Frisco Town Hall Addresses Religious Discrimination and Civic Engagement

By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews

FRISCO, Texas — Community and faith leaders, Democratic candidates and residents gathered Wednesday for the “Hate Has No Home Here” Town Hall, hosted by Democratic House candidates Sandeep Srivastava of House District 66 and Pooja Sethi of House District 47.

Organizers said the event addressed religious discrimination, civic engagement and political division. The program also served as a campaign platform, with Democratic candidates outlining their priorities ahead of the November election. No Republican candidates or elected officials participated.

“Across Collin County, we are seeing a troubling rise in xenophobia, religious discrimination, and anti-AAPI hate,” Srivastava said before the event. “This is about standing up for our community, protecting one another, and building a safer, more inclusive place for everyone.”

A Focus on Community

Speaker Muhammad Azfar Saeed urged attendees to confront division through personal responsibility and everyday actions.

“I’ve come to believe that hate rarely begins there,” Saeed said. “It begins in ordinary moments: when we repeat something we never verified, when we assume the worst about people we’ve never met, when we stop seeing human beings and start seeing labels, and when we judge an entire community by the actions of a few individuals.”

Drawing on his experience volunteering during the FIFA World Cup, Saeed said communities are strengthened by people who serve others quietly rather than by the loudest voices in public life.

“The people who make communities stronger are rarely the loudest people in the room,” he said. “Hate is loud. Outrage is loud. Social media is loud. But the things that truly strengthen a community are much quieter.”

He encouraged attendees to look beyond political, racial and religious labels.

“Every person deserves to be seen first as a human being. Not as a stereotype. Not as a headline. Not as a label,” Saeed said.

Candidates Discuss Election Priorities

The program shifted toward campaign issues as Democratic candidates outlined priorities they said would shape the November election.

State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, a candidate for Texas comptroller, said Texans are increasingly focused on affordability, education and economic stability.

“People in Texas are tired of being told where to pee, how to pray, what to think,” Eckhardt said. “We want homes we can afford. We want thriving communities with good public schools.”

State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, who is running for lieutenant governor, said communities remain one of Texas’ greatest strengths.

“Everywhere I go, I like to ask people, ‘What do you like best about your city or your town?’ What I always hear is it’s the community, it’s the people,” Goodwin said.

She said her campaign is focused on public education, healthcare, affordability and long-term water planning.

“These are the things that people care about that impact their daily lives,” Goodwin said.

Congressional candidate Evan Hunt, the Democratic nominee challenging Republican Congressman Keith Self in Texas’ 3rd Congressional District, criticized Self’s comments regarding Islam and Sharia law.

Hunt said Self “uses his government taxpayer-funded platform to literally demonize Muslims in our community” and drives division rather than bringing people together.

Self has said his criticism is directed at Islamist extremism rather than Islam itself. In a July 28 post on X, the congressman wrote: “There is no room for Islamist extremism. No room for terrorism. And no room for violence against women. BAN SHARIA. DEFEND THE WEST.”

The contrasting statements reflect an ongoing debate over whether opposition to Sharia law and Islamist extremism is primarily a national-security issue or whether such rhetoric contributes to discrimination against Muslim Americans.

Audience Questions

Audience questions focused on religious discrimination, voter participation and election administration.

One attendee asked what candidates could do to help Muslims and other minority communities feel safer.

“How can you help to make everyone—Muslims and other communities who have been under attack—feel comfortable?” the attendee asked.

Other questions addressed concerns about voter suppression, preparations for the November election and ways to increase civic participation among Asian American communities. Candidates pointed to voter education, volunteer poll workers and community outreach as possible ways to strengthen participation.

Looking Ahead

The nearly two-hour event concluded with attendees speaking with candidates, faith leaders and community organizers.

Although the town hall provided Democratic candidates with an opportunity to present their priorities ahead of November, the discussion also emphasized religious freedom, civic engagement and the importance of resisting stereotypes.