Bangladeshi-American seeks seat in House District
Seema Ahmad has filed to run for State Representative in Michigan’s 7th House District, marking a significant step in her long-standing engagement in community and political activism in the United States.
The district, currently represented by Tonya Myers Phillips, includes the cities of Hamtramck, Highland Park and parts of Detroit. Hamtramck, known for its diverse population, is home to communities from Bangladesh, Yemen, Poland and Ukraine.
Ahmad, a Harvard-trained public policy analyst and lawyer, has been active in Metro Detroit since 2008. She began her political engagement during Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign, working across multiple precincts to register voters and build grassroots connections.
Following the campaign, she served as Oakland County district director for the Alliance for Immigration Reform. She also founded the non-profit Center for Education Development, supporting educational initiatives in Bangladesh, including the establishment of Presidency University.
An author of the memoir Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Ahmad has also contributed to social initiatives through organisations such as World Computer Exchange, helping distribute technology resources to non-profits.
A mother of three, she holds a public policy degree from Harvard University and a law degree from City Law School.
Her candidacy reflects growing participation of Bangladeshi-origin leaders in US politics, particularly in diverse urban constituencies.
