American Arab Chamber rallies community for Orland Mayor Jim Dodge
Orland Park, IL – The American Arab Chamber of Commerce hosted a rally and fundraiser on Tuesday June 16, 2026 for Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge and his board team.
The event was held at Al Bahaar Restaurant, 39 Orland Square Drive in the Orland Park Mall where owners Khalil “Abu Ferris” Ismail and Mufid Isa provided a spectacular Middle East meal for the nearly 100 attendees that elected activists, local elected officials, candidates for public office, and homeowners.
Hassan Nijem, President of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, co-organized the event along with Ismail and Isa, and welcomed all the attendees.
“We are here to support Mayor Jim Dodge, who has done so much not only to support the entire community, but to also to support our Arab and Muslim community for the past year. It is our responsibility to support him this evening,” Nijem said.
“We appreciate everything that Mayor Dodge has done to make Orland Park a community that is welcoming to everyone regardless of their race, religion or their politics. Orland Park is a much stronger community today after removing the former mayor who created tensions, disrespect and uncertainty.”
Dodge expressed gratitude to all the support that has welcomed him since he was elected mayor on April 1, 2025 and expressed his special gratitude to the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim community that supported his mission to restore Orland Park to the position of respect that it enjoyed before being undermined by his controversial predecessor.
“I just want everyone to understand that we needed your help, and we’re trying our level best to make sure that we keep our word that Orland Park will be for all, that we’re going to embrace all people,” Dodge said, acknowledging all of the attendees for coming together for the best interests of the village and its residents and businesses.
“There’s an intensity to the American political system. You have to have the resources to get your message out. You have to have good people to run with, knock on doors, and tell that story about your vision for the future. It’s a vision for the future, not division, which is what the guy I replaced was all about, divisiveness. Well, I don’t see how that aligns with any faith system. Being divisive, being antagonistic, hating people on sight. That’s not what any of our faiths are about, and that’s not what we do.”
Dodge said the fight to transform Orland Park to better representation is not over, and that the people of Orland Park need to continue the transition and oust the contentious remnants of former Mayor Keith Pekau’s administration who remain on the board.
“In one year, we have to do it again, because as many of you know, I still have three trustees on the board who were left over from that previous administration. In my humble opinion, they’re always out there with their snarky little comments, always trying to start problems,” Dodge said.
“They’re not thoughtful. They don’t reach out to the community. They don’t try and get ideas. They don’t try and work the problem. They don’t have a broader perspective. They’re not doing any of that. So tonight is about getting ready for one year from now, where we want to get three new trustees elected.”
He added, “If we’re going to have Orland Park be the great community that it was, that we all aspire to see it become again in the future, where it’s open, and good people live and build a good community, we have to keep making progress on the village board.”
The next election in Orland Park is in early 2027.
The event was emcee’d by former Consolidated High School District 230 Board member Mohammed Jaber, and included many guests including State Rep. Justin Slaughter, former State Rep. Cyril Nichols, Orland Township Trustee Lena Matariyeh, former Cook County Commissioner and current candidate for the office Elizabeth “Liz” Gorman, realtor Dave Shalabi, businessman and leader Mohammed Abdullah, UTCC union leader and newspaper publisher Fayez Khozindar, businessman Hajj Amin, Social Influencer and CEO of Legends by Heba inc. Heba Qandeel Kishta, community leader and former congressional candidate Mahnoor Ahmad, Arab radio host Yousef Marei, opinion columnist Ray Hanania, and President of the Palestine American Club Mazen Doleh
Slaughter said that under Mayor Jim Dodge, Orland Park has become an example for other suburban communities in the state in terms of what is being done to serve residents.
“It’s just great to have Orland Park in my legislative district. And it’s just a tremendous work experience for me as a state representative to have with dynamic, hardworking, impactful, local municipal leaders to work with. And they don’t come any better than Mayor Jim Dodge. What Mayor Dodge is doing here in Orland is ab- absolutely tremendous,” Slaughter said.
“It’s important because of the things that we do at the state level that have to trickle down to the taxpayers, homeowners and businesses. When you talk about the state’s $50 billion-plus budget, and its critical programs, services and initiatives, it means a lot. There is a lot of value when you can partner with a mayor like Jim Dodge who knows how to put these critical resources to work for the people.”
Abdullah praised Dodge for being willing to always meet with Orland Park residents on all issues, never turning anyone way.
“We love Mayor Jim Dodge. We supported him, and we are going to keep supporting him here for one reason, because he said to us and everyone, if you don’t like the politics or if you disagree with the Trump, you stay here. You don’t have to ‘go back to your country,’ like what the previous mayor said,” Abdullah said.
“So, we just have to keep supporting you, Mayor Dodge. Definitely, this big gathering here tonight shows how much the Palestinian and Arab people here in Orland Park love and support you.”
Nichols said that Mayor Dodge is an example of what municipal leaders should be, elected officials who always respect each and every resident regardless of politics or even differences, and ensures that their office door is always open.
“This mayor, Mayor Jim Dodge, we pray for him because it’s a tough job being the mayor. He’s dealing with everybody. He’s dealing with the Arab community, the Black community, the white community, and he does so fairly,” Nichols said.
Matariyeh said, “I ran for this office because there was just too much division, and I didn’t feel like there was a bridge of communication of all the different townships and villages between mosques and churches. I just wanted to really be that bridge. And since I met Mayor Dodge, we’re out there hitting the pavement every day together for months at a time to see that he is actually standing for what he said he was going to do for Orland Park. … Whenever I reach out to Mayor Dodge, I always get a response.”
Gorman told attendees the key to effective public service is working with everyone “to get things done” regardless of their politics, race, religion or identity.
“I met Lena at the polls this year. She’s phenomenal. She is what she is. She said you’ve stayed on course, and you’ve done a phenomenal job,” Gorman said.
“And, Justin Slaughter. We worked together at the Cook, in Cook County board when he was chief of staff to one of my commissioner colleagues who was on the other side of the political aisle. When we can work together we can bring a lot of things back to Cook County. Divisiveness is really a shame. We continue to move forward by working together. I was elected to the Cook County board because I was pro-family and pro-business, as much of you. There is so much commonality among us. I appreciate your support and look forward to working with you all in that capacity.”
For more information on the American Arab Chamber of Commerce of Illinois, visit www.AACCUSA.org.
— Press Release
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