Eman Abdelhadi, the sister of Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, has publicly expressed critical views of traditional American holidays, including Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July. These sentiments have resurfaced following her brother's primary election victory.
Abdelhadi, an assistant professor of comparative human development at the University of Chicago, shared posts on social media questioning the historical context of these holidays. In a July 2016 tweet, she wrote, "Excuse me if I don’t celebrate the transfer of stolen land from one colonizer to another," referencing the Fourth of July.
Regarding Thanksgiving, Abdelhadi posted in November 2024, "If it weren’t attached to genocide, thanksgiving would be a lovely holiday. People gathering to declare gratitude and eat a meal without the need to exchange gifts or buy anything besides food." She added, "We can’t have nice things under settler colonialism. May all the empires fall."
In response to these remarks, Abdul El-Sayed's campaign spokesperson, Sophie Pollock, stated that El-Sayed "loves his sister and also disagrees with her on a number of political positions and the rhetoric she’s chosen to use, including on foreign policy." The campaign emphasized that El-Sayed is the candidate on the ballot and his "record of public service and his platform is what matters to voters here in Michigan." The spokesperson added that El-Sayed's campaign "has always been about his love for America and Michigan."
El-Sayed himself has previously posted critical remarks about holidays. In November 2019, he wrote on Thanksgiving Day, "This country was built on the systematic annihilation of Indigenous Peoples, whose ancestors [sic] suffer some of the highest rates of homelessness, joblessness, and mortality today." He concluded the post by stating, "Time for Reparations."
Additionally, a July 2024 video clip on El-Sayed's YouTube channel suggested Americans consider "alternative ways of celebrating" Independence Day that are "just as fun and are definitely less destructive," noting that "Fireworks can trigger PTSD in veterans."
Past comments attributed to El-Sayed also suggested that "the sordid history of oppressing other people in the name of this American idea" is "echoed in the ethos of football."
His campaign has pushed back on these past comments, telling CNN, "Abdul is the former captain of his high school football team, loves Michigan football on Saturdays, and celebrates the Fourth of July with fireworks like the next Michigander." A campaign representative characterized the comments as "cherry-picked" and stated they "don’t reflect his beliefs today."
Abdelhadi has also been involved in activism, including protests against immigration detention facilities. She was reportedly arrested last year for protesting outside a facility near Chicago and faced charges including aggravated battery and resisting an officer.
Despite the critical views on holidays, Abdelhadi has expressed support for her brother's political career, stating in an August 2026 post on X, "y’all don’t seem to know that our goal is to actually change policy for our people, to save lives both here and abroad. The goal isn’t taking a pure position for its own sake, and thereby forsake the possibility of actual material change."