News

By Larry Byrne
Last night we lost another good democrat when Marwan Burgan passed away at Georgetown Hospital. I first met Marwan when we were on opposite sides of a primary fight in 1988. Marwan was backing Jesse Jackson and I was leading the fight for Mike Dukakis. Marwan lived in Mason district and worked hard to organize his supporters but I had Mary Anne Hurt on my side and we won. We quickly recognized the new talent in Mason District and added a number of Arab Americans to the committee including Marwan, his brother Sam, Fred Hadeed, Helen Samhan, and Andy Shallal. They in turn all became extremely valuable members of the committee.

Marwan served on the Fairfax County Democratic Committee Steering Committee as a member of the state Central Committee and as an active precinct captain in Mason District. He took over Brook Hill precinct and helped lead it to the Democratic column Marwan made it his goal to expand the Democratic Party’s outreach to new Americans. While he had a personal interest in the Arab American community he was an activist with all of the new American communities. His work was not only to recruit them to the Democratic Party but to help them learn how the process works, how they could contribute and how they could benefit from their new citizenship. He suggested early on when I was on the Electoral Board that the Board ought to reach out to new citizens when they were sworn in, a practice that had been abandoned and which we put back into place at his recommendation. Marwan and others in the Arab American community helped organize forums where Democratic candidates had a chance to meet and campaign with the community.
He was awarded the Grass Roots Award for the Eleventh Congressional District at the Virginia state JJ Dinner in 2006 and was a national delegate in 2004. Marwan also worked on the Hill first as an intern and then working his way up to a senior staff position. In Fairfax County Marwan worked on many campaigns and he worked in Supervisor Penny Gross’s office where he was able to continue his efforts to help new Americans find their way.
Leslie and I had the added pleasure of travelling with Marwan back to his home in Jordon. He was a wonderful travelling companion, a knowledgeable guide and a wonderful story teller. We were able to meet some of his extended family and to see his pride in his native country. It was clear that his commitment to human rights and the dignity of all people was rooted in a long history.
Marwan was an immigrant and like so many immigrants he became in many ways a better American than some who have the advantage of being born here. He felt the pain of those who were trying to adjust to a new county, a new culture and totally unfamiliar way of doing politics. He used his own quiet nature to give them comfort and help them through their transition.
Yesterday Marwan lost a long fight against cancer but he never gave up and he never gave in he displayed in dealing with his illness the same quiet strength and determination we had all come to admire. Leslie and I were proud to call him our friend and we will miss him. When funeral arrangements are finalized FCDC will make sure everyone gets them.