The Electoral Strategy Team is proud to announce our endorsements for the upcoming NYC 2021 Democratic Primaries! These candidates represent our vision of a progressive city government that will work to dismantle systems of structural oppression, uplift our communities, and build a city that works for all New Yorkers. Since the city will be implementing ranked choice voting for the primaries, we have issued 1 & 2 choice endorsements for the City Council Races in District 35 and 39. In the coming weeks, the Electoral Strategy Team will be hosting events to support our endorsed candidates. Join us on Slack to get updates! Get ready to fight hard! The PBk Electoral Strategy team PS - Don't miss our Looking Local Happy Hour this weekend with Maya Wiley (for Mayor) and Antonio Reynoso (for BK Borough President)!
NYC Comptroller
We are excited to endorse Council Member Brad Lander, who will bring an organizer’s perspective as the Chief Financial Officer of NYC. Brad’s decades of organizing experience will ensure that our city not only recovers from this pandemic, but that we build a sustainable economy that works for all New Yorkers! We are excited to partner with Brad’s campaign to invest in our city's future and fight for justice for all New Yorkers. You can learn more about Brad’s campaign here. Council District 35
Choice #1 Endorsement We are excited to endorse Crystal Hudson, a public servant and community organizer, as our 1st Choice for CD-35. With her bold Black Agenda for New York City, Crystal has put forth a policy framework to recover, rebuild, and reimagine a city that works for us all and centers Black New Yorkers. We are excited to partner with Crystal’s campaign to elect the first openly gay Black woman to NYC Council. You can learn more about Crystal’s campaign here. Choice #2 Endorsement We are excited to endorse Michael Hollingsworth as our 2nd Choice for CD-35. Michael is a lifelong Brooklynite, tenant organizer with Crown Heights Tenant Union, and dedicated fighter for housing justice. Michael will bring his community organizing experience to the City Council and continue to organize his constituents to build collective power in their communities. You can learn more about Michael’s campaign here. Council District 39 Choice #1 Endorsement We are excited to endorse Shahana Hanif as our 1st Choice for CD-39. Shahana was born and raised in Kensington and is a domestic violence, immigration, and disability rights activist. She is running an unapologetically joyful and intersectional feminist campaign, which promises justice in housing, the environment, education, public safety, and economic rights for all New Yorkers. We are excited to partner with Shahana’s campaign to elect the first South Asian person and first Muslim woman to NYC Council, and the district’s first woman Councilmember. You can learn more about Shahana’s campaign here. Choice #2 Endorsement We are excited to endorse Brandon West as our #2 Choice for CD-39. Brandon brings to the table his experience as an analyst with the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget and the NYC Council finance division, as well as experience organizing for voting rights, unions, and racial justice. Brandon’s platform is centered on transforming the city government so that it works for all New Yorkers, because he believes “A Better City is Possible.” You can learn more about Brandon’s campaign here. How does a Ranked Endorsement work?
The Electoral Strategy Team will be focusing our efforts on the #1 Choice endorsed campaigns (Brad Lander, Crystal Hudson, and Shahana Hanif). We look forward to partnering with those campaigns to directly recruit volunteers and host dedicated Persist Brooklyn volunteer events for their campaigns. The first step to getting elected is getting on the ballot, so sign up for a shift to petition for our candidates! Petition for Brad Lander Petition for Crystal Hudson Petition for Shahana Hanif We encourage all of our members to attend electoral events for our #2 Choice endorsed campaigns (Michael Hollingsworth and Brandon West), but the Electoral Strategy Team will not be hosting volunteer events on behalf of those campaigns. You can recruit volunteers for their electoral events via Slack! If you are a resident in CD-35 or CD-39, we encourage you to rank these candidates on your ballot in June!
THURS MAR. 4th 7-8:30 PM ET: Lies, Misinformation, and Propaganda working group
JOIN US in exploring what we—and you—can do to counter lies, misinformation and propaganda and better understand the factors that influence public opinion, voters and democracy.
FRI MAR. 5th 6-7:30 PM ET: YAPPY HOUR with the Craft Team
Since the weather outside is frightful, and we can no longer gather in the park, join our Crafts Team online to write, yap, and nurture our ongoing progressive activism.
THIS WEEK'S CAMPAIGN: Inspired by the #LoveDemocracy #LeavetheFilibuster Rally, we will continue writing to Senate Democrats (especially Manchin & Sinema) demanding they #EliminatetheFilibuster!
SAT MAR. 6th 5-7 PM: Looking Local Virtual Happy Hour with Maya Wiley and Antonio Reynoso
JOIN US online, with like-minded, politically-engaged Brooklynites to chat with NYC mayoral candidate Maya Wiley and Brooklyn Borough President candidate Antonio Reynoso about their races and visions for our city government. We'll hear a little from them both before diving into an informal Q&A—come with questions to ask and maybe a beverage!
*Please note Persist Brooklyn is not currently planning to endorse in either the NYC Mayoral or BK Borough President races.