Capitol and Community Updates: Nov. 20

Dear Neighbor,

Welcome to my Capitol and Community Updates e-newsletter.

As fall wraps up and Thanksgiving approaches, I hope you’ve been able to enjoy the season. With winter just around the corner, I’d like to share a few updates on what’s been happening in Lansing and here at home in Dearborn.

This past month, I had the opportunity to join state Sen. Sylvia Santana and other community leaders at a special Veterans Day event held in Dearborn. At this event, we unveiled the official Women Veterans License Plate designs and honored four outstanding women veterans, each representing Allen Park, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Detroit. This was a wonderful chance to celebrate and recognize the contributions that women veterans make across our state.

At the same time, I know our community has been dealing with outside extremist groups trying to spread fear. I want you to know that I stand firmly with Dearborn’s families against any attempt to divide or intimidate us.

If you have questions about state programs or want to share concerns, please reach out by phone at (517) 373-0144 or email me at [email protected]. Thank you for taking the time to read this update. It’s an honor to represent our community in Lansing.

In service,

Alabas A. Farhat
State Representative
House District 3

I wanted to let you know that my December Community Conversation has been canceled. I appreciate your understanding and will share a new date soon. In the meantime, if you need assistance or have questions, please feel free to reach out to my office.

For weeks now, extremist groups from outside our community have been showing up in Dearborn, spreading fear and division. This came to a head recently when some of these individuals marched through Dearborn, entered a city council meeting and brought their harmful, Islamophobic rhetoric directly into a public space where families should feel safe.

Dearborn is a hardworking, diverse city. Nobody here should be made to feel targeted because of who they are or what they believe. I’m calling on our state leaders, our federal delegation, and our local partners to stand with our residents and speak out clearly against efforts to intimidate or divide our community.

In early November, I spoke out against the federal halt to SNAP benefits. Many families in Michigan depend on this program to afford groceries, and losing it would hurt working parents, children and seniors in our district. I called on both state and federal leaders to protect food assistance and keep people from falling through the cracks.

SNAP has now been reinstated following the federal government shutdown. If you are still experiencing issues receiving your benefits, please reach out to my office.

In Lansing, we have been working hard this past month to advance the priorities that matter the most to our communities, including strong education, infrastructure improvements and economic stability for Michiganders. As we look forward, I am excited to continue the work we have been doing.

November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to recognize and honor the history, culture and ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples across Michigan and the United States.

Our state is home to twelve federally recognized tribes whose traditions and leadership continue to shape our communities today. This month is not only about celebration, but also reflection as we acknowledge the past, listen to Native voices and support efforts toward equity and cultural preservation year-round.

Detroit Area Agency on Aging’s (DAAA) Holiday Meals on Wheels Program

Thursday, Dec. 25 | Packaging: 6 a.m.; Delivery: 8 a.m.

Join the Detroit Area Agency on Aging this Christmas Day to bring warmth, care and hot meals to older adults across our community!

America’s Thanksgiving Parade
Thursday, Nov. 27 | 8:45 a.m.

The parade route is three miles along Woodward Avenue from Kirby to Congress.

If you know an individual, business, or community landmark that you believe deserves special recognition in the form of a tribute, please reach out to my office or submit a request here. One of my favorite parts of serving as your state representative is visiting teachers, small-business owners, and others to offer our gratitude for the work they do to support our community daily.

Our teachers and business leaders are pillars of the community and deserve recognition for their hard work. If you would like to nominate a teacher and/or business for me to recognize on social media, please fill out the forms below.