About Rashida
Rashida Tlaib was raised in Southwest Detroit, the oldest child of immigrants, who taught her the importance of hard work, honesty, and commitment to community. As the eldest of 14 children, she developed leadership qualities that made her responsible, caring, and compassionate toward others. In 1998, she received her B.A. in Political Science from Wayne State University. While working full-time, she attended weekend classes at Thomas Cooley Law School, where she earned her law degree in January of 2004.
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Her family’s struggle to create a new life in Southwest Detroit inspired Rashida’s long term commitment to public service and giving back to the community. She provided social and advocacy services to thousands of Southwest Detroit families at Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development (LASED), the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), the Office of State Representative Steve Tobocman, the International Institute of Metro Detroit, and the Neighborhood Tax Center.
In working to help these families, she advocated for public policies that improve the quality of life for families in need of better access to human services, education, and civil rights and consumer protection. Rashida has also worked on local initiatives to expand community policing, neighborhood clean-ups, and is dedicated to putting an end to fraudulent schemes that mislead residents. She serves on the Boards of ACCESS and Sugar Law Center.
Rashida was elected to Michigan House of Representatives in 2008 representing the 12th District (Southwest Detroit). She is a strong advocate for policies that create real positive change and promises to take her vision and passion for Southwest Detroit with her to Lansing. She has been married to her husband, Fayez, for 10 years and they have a beautiful son named Adam.
