Unlike other 17-year-olds, Bangladeshi-American Tahseen Chowdhury is passing busy days campaigning for the upcoming New York State Senate election.
He plans to challenge incumbent State Senator Jose Peralta in a Democratic primary in September. One needs to be at least 18 years of age to hold office in New York and Tahseen will turn 18 just in time.
Tahseen, going door-to-door to rally support, says he is hopeful even though he is young. He says people are gradually getting tired of conventional politics.
Tahseen campaigning for kosher and halal food
CourtesyIf he wins, he will become the first Muslim and Bangladeshi-American to achieve the feat.
Most members of his campaign team are his school friends. They are pounding the pavement and also helping him with his campaign website which lays out his position on various issues.
Most of his campaign funds came from donations from city residents. The fund is small compared to his opponents’ resources. Tahseen described his campaign as unique. “I will prioritize social networking and the power of the internet,” he says.
Tahseen discusses with a member of the law enforcement
CourtesyHe has been working as inter-market coordinator since eighth grade when he was in Khan’s Tutorial. He says he wants to use that experience: “I know where to invest and how to run a campaign by ensuring everyone’s participation.”
Many attribute the trend of young people joining politics to Donald Trump’s victory. In Kansas, two 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old announced plans to seek Democratic and Republican nominations.
Tahseen comes from a working-class immigrant family. His father works in a deli and his mother delivers newspapers. He says he believes his background has helped him identify the problems of his area’s residents.
Tahseen comes from a working-class immigrant family
CourtesyHe fears that the recent incidents of terror attacks in New York may turn out to be problematic for him. One of these attacks has allegedly been carried out by a Bangladeshi expatriate.
“I am 17 and I know it will be difficult for me to convince the people,” he says. “But I will make them understand that I am a Muslim and the Muslim community does neither support such acts nor the perpetrators.”
Apart from campaigning, his school work, college admission applications, and a job at Khan’s Tutorial give him barely enough time to sleep four hours a day.
“I enjoy what I do,” he says.
This article was first published on banglatribune.com
Tahseen campaigning for kosher and halal food CourtesyIf he wins, he will become the first Muslim and Bangladeshi-American to achieve the feat.
Most members of his campaign team are his school friends. They are pounding the pavement and also helping him with his campaign website which lays out his position on various issues.
Most of his campaign funds came from donations from city residents. The fund is small compared to his opponents’ resources. Tahseen described his campaign as unique. “I will prioritize social networking and the power of the internet,” he says.
Tahseen discusses with a member of the law enforcement CourtesyHe has been working as inter-market coordinator since eighth grade when he was in Khan’s Tutorial. He says he wants to use that experience: “I know where to invest and how to run a campaign by ensuring everyone’s participation.”
Many attribute the trend of young people joining politics to Donald Trump’s victory. In Kansas, two 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old announced plans to seek Democratic and Republican nominations.
Tahseen comes from a working-class immigrant family. His father works in a deli and his mother delivers newspapers. He says he believes his background has helped him identify the problems of his area’s residents.
Tahseen comes from a working-class immigrant family CourtesyHe fears that the recent incidents of terror attacks in New York may turn out to be problematic for him. One of these attacks has allegedly been carried out by a Bangladeshi expatriate.
“I am 17 and I know it will be difficult for me to convince the people,” he says. “But I will make them understand that I am a Muslim and the Muslim community does neither support such acts nor the perpetrators.”
Apart from campaigning, his school work, college admission applications, and a job at Khan’s Tutorial give him barely enough time to sleep four hours a day.
“I enjoy what I do,” he says.This article was first published on banglatribune.com