This just in from Zephyr Teachout, the upstart who ran against Andrew Cuomo as a total unknown with no money yet won 1/3 of the vote, sweeping many upstate counties. She played David to his Goliath and stunned the media. Cuomo refused to meet her, shake her hand, or acknowledge her when she ran against him.
Right now, as public education is under attack in Albany, I have an idea about what we can do: recruit teachers to run for public office at every level.
I’m doing an 18-day, 17-event tour to find candidates and talk about how we can wake up some sleeping politicians in New York politics. (Event list below).
Public education is the heart and soul of democracy. I’d love it if teachers could stay in the classroom, but they may need to bring some lesson plans into the broader public.
For this tour, I’m collaborating with the Working Families Party and NYSUT on their project to build a pipeline of great candidates.
We want to build a pipeline of power and joy to take on Pearson and the privatizers.
We can also get a message to lawmakers right now. This year Governor Cuomo and the Republican Senate went on an all-out attack on public schools. As I write this, they are trying to pass a tax giveaway to wealthy New Yorkers clothed as “Parental Choice.” We want to be ready with a slate of pro-education, anti-corruption candidates so if lawmakers feel like joining the giveaway, they realize they might get a challenger!
Also, if we’re going to get more women to run for office (which we desperately need in New York), we should target professions where women are heavily represented.
I’m starting today in Syracuse, and then traveling to Auburn, Woodbury, Kingston, Elmira, Warwick, Ithaca and the Rockaways, among other places. (Yes, Greenwich Connecticut is on there–I’m interviewing Pussy Riot, extraordinarily courageous political women).
The final event is a great honor, and focused on the central role of labor in democracy. I’m the keynote speaker at the North Country Salute to Labor on June 18th in Altona—prior keynotes have included Attorneys General Spitzer and Schneiderman, Senators Gillibrand, Clinton, Schumer, and Comptroller DeNapoli.
Lets flood the future of new york politics with hope and hard work!
Zephyr Teachout
Events
1. June 2nd, 5 PM – Why Educators Should Run, Syracuse
Syracuse Regional Office 4983 Brittonfield Parkway, East Syracuse
With: Mayor Stephanie Miner, Common Council Member Pamela Hunter, Jesse Lenney, moderated by Ian Phillips. Organized by NYSUT and WFP.
2. June 2nd, 7:30 PM- Cayuga Democratic Women
Auburn Public Theater, 8 Exchange St, Auburn, NY 13021
3. June 4th, 7 PM, Manhattan Young Democrats, Engendering Progress Awards
Goldbar, 389 Broome Street
4. June 5, 1 PM, Pro-Internet and I Vote: How Can the Net Build Political Power in 2016?
Personal Democracy Forum
Kimmel Center
With: David Segal, Jesse Tolkan, Craig Aaron
5. June 5th, 4:30 PM, The Politics of Joy, Personal Democracy Forum, Manhattan
Closing Keynote, Skirball Center, NYU
6. June 7th, 12 PM, Conversation with Pussy Riot
Moderating a Discussion with internationally renowned political activists, Nadezhda (Nadya) Tolokonnikova and Maria (Masha) Alekhina
Greenwich International Film Festival
1:30pm, BowTie Cinema, Greenwich, CT
7. June 8th, 6pm – Why She Ran, Kingston
Kingston Public Library, 55 Franklin Street Kingston 12401
With: Jen Metzger, Nina Dawson. Organized by WFP.
8. June 9th, 6:30pm – Why Educators Should Run, Woodbury
Nassau NYSUT Regional Office – 1000 Woodbury Road, Suite 214 Woodbury
With: Emily Abbott, moderated by Jeff Friedman
9. June 10th, 6:30pm – Why Educators Should Run, Hauppague
Suffolk Regional Office – 150 Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, Suite 306 Hauppague
10. June 13th, 12pm – Why Educators Should Run, Elmira
NYSUT office, 100 West Church Street. Suite 200
11-12. June 13th, 4pm – Tompkins County Democratic Committee Issues Committee Forum on Corruption, and Tompkins County Democratic Committee Spring Wine and Cheese Reception
4 PM: Focus on Corruption, Ithaca Town Hall
6 PM: Reception Remarks, DeWitt Auditorium
13. June 14th, 1PM – Warwick Democratic Committee
Keynote Speaker
Landmark Inn, 526 NY-94, Warwick
14. June 15th, 6:30 PM – Lennox Hill Democrats
LHDC Annual Reception
6 East 44th Street
15. June 16th, 6 PM — Rockaway Wildfire
Organizing meeting
Location TBD
16. June 17th, 5pm – Why Educators Should Run, Albany
NYSUT HQ Auditorium, 800 Troy Schenectady Road, Latham
With: Phil Leber, moderated by Randy Gunther
17. June 18th, North Country Salute to Labor
5:30 PM
Keynote Speaker
Rainbow Wedding and Banquet Hall
47 Woods Falls Road
Altona, NY 12910
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