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Arab and Muslim Americans rally for 8^th Illinois House District candidate John Harrell

By Ray Hanania

Arab and Muslim Americans gathered on Thursday, Feb 12, 2026 to host an “organizing fundraiser” for John Harrell, the Pastor and community leader running for the 8^th Illinois House District race, a seat to be vacated by incumbent La Shawn Ford, who is running for Congress.

The co-founder of Black Men United and Pastor of both Proviso M.B.C. in Maywood and Chicago Northside New Hope M.B.C churches, Harrell has dedicated his life to uplifting families and communities in need, providing food, water, job programs, and securing county and state support for residents.

Joined by community leader Larry Huggins, Arab American business leader Mohammed Abdullah welcomed the more than 60 attendees at a dinner hosted at M’Dakhan Restaurant, 9115 S. Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, and described Harrell as “one of the region’s most representative community leaders” and a “strong friend” of the Arab community, whose door is open to all.”

“We are very proud to be here today to support John Harrell for the 8^th Illinois House District. John Harrell, a pastor of two important churches and co-founder of Black Men United, has always shown a responsiveness to the Arab and Muslim American community,” host organizer and business leader Mohammed Abdullah told attendees.

“John’s focus in his campaign is on providing property tax relief and homeowners’ protection. He has called for freezing and rolling back the new Cook County property taxes. I’m sure that everybody has had experience with seeing their property taxes go up so dramatically this year and during prior years. This is one of his main agendas. He has pledged to serve the entire district and keep his phone open. He will keep his door open to all communities, including our community, which is important to us.”

Harrell addressed the gathering and vowed to continue to be responsive to all communities, including to the Arab and Muslim community, saying it is wrong for the city to blame Arab businesses when criminals engage in violence near their establishments.

“I want to take to Springfield your policy. And so when you feel like they’re strangling you from doing business, strangling your businesses from growing and gaining capacity, simply because of public safety that you have nothing to do with,” Harrell said, noting that the city has targeted Arab owned businesses in the past, blaming them for violence that has been unrelated to them.

“I think it’s wrong to cut off parking paths where people can have access to your gas stations. I think that you should be able to have the flow of traffic so that you can continue to make money and be staples in our community.”

Harrell said that his platform is one that supports all of the residents in the district.

“I wanna make sure that they’re not strangling our communities with taxes. I think it’s wrong for the Chicago Public Schools to mismanage, misappropriate, and mishandle the funds that they get from the general legislation, and then to have to go down and raise taxes on the backs of poor people,” Harrell said.

“I need your support because I’m going down to Springfield and I’m taking on a machine. I’m trying to change and shift what is known as political entitlement. I’m up against three super sisters, three excellent African American women and queens. I have nothing negative to say about them at all, other than they should not be able to go and represent us when they have been totally absent from our communities.”

All three of Harrell’s opponents either worked for other elected officials who put them in the race or are related to an elected official, suggesting their candidacies are driven by priorities other than addressing community needs.

Harrell cited his achievements during the meeting, including sponsoring food programs for the needy, supporting the building of low income housing for the poor, and maintaining strong relations with communities and the leaders of 21,000 African American Baptist pastors.

“I need your support to help shape the policy. What better person to shape policy than the ones that are experiencing bad policy? I need you to help shape the policy and make sure that we put the policy together, so that we can go down there and have a platform in which we can articulate what your needs are. I cannot promise you that I’m gonna change it all in one day. Keep in mind that this is a heavy lift, and this is going to take some hard work.,” Harrell said.

“But what I am telling you is that I won’t mismanage, I won’t mishandle, and I will not misappropriate the voices of the people. When I’m down there negotiating what to bring to our community, that will spill over into other communities, because this is a movement. I am backed by the people and I’m the people’s choice.”

He concluded, “I just want to say thank you again, because I’m overwhelmed. I’m just a blessed young man. I don’t take anything for granted. I want to walk in the spirit of humility, and if I can do anything to help you, please, please, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Harrell is a former US Army National Guard Veteran, co-founder and President of Black Men United Foundation with 37 Chapters nationwide, Pastor and Chairman of National Baptist Convention USA Inc., and a board member at the Triton College Foundation and at Loretto Hospital.

Last August, Harrell was highly praised by both Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch at the ribbon-cutting for a new affordable housing project in Maywood for his leadership and dedication to the community.

Harrell’s candidacy for the 8^th Illinois House District is endorsed by many of the region’s leading elected government officials, including:

They include Senator Kimberly Lightford, Senator Lakesia Collins, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon, Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar, Congressman Raja Krisnamoorthi, Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson, Melrose Park Mayor Ron Serpico, Bellwood Mayor Andre Harvey, Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins, and Maywood Mayor Nathaniel Booker.

Harrell is also endorsed by the statewide Service Employees International Union (SEIU), SEIU Local 73 unions, and Teamsters Local 777 unions.

Harrell has also received the endorsement of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, the largest regional Arab American business organization in Northern Illinois.

The 8th House District covers parts of north Austin and Garfield Park, as well as parts of Oak Park, Forest Park, Berwyn, Broadview, Cicero, Countryside, Hodgkins, LaGrange, LaGrange Park, Westchester and Western Springs. 

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