is something I hope people wel-
come because I don’
t think there has ever
been a member of Congress with a living
grandmother or relatives in the occupied
territories of Israel. I hope people see an
opportunity, not something negative.
DJJ, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Detroit
and IfNotNow Detroit have been in your
corner. What have you learned from your
Jewish backers and what have they
learned from you?
When I was at Sugar Law Center, as a
nonprofit lawyer, I was working for JVP
Rep. Rashida Tlaib sits down
with the Jewish News for the fi
rst time.
ANDREW LAPIN EDITOR | PHOTOS BY GLENN TRIEST
Same Folks
Coming After
All of Us”
“It’s the
14 | JULY 16 • 2020