Polish community says farewell to the mayor

Mayor Karen Majewski receives a proclamation of appreciation at a tribute party held in her honor last Friday evening. Majewski is finishing out the last year in her 16 years as mayor.

By Charles Sercombe
Hamtramck’s Polish community gave outgoing Mayor Karen Majewski a tribute party last Friday evening.
The setting for the evening was at the Hamtramck Historical Museum, which was a fitting place considering the historical significance of the moment: Majewski is the last Polish-American to serve as mayor in Hamtramck’s almost 100 years being an incorporated city.
Majewski, 66, sought another term in the November election, but was defeated by a political newcomer, Amer Ghalib, 43, who will become the city’s first Yemeni-American to serve as mayor when he takes office next month.
History was made on a couple of levels in that election.
Majewski exits office at the end of the year, which will mark her 16th year as mayor. Prior to that, she served on city council for two years.
At the tribute Friday, she received several proclamations of appreciation from various local Polish fraternal organizations, as well as from others, including U.S. Sen. Gary Peters.
Included in the 80 guests who attended were Mayor-Elect Ghalib, and former councilmembers Joe Strzalka, Scott Klein, Shahab Ahmed and current Council-elect newcomers Amanda Jaczkowski and Khalil Refai.
Majewski credited Klein with encouraging her to run for office.
She also remembered crying when she first won the election for mayor. But not when she lost just a few weeks ago.
“I knew my life would be turned upside down,” she said.
Majewski said she didn’t shed tears when she lost her re-election bid because she has confidence in the new mayor.
“I’m happy to see the city placed in good hands,” she said.
Looking back, she added: “We did a tremendous job … It’s been a heavy load.”
And what’s ahead now?
“I’m looking forward to the next stage of my life,” Majewski said.
That stage includes continuing to run her vintage retail shop, Tekla, on Jos. Campau, and continuing her research into history. She does, after all, has a doctorate degree in history from University of Michigan, where she also once worked.
So, history, once again, plays a role in this saga.
Majewski also had a final fond thought to those who attended:
“All of you played a role in my life … one way or another.”
Posted Dec. 10, 2021