Kathleen Erickson Supports Resolutions on Justice and Compassion for Palestinians

The Oakland County Board Meeting on August 15, 2025, featured a series of poignant public comments advocating for resolutions aimed at promoting justice and compassion. The meeting began with Kathleen Erickson from Huntington Woods introducing an 11-year-old Palestinian boy named Jawad, who shared a powerful poem in Arabic. The poem addressed the devastating impact of violence on children and called for humanity in the face of suffering. Erickson provided an English translation, emphasizing themes of loss and the struggle for survival.

Following Jawad, Mona Patel from Westland expressed her support for the resolutions, urging the board to take action for what she described as a simple yet significant step towards justice. She highlighted the importance of the resolutions and questioned why they would not be supported.

Rokia Draper, an attorney from Bloomfield Township, also spoke passionately about the need for compassion and justice. She expressed her frustration with the ongoing debates surrounding humanitarian issues, stressing the responsibility of leaders to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves. Draper called for the board to endorse the resolutions, framing it as a moral obligation to protect the rights of all individuals.

The meeting underscored a collective call for action from community members, emphasizing the importance of addressing humanitarian concerns and supporting resolutions that reflect compassion and justice for all. The board's response to these public comments and the fate of the proposed resolutions remain to be seen.