In 2008 Tlaib was Arab-American outreach coordinator for [[Barack Obama]]’s Michigan campaign and was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in representing the 12th District (Southwest Detroit).<ref>[http://www.pfawactionfund.org/newsite/candidate/Michigan People For the American Way Action Fund Michigan candidates bio]</ref> "Green jobs pioneer" and self-described [[communist]] [[Van Jones]] was the keynote speaker for the 4th annual Michigan Summit on June 12, 2010 headlining a day-long event at which Tlaib also spoke.<ref>[http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/06/12/news/doc4c137e8b93fa3239242038.txt Oakland Press LIVE VIDEO: From Michigan Summit on green jobs with Van Jones Published: Saturday, June 12, 2010]</ref>
Tlaib is on the Board of the [[National Lawyers Guild]] affiliated Sugar Law Center which openly associates itself with a [[murder]]ous [[ideology]].<ref>[http://www.sugarlaw.org/board.html Maurice & Jane Sugar Law Center website: ''Board'']</ref><ref>[http://www.sugarlaw.org/Sugar_Law_Newsletter_Winter_2008.pdf Sugar Law website: ''Winter 2008 Newsletter'']</ref><ref>[https://m.metrotimes.com/detroit/under-trump-a-growing-number-of-metro-detroit-millennials-are-turning-to-socialism/Content?oid=9484982&storyPage=2 Detroit Metro Times, Under Trump, a growing number of metro Detroit millennials are turning to socialism] by Violet Ikonomova February 21, 2018</ref>
Tlaib filled the congressional seat vacated by [[John Conyers]] who resigned from Congress after 52 years when [[sexual harassment]] allegations and settlement payouts to female staff members surfaced.