Mariam Saad Bazzi

In May, Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Mariam Bazzi to the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County.

It was a path Bazzi had long been on — she became Wayne County assistant prosecuting attorney in 2006 and was lead attorney for the county's Deed & Mortgage Fraud Task Force. But she said she did not get there alone.

"I had my parents and the example of their work ethic," Bazzi said. "I had the support of my family and community. Arab American is an important part of who I am. I am very proud of it and where I came from; I am the child of immigrants."

Bazzi is the second Arab American woman appointed to the bench in Wayne County.

"I strive to do my best and this is the recognition of that," Bazzi said of the appointment. "To help people is the dream job."

A Dearborn native, Bazzi is also committed to helping her community.

"I always say put your money where your mouth is, so when there were openings in the Dearborn School Board I threw my hat in," said Bazzi, who once considered teaching instead of law and is passionate about education. She served on Dearborn's school board for nearly two and a half years before resigning to accept the judgeship.

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