MD Naser
Occupation: DeKalb County Deputy Sheriff, Corrections
Previous elected offices held: Doraville City Council, 2015 to 2019
What is motivating you to run for this office?
I come from one of the poorest countries on Earth, Bangladesh. I know what it is to struggle to make ends meet, to work dawn to dusk, to battle to get an education, to overcome the difficulties facing a person of color, and finally to emigrate to the greatest country in the world, the USA, to realize the American Dream. I identify with people who need a helping hand. I will bring that perspective and the compassion and genuine feeling for all of DeKalb citizens and families I learned in my journey to realize my own hopes and dreams.
What is the biggest issue facing the district and how will you address it?
DeKalb’s people desperately need a return to health and prosperity. COVID-19 has placed unprecedented burdens on a large segment of our population. I will support and promote free, community-based health centers and complete cooperation with state and federal government to undertake an expansion of testing and concurrent healthcare in our neighborhoods to alleviate suffering and provide a path to return to safety and normalcy.
I will work with charitable and faith-based organizations to open more community food banks and care for our most vulnerable citizens. We owe it as a society to care for each other.
What makes you the best candidate to challenge the incumbent?
DeKalb has a diverse population. We have people of all races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, national origins, education and community identity. I believe as an immigrant, family man with three children, a person of color, a Democrat committed to equal rights, a member of the Sierra Club committed to the environment, a former Doraville City Councilman committed to low taxes and local government, and a person of faith, I am more than qualified to identify with and understand the needs and concerns of DeKalb’s people. I understand the need for city/county cooperation.
What strengths and weaknesses have the coronavirus pandemic revealed in DeKalb County government?
Too many people are out of work and struggling to make ends meet and feed their families. DeKalb had no action plan to deal with the crises and was overly dependent on state and federal governments, who did not make DeKalb their first priority.
The good news is that we have sufficient resources and a solid tax base and a willing population to right the ship and mitigate any future outbreak and the concurrent economic damage. We can stockpile testing supplies, have emergency food banks, establish community health centers and continue to make DeKalb a good place to do business.