DETROIT – Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a Detroit-area native and former Detroit health director, will officially announce his campaign for Michigan governor on Saturday.
El-Sayed was born and raised in Michigan and currently lives in Detroit. He was the captain of his high school’s football, wrestling and lacrosse teams before going on to play lacrosse at the University of Michigan.
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When he graduated from college in 2007, he gave the student commencement speech alongside former President Bill Clinton.
El-Sayed became a Rhodes Scholar, earning a doctorate from Oxford University and a medical degree from Columbia University.
At age 30, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan brought him in to rebuild the city’s Health Department, which had been privatized during the city’s bankruptcy.
He has focused largely on children. El-Sayed created programs aimed at reducing infant mortality and unplanned pregnancy. He also created a program to give glasses to needy schoolchildren in Detroit.
Friends, family and Michigan community and religious leaders will join El-Sayed at a press conference and rally at Eastern Market in Detroit.
Pastor Carter Cortelyou of First United Methodist Church, Pastor Raymond Scott of New Mt. Carmel Tabernacle, Muslim leader and activist Fatima Salman, and Eric Johnson, a small business owner, and Linda Johnson, a former teacher, will be speakers.
The event is at noon Saturday at Shed 2 in Eastern Market.
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