For the first time, America has a community organizer in the White House. What if we put a whole slate of community organizers in City Hall?
That's what the Working Families Party is fighting to accomplish this year. After Barack Obama's inspiring victory, the WFP searched throughout NYC for the next generation of City Council candidates who, like our President, got their start organizing in the communities they're now running to represent.
The people we've found will blow you away. Their stories represent the best of New York City. Their values embody everything the Working Families Party stands for.
With the September 15 primary elections just six weeks away, we want you to meet a few of the candidates who make up our "Community Organizer Slate." Electing this new generation of leaders will shift the balance of power in City Government away from real estate moguls and Wall Street tycoons -- and back to working families.
But they need your help to get to City Hall. Read the brief introductions below and click to find out how you can get more involved in their campaigns:
But they need your help to get to City Hall. Read the brief introductions below and click to find out how you can get more involved in their campaigns:
JUMAANE WILLIAMS - Brooklyn (East Flatbush and surrounding neighborhoods, CCD45)
Jumaane Williams is a first-generation Caribbean American and lifelong Brooklynite. Educated in NYC public schools, he has spent his career organizing for affordable housing and <span style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">quality youth programs</span> -- most recently as Executive Director of a statewide tenants' rights organization. Jumaane is challenging incumbent Councilman Kendell Stewart, who voted to extend his own term limits, takes one third of his campaign funds from real estate interests, and just had two aides plead guilty to stealing taxpayer funds. The contrast couldn't be clearer.
Sign Up to Help Jumaane Win!
S.J. JUNG - Queens (Flushing and surrounding neighborhoods, CCD20)
When S.J. Jung first came to America, he found help from a Flushing-based organization that supports new immigrants -- then got involved and rose to become the group's Executive Director. In this position and as a successful small businessman, S.J. has been working to improve his community for over 20 years. Now he's running for City Council to make sure the area's future development puts the needs of middle-class residents first. S.J. would be the first Korean American on the City Council, and a local paper even compared his campaign to "Obama's surprise inroad during last year's presidential election..."
Sign Up to Help S. J. Win!
DEBI ROSE - Staten Island (North Shore, CCD49)
A Staten Island native, Debi Rose has spent her whole life organizing to strengthen North Shore communities. She has served for nearly two decades as Executive Director of a highly successful dropout prevention program, while also fighting for better health care, transportation, and environmental conditions. When Debi ran for this seat in a special election earlier this year, she lost by just 300 votes. If she wins this time, she'll be Staten Island's first African-American elected official and the first woman to represent the borough on the City Council.
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YDANIS RODRIGUEZ - Manhattan (Washington Heights, Inwood and Marble Hill, CCD10)
Born in the Dominican Republic, Ydanis Rodriguez came to Washington Heights at the age of 18 and has been fighting ever since to expand opportunities in his community. After working his way through college, he became a founding teacher at a local school that prioritizes quality education for immigrants, and has since organized his neighbors to secure better school facilities, protect tenants rights, improve language services in health care facilities, and keep public transit affordable.
Sign Up to Help Ydanis Win!
DANIEL DROMM - Queens (Jackson Heights and surrounding neighborhoods, CCD25)
Daniel Dromm has been a Queens public school teacher for 25 years, and a civil rights activist for even longer. He is known throughout NYC for his leadership in the LGBT community, and has fostered cross-cultural engagement and understanding in one of the most diverse Council Districts in the city. Helen Sears, the incumbent Daniel is challenging, has been MIA while the community struggles with overcrowded schools, hospital closings, congestion and economic challenges -- but she found time to vote to extend her own term limits. Now Dromm has a chance to make history as Queens' first openly gay elected official.
Sign Up to Help Daniel Win!
BRAD LANDER - Brooklyn (Park Slope and surrounding neighborhoods, CCD39)
Brad Lander is a longtime supporter of the Working Families Party and one of the leading experts on sustainable growth and fair development in New York City. As the former director of both the Pratt Center for Community Development and the Fifth Avenue Committee, Brad has helped thousands of New York City families find and stay in affordable homes, and led the fight to pass laws that ended city giveaways to developers. Brad is also a proud public school parent who has been endorsed by dozens of local PTA leaders. His record of results will make him an invaluable addition to the City Council.
Sign Up to Help Brad Win!