COLUMN: Muhammad For Congress Makes Historic Run With Unprecedented Diversity In Georgia’s 5th District

In a congressional district tied with Florida’s 24th, according to the Cook Partisan Index, as the most Democratic congressional district in the South, Georgia’s Muhammad For Congress 5th District campaign as an independent in the Special Election this coming Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020 is not only statistically notable — but is also historic, from the perspective of diversity.

Even more noteworthy, perhaps, as many politicos have been rumoring, is the possibility that the Muhammad For Congress campaign may actually be the most diverse campaign with the most diverse voter support in the history of the 5th Congressional District — ever.

All this, in one of the most partisan, divisive battlegrounds of the 2020 election cycle:  the state of Georgia.  As one politico shared, the term others have been saying about the Muhammad campaign is, simply:  “intriguing”.

Intriguing, indeed.  Atlanta — the heart of the 5th Congressional District — lags in the nation — 44 among 66 cities with populations over 300,000 — when it comes to diversity, according to a recent U.S. News analysis.

Yet U.S. Congressional Candidate Steven Muhammad says diversity is in abundance when it comes to his campaign:

“We’ve received acknowledgements and support from Independents, Democrats, and Republicans, as well as Christians, Muslims, and Jews, across all racial lines and sexual orientation — our youth as well as our seniors, and our women leaders, whether from the community, small business, or from diverse faith backgrounds.”

Muhammad adds,“We are thanking everyone in advance for their courageous participation and willingness to support this historic campaign.  We’ve taken a stand for diversifying the 5th Congressional District without destructive gentrification, while closing the vast income gap disparity that exists here, so we can have a safe and decent place to live for all in the 5th District.”

The message of diversity inclusion — particularly political and faith diversity — is a common thread that has continued to surface throughout the Muhammad for Congress campaign.  Muhammad — and others — think his past leadership record shows that he has brought diverse groups of people together in ways that have fostered meaningful peace and progress. Rev. Mark Abernathy, pastor of Connect Point Christian Center is a witness, he professes, from the many years of collaborative work with Muhammad on various international, interfaith peace initiatives.

“Steven Muhammad is not just a social activist. He is incredibly connected to family, community, city, and state. He has an understanding with and about diverse people that helps resolve division.  I will always remember when he walked with us through Jerusalem, as we all chanted, ‘Peace, Shalom, As-salamu alaykum.’  That’s who Steven Muhammad is.”