The Next Obama? Help Send Community Organizers to City Hall (New York)

For the first time, America has a community organizer in the White House. What  if we put a whole slateof 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:

 

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.

Sign Up to Help Debi Win!

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! 



Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 07/30/2009 - 9:43pm.
WFP has lost its credibility when it endorsed the leader of the term limits push -Hon. Christine Quinn-and just how much developer money has she received? They also are supporting a candidate who is rumored to not really live in the district and on paper moved in when he filed -Mr. Williams-check the records I did. Is it about the community or their power ask the underfunded candidates who come to them for endorsement about their  need for all your personal support information. What do they do with your contributor after they reject you? Whats the connect with the Acorn contract and their two steps back on the term limits fight? Oh what a slippery web we weave.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 07/30/2009 - 9:43pm.
WFP has lost its credibility when it endorsed the leader of the term limits push -Hon. Christine Quinn-and just how much developer money has she received? They also are supporting a candidate who is rumored to not really live in the district and on paper moved in when he filed -Mr. Williams-check the records I did. Is it about the community or their power ask the underfunded candidates who come to them for endorsement about their  need for all your personal support information. What do they do with your contributor after they reject you? Whats the connect with the Acorn contract and their two steps back on the term limits fight? Oh what a slippery web we weave.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 07/30/2009 - 9:43pm.
WFP has lost its credibility when it endorsed the leader of the term limits push -Hon. Christine Quinn-and just how much developer money has she received? They also are supporting a candidate who is rumored to not really live in the district and on paper moved in when he filed -Mr. Williams-check the records I did. Is it about the community or their power ask the underfunded candidates who come to them for endorsement about their  need for all your personal support information. What do they do with your contributor after they reject you? Whats the connect with the Acorn contract and their two steps back on the term limits fight? Oh what a slippery web we weave.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 07/30/2009 - 9:43pm.
WFP has lost its credibility when it endorsed the leader of the term limits push -Hon. Christine Quinn-and just how much developer money has she received? They also are supporting a candidate who is rumored to not really live in the district and on paper moved in when he filed -Mr. Williams-check the records I did. Is it about the community or their power ask the underfunded candidates who come to them for endorsement about their  need for all your personal support information. What do they do with your contributor after they reject you? Whats the connect with the Acorn contract and their two steps back on the term limits fight? Oh what a slippery web we weave.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 07/31/2009 - 7:38am.

In Brooklyn's 40th district, the WFP endorsed Mathhew Eugene over Rock Hackshaw and L. Ricky Tulloch. This is ridiculous. Both candiates are superior to Eugene an impostor for a doctor and doesn't live in the district to this day.

Go up to Rock Hackshaw's website at rockhackshaw.com to get an education in public policy.  Go look at his remarkable platform. WFP has lost all credibility.


Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 07/31/2009 - 7:40am.

ROCK HACKSHAW FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.

VOTE FOR ROCK.


Submitted by mole333 on Fri, 07/31/2009 - 8:59am.

As I discuss over at Daily Gotham, this is such a pile of self-important horseshit. Plug your candidates, sure, even if some of them are inadequate, machine hacks or otherwise less than desirable. But don't start anointing your candidates as proto-Obamas. What if they turn out to be only proto-Grover Clevelands? THEN you'll be embrased, no?

WFP should get over themselves.


Submitted by Hack Rockshaw (not verified) on Fri, 07/31/2009 - 9:29am.
Funny how Rock Hackshaw leaves off of his resume his stint with C. Virginia Fields, an embarrasment in her own right. I would be embarrased to have her name on my resume.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 07/31/2009 - 11:01am.

Are you saying the voters of the 40th shouldn't vote for ROCK HACKSHAW because he once worked on

C. VIRGINIA FIELDS campaign for NYC mayor? That is so ridiculous.


Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 07/31/2009 - 11:11am.

GO TO www.rockhackshaw.com for a true candidate website which deals with issues. Go to his platform. Then go to his events and listen to his radio interview and then compare the other two candidates in this race. ROCK IS FAR SUPERIOR TO THE OTHER TWO.  Not even close. Look at his resume. Look at his affiliations list. his educational background. Is Chris Owens going to endorse Rock Hackshaw? Chris must reciprocate for what Rock did for him in 2006.

I hear Michael Roberts is now managing Mathhew Eugene's campaign. What a political whore Roberts is? Didn't he work for Wellington Sharpe against Eugene? 

 

When is Room Eight going to help Rock win this race?


Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 07/31/2009 - 9:51pm.
WFP has lost its credibilty endorsing D Dromm in Queens. First take a good look at Dannys criminal record, DUI, Suspended License not to mention male prostitution. It's WRONG, its against the people. Hope somebody will take this information to the next level. ALL CANDIDATES MUST HAVE A CLEAN RECORD...
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 07/31/2009 - 9:51pm.
WFP has lost its credibilty endorsing D Dromm in Queens. First take a good look at Dannys criminal record, DUI, Suspended License not to mention male prostitution. It's WRONG, its against the people. Hope somebody will take this information to the next level. ALL CANDIDATES MUST HAVE A CLEAN RECORD...

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