Hamtramck, USA

Hamtramck, Michigan is a city built by immigrants. The city thrived thanks to Polish Catholic immigrants drawn to the industrial boom of America. In the late 1990’s, Bangladeshi and Yemeni Muslim immigrants revitalized this post-industrial city. this new wave of immigrants aim to gain representation in city hall.Karen Majewski, Hamtramck’s first female mayor in the city’s 100 year lineage of Polish mayors, is seeking her fourth term as mayor. Kamal Rahman, a community activist leading a grassroots movement. He campaigns across cultural and ethnic divides but focuses on the real fight; the Bangladeshi vote. Challenging both Karen and Kamal, Councilmember Mohammad Hassan served 8 years on city council and is well established within Bangladeshi politics.Fadel is the youngest candidate running. At 23 years old and one of the only Iraqi immigrants in the city, Fadel sees himself as an outsider. However, he quickly gains supporters, not because of a shared ethnicity but because of his sincere vision for a better Hamtramck. Along the way, Abraham Aiyash, a young Yemeni community activists who grew up with him, helps guide Fadel through the election process; reminding him who he is and what he represents.Through the election cycle, candidate’s face challenges and opportunities within each community, including their own. Through the exploration of the city’s rich history, cultural celebrations, and this heated election, Hamtramck, USA wrestles with identity politics, power dynamics, and the immigrant experience in America.