Democrat gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed asked a crowded room full of people if they “believe we need to stand up for the future of our country in November 2018” in a town hall meeting on March 20 at the Isabella County Building.

The Isabella County Democratic Party hosted the town hall meeting so residents could have a chance to hear more about El-Sayed’s policies and directly ask him questions, said to Mount Pleasant Mayor Allison Quast-Lents, who introduced him.

“Now, I’m not your usual candidate for governor,” El-Sayed said. “People look at me and they say ‘You look a little bit young,’ and what they sometimes don’t say is, ‘You’re also a little bit brown and a little bit Muslim,’” he added, laughing.

El-Sayed said that while he may look different from other gubernatorial candidates and other politicians, he wants to be the governor of Michigan because he is “done waiting for leadership that is willing to stand up and fight."

Lake Orion sophomore Taylor Paine attended the town hall meeting because she is unhappy with the state’s current leadership.

“I wanted to learn more about (El-Sayed’s) platform and how he plans to change our state, because I think that we need a lot of help," Paine said.

El-Sayed, who is a doctor, criticized Michigan’s health care system, particularly the fact that 600,000 Michigan residents do not have health care. He said that with his medical background and experience working as Health Commissioner for the city of Detroit, “there is no one currently in politics with more knowledge of the Michigan health care system” than him.

“My work has been about trying to solve challenges that have arisen because of broken politics,” he said.

The gubernatorial candidate spoke at length about the Flint water crisis, stating that clean, safe water “should be a basic human right, especially in a state defined by water.” As governor, he plans to ensure that all water in Michigan is safe and clean.

This resonated with sophomore Emily Jones, who grew up in Flint and said she thinks he will be able to help end the distribution of unsafe and unclean water.

“I really agree with what he stands for, he’s talked to me personally about things I’m concerned about as a Flint resident,” she said. “I think he’ll make things better.”

El-Sayed said that while he is “all for responsible gun ownership in America,” gun reform is one of his policies that he feels the most strongly about. He spent a great deal of time at the town hall meeting outlining his views on gun reform and what he would do as governor to enforce those views.

When the meeting opened into a question-and-answer segment and El-Sayed was asked for his stance on the recent suggestions that teachers should be armed in schools, he talked about his newborn daughter.

“When I think about my baby girl and the school she’s going to go to, I just want no one to have a weapon that could take her life,” he said. “Nobody. Not teachers, not students. I think it’s time to say enough is enough.”

El-Sayed said he strongly believes that schools, among other public places, should be gun-free zones. He is the only Michigan gubernatorial candidate who is supported by Moms Demand Action, a national organization that fights for gun reform and to keep guns out of schools.

Roseville sophomore Sam Zeeryp, a student organizer of Mount Pleasant’s March For Our Lives Protest, asked El-Sayed if he supported the March For Our Lives movement, and if he would be attending and of the demonstrations taking place on Saturday, March 24. El-Sayed said that he deeply supports the recent nationwide movements for gun reform, and walked out with the students at Cass Technical High School in Detroit during the national school walkout on March 14.

Although the candidate strongly supports the movement, he is unable to attend any of the demonstrations because he will be a groomsman in his best friend’s wedding on March 24.

However, he said the majority of his team will be attending the event, and he “will be there in spirit," asking the room to give the March For Our Lives student organizers a round of applause.

Zeeryp said he was surprised by how supportive El-Sayed is of the movement.

“I liked how much (El-Sayed) talked about actual gun reform, rather than just taking away guns,” he said.

El-Sayed was a student himself when the Columbine High School shooting occurred, and he said his generation did nothing at the time, because they all thought it was “a one-time thing”.

“If my generation had the same courage yours does, maybe we wouldn’t be here,” he said. “So from my generation to yours, thank you.”

El-Sayed stressed the importance of involving young people in all political conversations. He said he fights for his daughter and all other young people, because he believes they have the ability to make the most change.

He talked about the fact that every major movement in society’s history has been led by youth, saying, “the passion of youth is a pretty unique and awesome thing.” He said he believes that the country’s only real shot at rethinking gun reform will be led by youth.

“Nobody is more certain in their hearts than young people,” El-Sayed said. “Young people are the ones who create change, and it’s on us to dignify that.”