On Wednesday, August 27th, 2025, over 25 candidates running for Cleveland City Council, the Mayor’s Office, and Municipal Court Judge seats joined at The Aviator Cleveland for the Cleveland Candidate Forum.

Held as a collaborative and nonpartisan event co-hosted by CAIR-Cleveland, the Young Latinos Network (YLN), and the Arab Americans of Cleveland (AAC), this event brought together a diverse attendance.

The event kicked off with a moment of silence for the Minnesota school shooting that occurred that day.

CAIR-OH Executive Director, Cleveland & Northern Ohio Faten Husni Odeh, stated during the welcoming remarks, “In Islam, we believe to take one innocent life, it as if one has taken the lives of all of humanity.”

The forum was aimed at the Cleveland community of voters, to urge them to strengthen their civic participation and foster transparency between Cleveland’s elected officials and the diverse communities they represent. Community members, activists, and voters attended the event and conversed directly with candidates to discuss Cleveland’s newly redrawn ward maps, which are reshaping the political landscape and now placing voters in different districts.

Omar Kurdi, President of the Arab Americans of Cleveland (AAC), stated, “We are grateful to all the candidates who joined us at the Cleveland Candidates’ Forum. This event truly demonstrates why civic engagement and education matter for every community across Northeast Ohio. We extend our thanks to Neighborhood Connections for their support through the civic education grant, and to our partners CAIR-Ohio and the Young Latino Network for standing with us in building informed, empowered communities.”

The Cleveland Candidate Forum continues the work of amplifying underrepresented voices, especially among immigrant, Muslim, Latino, and youth communities, by connecting them directly to those who seek to represent and speak for them.

CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

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CONTACT: CAIR-OH Executive Director, Cleveland & Northern Ohio, Faten Odeh (216) 830-2247, fodeh@cair.com