Noah Arbit

Noah Arbit was born in West Bloomfield, Michigan.[1] Arbit earned a bachelor's degree from Wayne State University in 2018. His career experience includes working as a communications director with the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office. Arbit founded and has served as the chair of the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus and has been affiliated with the Campaign Workers' Guild, the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce, the Jewish Labor Committee, the Ukrainian American Crisis Response Committee of Michigan, the West Bloomfield Diversity Task Force, and the West Bloomfield-Lakes Area Democratic Club Executive Committee.[1][2]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Growing up in West Bloomfield, I was steeped in the teachings of my Jewish faith, including the phrase “justice, justice shall you pursue.” Those words were a lifeline for me when, at 18 years old, I found myself in the courtroom testifying against the sexual predator who had assaulted me and many others.

I continued my pursuit of justice in politics, joining Governor Whitmer's team to advocate for policies to help Oakland County. After the Pittsburgh synagogue attack, I founded the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus to empower Jews to take on hate and extremism in the political arena. I was then appointed Director of Communications for the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, spearheading the first-ever Racial Justice Advisory Council and establishing a program to assist in prosecuting hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ people.

Each of these roles—as well as my battles with depression, ADHD, and my journey to self-acceptance as a gay man—drive my passion to address issues like Michigan’s mental health crisis and rising hate crimes.

I truly never imagined running for office, but I was tired of watching my hometown treated like an afterthought in Lansing. West Bloomfield, Commerce, and the Lakes deserve a passionate, forward-thinking, relentless leader who exhausts every path to find innovative, common-sense solutions. A leader who shows up, works tirelessly, and fights for us with faith and fidelity. That’s the kind of person I am. That’s the kind of representative I’ll be.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Mental Health - I am committed to confronting Michigan’s mental health crisis and ensuring every kid, every senior, and every Michigander in between - from Keego Harbor to Copper Harbor - has access to the resources and treatments that will enable them to achieve their potential.Hate Crimes - If elected, I will be laser-focused on tackling skyrocketing hate crimes and domestic extremism by strengthening and supplementing Michigan’s outdated, ineffective, and weak hate crimes statute and actually protecting our communities.Democracy & Rights - There could scarcely be a more important issue than safeguarding our democracy and constitutional rights - including the freedom to choose, the freedom to vote, and the freedom to love. I will work fiercely to enshrine the right of every woman to bodily autonomy in Michigan law, as well as finally extend our state’s anti-discrimination protections to LGBTQ+ Michiganders.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Hate Crimes - ​​As a member of the Jewish and LGBTQ+ communities, the issue of hate crimes is deeply personal to me. One of my foremost priorities if elected is to transform Michigan from national laggard to national leader in hate crimes prevention and prosecution. I will introduce a comprehensive bill package to reinvent the way Michigan contends with hate crimes, to overhaul the antiquated and insufficient 1960s-era ethnic intimidation statute. I will build a multi-ethnic, multi-faith, bicameral, bipartisan coalition of stakeholders, supporters, and legislators in support.

Mental Health - Addressing Michigan’s mental health crisis - especially among youth and seniors - is mission #1 for me. I know what it’s like to not be able to see through to getting out of bed and taking care of yourself because of depression, anxiety, or ADHD. I know what it’s like to feel like you aren’t living up to your potential; I also know the wonder of what it’s like to finally fulfill that potential. I had the resources and opportunities to ensure that my struggles with mental health weren’t sentences. But so many across our state do not have those resources. And I am no more worthy than any other kid who dreams just as big as I do, but doesn’t have the same resources I did. That is a policy choice that we make here in Michigan, and it’s time we made a different one. Affordability and access to mental health care is not just a moral issue, it’s an economic issue; it’s a public safety issue.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I once heard one of my mentors say something that I will never forget. She said: “I believe you listen, learn, and lead – in that order.” I love that phrase, because it encapsulates my approach to the role of candidate and state representative. If elected, I won’t always know all the right answers; the key is knowing the right questions to ask, and to whom. This is a skill that is critical to being a legislator, as is building relationships and coalitions with community leaders, stakeholders, organizations, and other elected officials, to further collaboration towards a shared goal.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I’m not running to BE something; I’m running to DO something. That principle will guide my approach to serving West Bloomfield, Commerce, and the Lakes in the State House. I am relentless and tenacious in pursuit of my goals; I care deeply about and love my community; but most importantly, I know how to take my work seriously, without taking myself too seriously. It is important to me that elected officials know how to laugh at themselves, take a joke, and just be human. People don’t expect perfection; all people really want is for their leaders to show up, listen, work hard, and actually give a damn about their struggles and try to make those struggles just a little less hard.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I hope to be remembered as someone who actually gave a damn about people, and took the job seriously - but not himself - too seriously. I hope to be remembered as someone who works tirelessly, humbly, and inclusively, who always shows up, who advocates fearlessly, and who always keeps his word. I hope to be remembered as the legislator who fought to include his hometown in every policy conversation, and who, despite the tall hurdles arrayed before him, worked to fundamentally transform Michigan’s approach to hate crimes by passing a comprehensive package of innovative, effective statutes to protect all of our communities from hate-based violence and hold perpetrators accountable.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was working as an assistant at the Lakes Discount Pharmacy at the Lakes Medical Building on Haggerty and Pontiac Trail in WB one summer during middle school! The owner at the time was a close family friend - I remember having a ball and learning so much!

What is your favorite book? Why?

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. It has everything: suspenseful murder mystery, intoxicating romance, profound spirituality, provocative moral quandaries… I have always found Crime and Punishment to be a profoundly moving tribute to human nature; it argues persuasively that each of us contains the potential for both severe darkness as well as immense love and goodness - and that the path we go down is ultimately up to each of us and the choices we make. Our fate is in our own hands. I find that inspiring.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Stronger by Kesha - a great anthem for keeping your head held high and powering through some of tough moments of a political campaign

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Michigan is facing an acute mental health crisis. This is personal to me, because I know what it’s like to battle depression, anxiety, and to cope with the challenges of ADHD. I know what it's like not to be able to see through to getting out of bed in the morning and taking care of myself because I could see no purpose for myself, and I had no reason to hope things would get better. And I also know what it's like to be firing on all cylinders, hitting my professional stride, single-handedly founding a non-profit organization and empowering people across my community. The difference between not getting out of bed and starting your own organization is the resources and opportunities that I had to ensure that my struggles with mental health weren’t sentences. There are countless people across our state - from Keego Harbor to Copper Harbor - who grapple with the same challenges I did, but don’t have access to the treatment or resources to navigate them. That is outrageous to me. Because I am no more worthy than any kid who dreams just as big as I do, but isn't able to ensure that their struggles aren’t sentences. And that is a policy choice that we make as Michiganders. And it's time to make a different one. For me this is mission number one. That's why I'm running. Because when you boil it down, my campaign is about one thing: potential. How can we, as individuals, as a community, as a state - live up to our potential.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

It is critical Michigan starts working on reducing brain drain, the exodus of highly-educated young professionals from our state to Chicago and the coasts. I will prioritize measures to boost regional competitiveness, innovation, and job growth right here in Oakland County — including in dynamic sectors new to our region, such as defense. But we have to address the broader issue: what is it about Michigan that too often pushes our best and brightest to leave? It’s long past time for us to invest in the critical infrastructure - including regional public transit and cultural amenities - that attracts talent and employers to Metro Detroit. And we must implement family-first policies like paid family leave and affordable child care that make settling down and raising a family in Michigan easier, not harder. We must also strengthen our civil rights policies, including amending the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and codifying protections for women’s reproductive health and bodily autonomy; these gaps in protections dissuade many families from making their home in Michigan.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

It can be highly beneficial. In addition to serving on Governor Whitmer’s staff and founding and chairing the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus, I most recently served as Director of Communications for the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. There, I spearheaded the creation of the first-ever Prosecutor’s Racial Justice Advisory Council to ensure leaders in the Black community were involved in and could provide perspective on a wide-range of policy reforms; I am also proud to have helped establish a partnership to assist in the prosecution of hate crimes targeting members of the LGBTQ+ community. These experiences have helped shape my approach to building coalitions and seeking out expertise and insight from relevant stakeholders to get a job done, and get it done well. That’s how I will approach legislating on behalf of my district and community.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

For the past 20 years, my hometown of West Bloomfield has been gerrymandered mercilessly by legislators seeking partisan advantage - with the result that our community has struggled to coalesce behind a collective political identity or agenda. I decided to run because I was so sick and tired of West Bloomfield being an afterthought in the policymaking conversations in Lansing, and no one else stepped up to run. I am so thankful that, with Michigan’s Independent Citizens’ Redistricting Commission drawing electoral districts, Greater West Bloomfield will finally be united in the same state house, state senate, and congressional district for the first time in 20 years. Our community has seen the benefits of an independent redistricting process.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I have been very vocal about my experiences fighting to accept and love myself as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Coming out was difficult for me, and the process was made even more difficult due to my experience surviving sexual assault at age 18, by an assailant who had previously violated children as young as 6 and 7. The first time I told my story publicly, a man in his 50s whom I had known for a long time came up to me afterwards and whispered in my ear “thank you for saying that. Me too, when I was nine years old - I’ve never told anyone that before.” I remember being so struck by the way he looked at me. It was in that moment that I realized how powerful it is to lead by example and share the stories that make us who we are. You never know who is listening, who may find their courage by demonstrating your own. You never know who will find your words to be a life-raft as they navigate difficult times. That’s part of why I’m so excited by the opportunity to represent my community. I am willing to be vulnerable and share my rough edges with anyone who may find something to learn in them.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Absolutely. Staking out maximalist, all-or-nothing positions without leaving open the possibility of compromise is a recipe for failure in policymaking. As a legislator, if you care about enacting your policy priorities into law, you must present a clear vision and work to build a coalition of majority support; that necessarily entails some compromise. That’s what I will do as state representative for West Bloomfield, Commerce, and the Lakes. I know that our state and country feel so divided right now, but we cannot build a shared future by writing off 50% of our neighbors as fundamentally irredeemable. I am far from naive to the challenges. But in order to help as many people as possible achieve their potential, and live happy, healthy, fulfilling lives, we must find avenues for collaboration across the ideological spectrum.