ABOUT NAGI ALMUDHEGI

Yemen gave birth to me, but America raised me. I grew up in the iconic Southend of Dearborn with three brothers and four sisters in a conservative neighborhood. My father worked as a factory laborer most of his life, and the highest wage he ever earned was $8 an hour. You can imagine how challenging it was to support a family of eight in a small two-bedroom house on that income. Growing up, my siblings and I didn't have many toys, but we had something far more valuable—a loving mother who devoted herself to caring for us and a father who instilled discipline. In that environment, we learned to respect our elders, be kind to others, live honestly, and work hard.

My father worked the afternoon shift, so I rarely saw him on school days. Still, I vividly remember his daily phone calls during his breaks, always asking how school went that day. He emphasized the
importance of education, often telling me, Son, America is the land of opportunity, and the key to those opportunities is a good education. He would add, Nagi, I can't get a high-paying job because I don’t have an education. Your grandfather died when I was a young boy, and as the only boy among five sisters, I had to work from the age of 12.

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I graduated from Fordson High School as salutatorian in 1992 and went on to study at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Without a doubt, my college experience was the best time of my life. I earned a
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, graduating in the top 10% of my class. To this day, I consider this one of my greatest achievements, especially since I nearly dropped out in my first year due to the challenging curriculum.

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While college was mostly fantastic, there was a downside. I was influenced by the anti-White, anti-American sentiments that permeated the campus. This mindset stayed with me for several years until I
moved to a small rural town in central Ohio in late 1999. All I knew about that town was that I would receive a significant pay raise.

The first few days were unbearable. I was literally the only minority in town. Everywhere I went—whether at the park, grocery store, or work—people stared at me. This only reinforced my belief that White people were inherently prejudiced.

 

But things changed when I began playing pickup basketball at the local park. One day, a towering figure showed up, clearly looking to start trouble with me. As tensions escalated, I prepared for the worst,
expecting the “White boys” to gang up on the “Arab” kid. To my absolute amazement, the other players stood between me and the aggressor. They looked him in the eye and said, You’ll have to go through us before you get to Nagi. In that moment, my prejudices shattered. I realized that people are individuals, not stereotypes.

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For over two decades, I worked in various leadership roles within the manufacturing industry, solving complex problems and improving company performance. Now, I want to bring that same determination
and vision to serve you—the people of Dearborn. I love this city. I grew up here, my family is here, and I want to give back to the community that helped shape who I am. Whether you live near Salina or Snow
Elementary, Howard or William Ford, or in the neighborhoods around Bryant or Maples Elementary, I am committed to working for every resident in every corner of our city.