Community organizers are putting together plans for a forum on the Detroit mayoral race to take place at the Islamic Center of Detroit, 14350 Tireman Street, giving candidates an opportunity to address concerns of the Arab American community.

Ken Cockrel Jr.

The current field of 15 candidates to replace disgraced former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will be cut down to two after a Feb. 24 special nonpartisan primary.

The top two move on to a May 5 runoff for mayor.

Organizer Tarek Baydoun said the race is critical to the Arab American community both for regional economic interests and for Detroit residents.

Freman Hendrix

“There are thousands of Arab Americans who live in the city who deserve to have a say,” Baydoun said.
Candidates Ken Cockrel Jr., 43, who is the sitting mayor of Detroit, Warren Evans, 60, who is Wayne County sheriff and Freman Hendrix, 58, chief government relations officer at Eastern Michigan University, have each addressed groups of Arab American business leaders recently in separate Dearborn meetings.

Warren Evans

Other candidates include Dave Bing, 65, chairman of The Bing Group and former Detroit Piston; Donald Bradley, 61, a physician of obstetrics and gynecology; Stanley Christmas, 59, a community activist; Frances Culver, 39, former special needs teacher; Joseph Holt, 42, former public school teacher and local filmmaker; Nicholas Hood III, 57, pastor, Plymouth United Church of Christ; Sharon McPhail, 60, former general counsel for the mayor’s office; Duane Montgomery, 41, human resources consultant; Brenda Sanders, 49, 36th District Court judge; Jerroll Sanders, 53, business consultant and author; D. Etta Wilcoxon,

Dave Bing

51, publisher and editor-in-chief of Renaissance Observer newspaper; and Coleman A. Young II, 26, 4th District state representative.
A date for the community forum has not yet been set. Baydoun said at least one candidate had confirmed intentions to take part as of Wednesday.

Check future editions of The Arab American News and the community calendar, www.arabamericannews.com and the online calendar for further details.