Arab and Muslim voters should rally for State Rep. Cyril Nichols Nov. 8
State Rep. Cyril Nichols has hit the ground running to represent every community in the newly drawn 32nd Illinois House District, including supporting Arab and Muslim Americans. Nichols is a champion of civil and human rights and has made a commitment to support Muslims and Arabs in his district equally along with everyone else. Arabs and Muslims need to give Nichols their vote on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
By Ray Hanania
State Rep. Cyril Nichols (Democrat 32nd District) has a district that stretches from Chicago to Bridgeview, but it includes a large swatch of the Arab American community in parts of the Southwest Suburbs of Bridgeview, Hickory Hills, Hometown and Burbank.
Nichols was first appointed to fill a vacancy in the district in April 2021 but he hit the ground running reaching out not only to the east side of the district but to the community in the west end, including to Arab and Muslim Americans.
Nichols was instrumental in getting a major grant of $150,000 awarded to a local Mosque and the Islamic Community. And, he has been a presence expressing support for Arab American and Muslim concerns appearing at nearly every Arab American event.
Nichols is seeking election to the seat on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 and is being challenged by Republican Carl Kunz who is affiliated with the Palos Township Republican Organization which is run by the beleaguered and controversial Palos Township Committeeman Sean Morrison, one of Cook County’s worst county commissioners ever.
Nichols has visited every Mosque in the District, including the Bridgeview Mosque and the Orland Park Mosque. He has been working with the Arab American Chamber of Commerce to represent the business interests of every ethnic, religious and racial group in the diverse district, and has spoken out forcefully that Arabs and Muslims should be treated equally just like everyone else.
It’s a message that Arabs and Muslims don’t always hear from state elected officials.
And Nichols words were not just empty rhetoric. He introduced legislation to recognize Arabs as a “Minority” in terms of qualifying for Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) state laws which sets aside as much as 30 percent of the state’s billion dollars in contract appropriations for MBE designated businesses.
It’s not that the law identifies Arabs as a “minority” but in fact states that they should be given the same status as other minorities including African American, Hispanics and Women to get state contracts. It is based on a law first adopted in Michigan.
Nichols is also endorsed by the Arab American Democratic Club (AADC) which is the largest grassroots organization of Arab Americans in political activism and government. Click here.
Click this link to read about this legislation.
Earlier in the year, Nichols also brought Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch to the Orland Park Mosque, whose congregation includes many Arab and Muslim Americans who live in his district — Mosque have wide regional appeal to Arabs and Muslims and not just in the communities where they are located.
Welch vowed he will supports Nichol’s legislation to add Arabs to the MBE contract set asides.
And, Nichols is just a good person and he helped collect thousands of bottles of water that he and others brought down to help the victims of a flood that slammed Jackson, Mississippi. Click here.
Nichols deserves Arab American support in the November 2, 2022 General Election.
Here is his bio:
Cyril L. Nichols, son of Ulysses and Markusree Nichols, was born and raised in the Cabrini Green community Near the North Side of Chicago.
Cyril was appointed as State Representative of the 32nd District, April of 2021 filling the vacancy of the prior State Representative. Since his appointment, Representative Nichols has Co-sponsored several bills as well as introduced legislation for consideration. He has also allocated millions of dollars to community-based organizations in the 32nd District.
Representative Nichols 40 year background of service stems from his parents’ upbringing and their commitment and unselfish dedication to not only being a part of the community but the understanding the ideology of serving the community.
Representative Nichols has an undeniable record of service. He has worked for the Cabrini Green community base organization (CYCLE), Park District, Chicago Youth Centers, YMCA, Cunningham Children’s home, Benedictine University, the University of St. Francis, as well as City Colleges of Chicago.
Furthermore, Representative Nichols is a graduate of Colby College in Kansas and Columbia College in Chicago. Representative Nichols has an extensive background in coaching and has always volunteered his time and talents in mentoring and/or coaching at all levels.
Representative Nichols is married with children and is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma and other social and professional organizations. Representative Nichols motto is simple for the 32nd District:
Culture for SERVING all… and We Do the Work
For more information on State Representative Cyril Nichols, visit www.RepNichols.com.
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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].
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