Ali Velshi: Democracy is built by people who show up even when the odds say they shouldn’t

In 1981, Murad Velshi was running to represent his district in the Ontario Legislature. He never stood a chance, but he taught his 11-year-old son that running, losing, and trying again is what democracy is about. Six years later, Murad ran again— and won — becoming the first Muslim immigrant elected to Ontario’s Legislature, proving that democracy is often built at the margins long before it reaches the center. Decades later, in another major city, another Muslim immigrant has achieved the improbable: Zohran Mamdani, now the first Muslim and first South Asian immigrant elected Mayor of New York City— a reminder that democracy is sustained through courage, coalition-building, and showing up, especially when the odds say you shouldn’t.