As we see videos of the police shooting, beating, and driving through peaceful protesters — and even attacking reporters — we think about how we can redouble our mission to change the world by changing who holds power.
Systemic racism and police brutality happen every day to Black Americans when video is not rolling. Even many Democrats in power are silent or are part of the problem. We all must fight for racial justice and equality, and demand more from our elected officials.
Jamaal Bowman, a New York public school teacher and principal running for Congress, just shared one of his stories: While driving to pick up his 3-year-old son, Jamaal was pulled over for supposedly not using a blinker. He wound up in jail as his son waited for him.(Read his story below.)
In three weeks, this bold progressive is running in a primary against Eliot Engel, who has been in Congress for 31 years and was just exposed as not even living in New York!
Jamaal founded the highest-ranked middle school in New York for improving students’ test scores. He grew up with a single mother in public housing and gives voice to America’s families who struggle with an emergency of high rent, high debt, and high healthcare costs. Unlike Engel, he supports Medicare For All and a Green New Deal.
In addition to not living in the community, Eliot Engel has taken more money from weapons manufacturers than 144 House Republicans — the same manufacturers that benefit from militarizing local police. Engel's funded by corporate interests and is a hawk who opposed President Obama's Iran Deal, like Donald Trump.
Because Engel is so bad, a second progressive was also running against him. Today, Andom Ghebreghiorgis dropped out and endorsed Jamaal! He’s also endorsed by the Working Families Party, Justice Democrats, Zephyr Teachout, and Diane Ravitch.
We need people who have the real, lived experience of working people and oppressed people in this country to be the ones making our laws and holding corporations and the powerful accountable.
