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Brooklyn Bodega
Endorses candidates for NYC ’13 elections
Photo by Allison Joyce/Getty Images
Brooklyn Bodega has always been about the promotion and development of Hip-Hop culture. Not just the music but also the art, the words, the sounds, the community and the people. Hip-Hop at its core is a grassroots community activist movement. When Afrika Bambaataa founded the Universal Zulu Nation his intent was to get kids off the street and nurture their inner genius. Kool Herc and his sister Cindy were not only artists and visionaries but entrepreneurs who threw the party on Sedgwick Ave that set the world on fire not to be famous but to raise ‘back to school’ money.
As much as we applaud the young brothers and sisters who make and have made their living from our culture, things are a bit out of whack. In Hip-Hop’s celebration of material items we have forgotten that our ultimate charge is to take care of one another. To that end, Brooklyn Bodega wants to help Hip-Hop find that activist voice again. There is no better way to accomplish this than to make sure our voices are heard in this Fall’s busy election season.
We want the city and the world to know we are more than consumers. We are parents, business owners, teachers, lawyers, sculptors, sanitation workers, architects, homemakers and everything in between. Whether we went to college, culinary school or had to drop out in the 10th grade we are educated. We have issues. And we have a voice.
So as the city heads to the polls in two weeks to begin the process of picking a new Mayor, Borough President, Public Advocate and City Council members, now is the time to chime in and let people know who we believe are the best candidates for us.
-Wes Jackson
President, Brooklyn Bodega
Founder, Executive Director, The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival
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Mayoral candidate
Bill de Blasio
Hip-Hop has had mayors that have inspired many a classic lyric. David Dinkins, the city’s first African American mayor was no doubt an inspiration. Rudy Giuliani was probably cited in more songs than he would like. In many ways Ed Koch was responsible for the policies that set the table for the creation of Hip-Hop in New York City. However you look at it, the office of Mayor is important to everyone. In this 2013 election Brooklyn Bodega would like to see Bill de Blasio in Gracie Mansion.
Bill’s stance on ending stop and frisk has been clear and unwavering long before it became the hot button topic of the campaign. The racial profiling of stop and frisk affects the Hip-Hop community in very direct and harmful ways. The overwhelming targets of stop and frisk are young Black and Latino men in low-income communities. While we are proud that our culture can be seen everywhere from the White House to Wall Street, practiced by white, Asian, Jewish, Muslim and Hindi brothers and sisters these black and brown men being harassed are us.
It is important that this policy be reigned in and we work with the City and NYPD to keep our streets safe, in a respectful and effective way. These young minds being discouraged and humiliated by this practice are the soul of Hip-Hop and the future artists and entrepreneurs who will keep this great city breathing. We want someone in City Hall who knows that looks can be deceiving and brilliance can be found in Afros, yarmulkes, perms as well as underneath Yankee hats.
We believe Bill de Blasio is that guy.
For more information BilldeBlasio
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Public Advocate candidate
Tish James
Many of the good folks who work at Brooklyn Bodega or attend The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival know Letitia James. We see her walking on Lafayette Ave, attending our events and in front of podiums fighting the good fight. She has been our loyal and dedicated City Council representative for over 10 years. She has stood up for us time and again on issues from jobs to education.
As a Black woman navigating a sometimes racist and sexist environment she has been a great example to the many women and young ladies in our organization and in our crowds.
There is no doubt that as Public Advocate she will continue to fight for us and continue to be the leader in City Hall and on the block.
For more information letitiajames2013
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City Council District 35 candidate
Laurie Cumbo
As Tish moves up we have to make sure we have someone just as dedicated to take her place. In our opinion that someone is Laurie Cumbo who is running for City Council- District 35, our little patch of land from Bed-Stuy to Fort Greene. As a cultural programmer Laurie has been in the trenches with us long before the campaign.
Laurie was the driving force behind MoCADA, an organization that we have long admired as a peer. She has unmistakably put in the work year after year to shine the light on the best of Brooklyn. As we strive to keep the dazzling creativity of Brooklyn alive we can think of no one better to represent us in those City Council meetings than Ms. Laurie.
For more info visit lauriecumbo2013
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candidate Brooklyn Borough President
Eric Adams
If there is one politician that has been our cheerleader for the past 9 years it is none other than Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. From the Beep’s office we have had a voice that help us keep our home in Brooklyn Bridge Park when some wanted to see The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival elsewhere. It was the Beep who for years has supported Hip-Hop culture and local musicians with his events from Coney Island to Flatbush.
We are sorry to see him go but we also look with anticipation to his replacement. State Senator Eric Adams has been a friend to The Festival and along with Laurie Cumbo, a good friend to our mentor Uncle Ralph McDaniels. His experience as an NYPD officer gives him sensitivity to how we can work with the police force on stop and frisk as opposed to against it. Not just campaign rhetoric, we believe this brother will help keep Brooklyn safe and growing just as Marty has done.
For more info ericadams2013
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