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Karim Khoja
“People don’t realize how difficult the job is. You really need to be motivated by something to do this work or otherwise you will not like it. I am motivated by the idea of helping the community that gave my family so much.” – Karim Khoja, newly-elected Board of Trustee for the Village of Glenview.
Karim Khoja was recently elected to the Board of Trustees for the Village of Glenview Illinois, where the Glenview Jamatkhana is located. He encourages Jamati members to show more interest in civic involvement, as a responsibility, as well as a way for the larger community to learn about the Ismaili community in its midst. I recently sat down with him to discuss what motivated him to run for the position and what his goals are for the future.
Q: What motivated you to run for the Board position?
A: My family and I own several businesses in and around the area. My sons go to school here. My wife and I are involved the in Parent-Teacher Association and the local high school’s Booster Club. The Village of Glenview has been good to our family and our Jamat as a whole, so I viewed this as a great way to do my share to help the community. I had some time off from work and there was an open seat on the Board, so I thought this would be a great opportunity.
Q: So you ran for an elected position? How did this become a reality?
A: I was familiar with some of the Board members already through various dealings. I spoke with some of them and they encouraged me to apply to run with the slate. I applied to be interviewed, and there were about 50 applicants to fill one position. Once I was accepted, I was allowed to run with the slate. Then the real challenge began.
Q: Describe that challenge – how was the election process?
A: There was one other candidate who ran as a challenger against the slate. My family, my friends, and myself—we all worked really hard to get the word out and encourage people to vote. That turned out to be much harder than we had ever thought. Some were unsure about exercising their civic rights, many never having voted before. We tried to explain to them that it was not only their right, but their civic duty to stand up and have their voices heard in their own community.
Q: Now that you’ve won, tell us about the position itself and your experience with it so far.
A: It’s a four-year term and I’m only in the first year of that term. What people don’t realize is that holding these positions is a lot of work. Running from one event to another where Board members are invited and should attend. Between work, Board events and meetings, and other obligations, there is very little time to spend with your family or to relax. It’s a lot like Jamati seva: you do it out of a selfless conviction that you want to contribute to your community. No one thanks you for it and you don’t get paid.
Q: What are your goals moving forward?
A: I really want to use this opportunity for a few things. The first is to continue to develop the Village of Glenview to make it an even better place to live for its residents. The second is to use this as a platform to continue to find more opportunities to allow the Ismaili community to work with the Village. Our Jamat has a great reputation in the community and we should continue to grow and develop that image further.
Q: Do you have any other aspirations for your tenure?
A: I would definitely like to encourage a higher voter turnout from our Jamati members, not just in local elections but at every opportunity. They need to have a voice and become familiar with the issues that face their community and their own futures. I am sure that the day will come soon when there will be an Ismaili in Congress or perhaps even the Senate. I would be happy to be a resource for the future generations at that time.
