Former Meeting member and Rev. Michael Blake is scorching on the marketing campaign path in a crowded race for mayor of New York Metropolis. He just lately held a collection of occasions with the endorsement of his good pal, Tony and Grammy award-winning actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr.
“I’m getting again within the recreation trigger I refused to sit down on the sidelines,” stated Blake. “And because the solely candidate [with] White Home expertise, state home expertise, and native expertise, I’ve a singular imaginative and prescient of what town might be. And if we actually wish to change the sport, we gotta change the mayor.”
Blake is the founder & CEO of Atlas Technique Group Inc. and the Kairos Democracy Mission. He additionally served because the aide to former President Barack Obama, the place he created the White Home City Entrepreneurship collection and co-led the Minority/Girls-Owned Enterprise Enterprises initiative as vice chair of the Democratic Nationwide Committee (DNC), and as an assemblymember within the Bronx.
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He held a marketing campaign fundraiser on the Gents’s Manufacturing facility (GF), a social membership designed for Black male professionals, in Mattress-Stuy with a surprising stay efficiency from Odom on Friday, March 7. The occasion was attended by a choose group of supporters and colleagues of Blake’s.
He stated he selected the situation particularly as a result of the GF is “Black excellence at its core.”
“Michael Blake has all the time been a champion for advocating for Black males and boys in New York State and in New York Metropolis by the My Brother’s Keeper initiative. He was one of many anchors in bringing it to New York and placing the funding behind it,” stated GF founder Jeff Lindor. “He’s somebody who I believe could be an amazing chief for town.”
“I belief Mike Blake,” stated Odom. “I’m enriched as a result of I do know you and I’m in full assist of your imaginative and prescient and what you’re constructing. I believe New York could be higher for having you as Mayor.”
To this point Blake has raised $146,084 in personal donations, in response to the newest New York Metropolis Marketing campaign Finance Board (NYCCFB) submitting. The subsequent spherical of metropolis matching funds payouts can be made public on March 17.
Blake spoke about his platform and launched revolutionary marketing campaign instruments to achieve his base through the occasion. His Mission 2026 NYC plan consists of the “true price of dwelling” primarily based off an area median revenue scale, creating reasonably priced housing just like the Mitchell-Lama program, making a assured revenue for all New Yorkers, supporting common childcare, eliminating utilizing credit score scores for rents and residential possession, taxing vacant second property or investments for the ultra-rich, preventing towards federal authorities cuts to companies and packages for town, free Metropolis College of New York (CUNY) tuition, defending reproductive rights; and banning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in faculties, locations of worship, and group facilities.
He’s additionally firmly towards Mayor Eric Adams or former Gov. Andrew Cuomo getting reelected.
“We shouldn’t be in a metropolis the place we’ve got a mayor who actually is on a leash for Donald Trump, questioning at any second what they may permit him to do,” stated Blake. “We now have an indicted Mayor for breaking the regulation for an unlawful marketing campaign donation scheme. Full cease. That isn’t what we’d like in New York Metropolis. We additionally don’t want a former governor who harassed 13 girls and had tens of 1000’s of those who have been impacted with COVID and 13,000 individuals who died in nursing properties due to Andrew Cuomo. He ought to sit down. He resigned as a result of he knew he did fallacious. For him to attempt to present again up is unacceptable.”
He added that Metropolis Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who simply introduced she was working for mayor this previous weekend, was exemplary in her place on the council however maintained that he supplies a “totally different imaginative and prescient” for town.
To shut out the evening, Blake did a Q&A session with Odom about his music and movie profession, being an unique solid member within the Broadway musical Hamilton, and political musings. Odom then carried out “Beloved” off his album “When a Crooner Dies,” “Look forward to It” from Hamilton the musical, and “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke.
“I believe the thought for America is an effective one and it’s value preventing for. We fall brief on a regular basis, however I’m an artist, I’m a citizen. So I imagine my artwork is part of these occasions,” stated Odom, “I actually take as a lot as everyone else from the group. I eat and breathe and, , my children go to public faculty. I partake and that’s simply the best way that I can provide however I’m a contributor to the ‘American Experiment’ like everyone else. I wanna do my half.”
