Abdun Matin, a licensed mental health therapist, joined the Democratic primary for District 9B State Delegate, running against incumbent candidate Courtney Watson. His campaign is centered on supporting workers’ rights, immigrant protection, and divestment from human rights violations and environmental destruction.
Matin worked in charity and community service for over a decade, serving as area managers for Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Relief and Helping Hand USA before working as a therapist.
“We want the voices of the people to be heard, and that’s what the campaign is about,” said Matin. “I don’t consider myself as a politician. I consider myself as a community worker, as a social worker.”
His campaign policies include working with educator’s unions to support teachers, expanding access to mental health care, increasing housing affordability, and offering tax relief to Marylanders paying student loans.
Matin is a three year resident of Howard County, having previously lived in Baltimore County after immigrating to the United States from Pakistan in 2013. He said he’s fond of the hidden gems that old Ellicott City has to offer, a place he describes as “frozen in time.”
One of the concerns Matin’s campaign seeks to address are immigrant rights, in light of the rampant U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations across the nation.
“As an immigrant, I really, truly understand,” Matin said, “what immigrants are going through, right now with ICE raids.”
Matin supports legislation protecting “all immigrant communities’ rights to live and work safely without fear of deportation,” according to the campaign website.
Saad Ijaz, a sophomore public policy major at UMD, spoke at Matin’s campaign kickoff event on Sunday, Jan. 18 at the Kiwanis Wallis recreation center in support of the candidate. Ijaz recalled working with Matin at Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) relief, an experience that he says motivated him to volunteer and support the campaign launch. Ijaz felt that Matin’s campaign would bring forth positive change in the community.
“Matin brings a new set of values that we really need right now. It’s part of this greater movement to make our communities more morally aligned,” he said.
Kareem Amin, chief of staff of State Delegate Sean A. Stinnett, expressed his support for Matin at the kickoff event. Amin has known Matin for over 15 years through volunteer work at ICNA relief. When Matin reached out for support in his campaign, Amin said he knew he wanted to help in any way he could.
“We need to vote for change,” said Amin. As an educator, he was especially interested in his policy for increasing mental health support for youth in schools. “As Muslims, we’re about bringing the light to our communities, and so we need to continue to fight against that darkness with the light. And I believe that our brother, Abdun Matin, is the light that we need,” Amin said.
Shazia Shah, an elected member of the Baltimore County Central Committee Center, met Matin at an ICNA pantry event where the two connected through their interest for social change. Shah now serves as Matin’s campaign manager.
“[Matin] has fresh ideas, he is ready to fight for his people, his constituents,” said Shah. “He is coming froom a different perspective as a mental health professional. There is a huge need for that.”
Matin said his background in working directly with community members, whether through service or mental health support, has made him confident in advocating for their needs at the state level.
Member of the House of Delegates, Jay Jalisi, a former Maryland Delegate who is Muslim, attended the event in support of Matin’s candidacy and emphasized the importance of Muslims getting engaged.
“The more we engage with the community by running for public office, the more we let people realize that we are Americans, just like them, and all the rhetoric that the media portrays us by [is dissolved],” Jalisi said. “It tells them, ‘We are as American as they are.’”
Image credits: Cover photo courtesy of Abdun Matin.
Al-Hikmah 
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