Candidate Doesn’t Break Amid Ramadan Fast

With his mom, sister, and wife by his side, Shafiq Abdussabur knocked on Newhallville doors to bring his mayoral-challenger message directly to the neighborhood where he used to work as police district manager — even as he continued to fast for the holy month of Ramadan. 

Abdussabur embarked on that day’s worth of political canvassing on Saturday in his ongoing bid to unseat two-term incumbent Mayor Justin Elicker in this year’s Democratic primary for mayor. Former federal prosecutor Liam Brennan and former McKinsey consultant Tom Goldenberg are also challenging Elicker in this year’s primary, while independents Wendy Hamilton and Mayce Torres have filed to run as independents in November’s general election.

A retired former New Haven police sergeant who previously served as the top neighborhood cop for Newhallville, East Rock, and Cedar Hill, Abdussabur is also the only Muslim to run for mayor in recent history. 

Over the past month, he’s not only maintained a full campaign schedule of knocking on doors and raising donations and debating political opponents, but has also been waking up for Suhoor at 4:30 in the morning, fasting all day and then breaking fast with Iftar at 7:30 during the Islamic month of prayer and reflection that extends this year from March 22 to April 20.

“We get back home at 7, break fast and then he’s out,” said Abdussabur’s wife, Mubarakah Ibrahim. ​“It’s fast, we’ve always done it, but it makes this all a little bit more tiring because he doesn’t want to slow down…he wants to talk to everyone.” 

“I get home and I crash,” Abdussabur told the Independent on Saturday during his campaign’s latest neighborhood canvass. ​“I do my prayers before I sit down to eat because I know once I’m in that chair, I’m not getting up.” 

Abdussabur was joined on Saturday by 15 friends, family members, and other campaign supporters as he took to the streets of Newhallville to make his pitch for the city. 

Telling residents about his own history from being a fifth-generation New Havener to the experience he gained as serving as Newhallville’s district manager through 2017, Abdussabur pitched himself as a native son who will ​“work for all of New Haven.” 

“There are some people running who are interested in seeing some parts of New Haven grow and bringing in development for the city which is great and what’s been happening,” Abdussabur told one of the residents whose door he knocked on. ​“But that development probably means you won’t be able to afford to live in New Haven, and we all know what that’s all about.” 

Violence was also on the minds of everyone Abdussabur spoke with Saturday. One resident, Shamica Denully, told Abdussabur that a bullet flew through her kitchen a few weeks earlier. She said she’s still shaken by the experience.

“I’m a playwright and a lot of my work deals with the trauma our community has faced and is still facing today with all of this violence and I just want to see change,” Denully said.

Abdussabur promised that under his administration he would work to tamp down on violent crime while also boosting youth support initiatives across the city to help break the cycle of violence currently engulfing parts of New Haven.

Alongside Abdussabur on the canvassing trail was Wayne Morrison, president of the Walter Pop Little League, which Denully’s son is a member of. Morrison spoke of the historic lack of investment in youth centers and spaces in the city.

“It’s deplorable that our fields and centers are falling apart. No teams from other cities want to come play in New Haven because they don’t think it’s safe,” Morrison said. ​“If we want to break the cycle we have to invest in our kids and give them avenues with positive role models and experiences.”

Abdussabur shared with Denully his own experience with coaches and positive role models in his life saying that he wouldn’t be where he is today without them.

Another canvasser, Jamar Ledwards, also shared how his own life was turned around by Abdussabur after he went to prison.

“Shafiq helped me get back on my feet. That’s why I’m out here helping him out,” Ledwards said. ​“He’ll hep this city get back on its feet because he cares and this is where he’s from.”

Sandra Beamon, a grandmother of five who has lived in Newhallville for decades, also had the same message for Abdussabur.

“I don’t feel safe sending my kids out to play without always having an eye on them anymore,” she said. ​“It didn’t use to be this way. Things used to be safer.”

Abdussabur didn’t just make his pitch to humans. At one point waiting for someone to open their door, Abdussabur struck up a conversation with a cat on a porch.

“Now just keep eating your tuna,” he said. ​“But, tell me what you think New Haven can do better.”

“See he’ll talk to anybody,” Ibrahim joked.