LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Creating a lot from so very little

Posted

To the editor:

A couple years ago, I saw a performance, “Somos Mas,” at Pregones, a wonderful South Bronx theater. It was about immigration, assimilation, oppression, and much more.

After the show, a woman came out to engage the audience. She was incredibly positive and engaging, and actively sought input from the audience. I remember feeling how great a performance it was, but I remember even better how she drew us all in.

That was Mino Lora, a current candidate for the city council, who was then the executive director and founder of the People’s Theatre Project, a nonprofit focused on empowering young people of color to understand and overcome racism and various social forces, and “fine-tune their own creative voices to describe their realities and discover their collective power.”

Lora created People’s Theatre Project with $400 during the 2008 recession, and it now employs 30 staffers and serves 1,000 young people. With experience like this, she knows how to gather supporters and get things done. It clearly indicates that she would be a good councilwoman who would listen to — and work with — her constituents and council colleagues.

And she has so much on her progressive policy plate.

Just a few: She plans to sponsor and support legislative action to require anti-racist training for real estate brokers and co-op boards. Lobby the state legislature to repeal the Urstadt Law, which prevents New York City residents from changing local housing policy. Expand New York City paid sick leave and paid family leave to include every worker. And guarantee universal access to low-cost and high-quality child and elder care.

There are other good candidates in the race, and I encourage you to vote for more than one person in order of who you prefer the most. The Jewish Vote, which I am a member of, has endorsed Jessica Haller for No. 2.

One last thing. While I, and I’m sure many reading this, are relieved by Trump’s removal, the people who represent us at the local and state level have much more influence on our daily lives than the president.

It deserves as much — or even more — of your attention.

So on March 23, I hope you will vote!

Jordan Moss

Have an opinion? Share your thoughts as a letter to the editor. Make your submission to letters@riverdalepress.com. Please include your full name, phone number (for verification purposes only), and home address (which will not be published). The Riverdale Press maintains an open submission policy, and stated opinions do not necessarily represent the publication.
Jordan Moss,

Comments