City Year Co-Founder, Democratic Candidate Releases 2nd TV Ad

BROOKLINE, MA — This press release was submitted by Alan Khazei for Congress:

July 22, 2020

Alan Khazei, City Year Co-Founder and Democratic Candidate for Congress, released his second television and digital ad on Wednesday, June 22. The ad highlights Khazei’s record of major accomplishments, from founding City Year and building AmeriCorps to helping create over a million national service jobs. The ad features footage of national marches, as Khazei played a lead role in organizing the Sister Marches and Sibling Marches that brought the Women’s March and March for Our Lives movements to Massachusetts and across the country.

The ad contrasts Khazei’s work in movements and lifetime of activism and service to our local communities and country, with establishment politicians out of step with the times, illustrating Khazei’s message of People Before Politics.

The ad will air district-wide, following up his first ad buy, “Let the People In,” from July 9. With this :30 spot, Khazei becomes the first candidate in the 4th District Democratic Congressional Primary race to release a second TV ad.

“We need a movement leader,” the ad says. “The one who founded City Year, built Americorps, and helped put over a million young people to work fighting poverty and fixing schools. Alan Khazei’s running for Congress, because he knows that the only way to change a system that shuts people out is to bust the door down and let them back in.”

Opening with visuals containing the politicians that have led us into this current crisis, the ad then moves into imagery of Khazei in action, presenting City Year and the service movement he launched, marching for climate justice, and serving with young people in organizations Khazei built. In line with Khazei’s previous ad, the spot showcases Khazei as a different kind of leader with a concrete history of action, such as leading broad coalitions to pass major federal legislation establishing and expanding national service programs.

Khazei has dedicated his life to building non-profits and movements that promote the common good, founding City Year, building Americorps to more than one million participants since its founding, and founding or co-founding nine non-profit organizations. As the ad shows, Alan Khazei knows from experience that the best way to fix our broken system is to bust down the doors of Congress and let the people in.

Khazei’s ad buy is fueled by strong grassroots support, leading the MA-04 field in individual contributions. Khazei is not self-funding and was among the first Congressional candidates to reject all corporate PAC and lobbyist money more than ten years ago, a stance he is maintaining in this campaign. Over 2,700 individual contributions propelled Khazei to the front of the pack, raising $546,233.60 in Q2 to top the field.

“As we rapidly approach the final weeks of the race, we’re only continuing to pick up steam,” said Tiana Menon, Co-Campaign Manager and Finance Director. “Alan’s campaign has the grassroots energy and momentum at the most critical time.”

Khazei’s commitment to service and putting People Before Politics is reflected in his comprehensive policy plans to fight systemic inequality and make the American Dream attainable for everyone.

He recently released an op-ed with former NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks, calling for a Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission to address America’s profound racial injustices., His other proposals include Emergency Wage Support to secure employee paychecks and save small businesses and the need for 500,000 Service Year Jobs to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuild stronger. Khazei announced his plan for structural changes to Fix Our Democracy and ensure that our every voice has a seat at the table earlier this month, which Harvard professor and democracy reform champion Larry Lessig endorsed.

For more information on Alan Khazei or to watch the ad, go to www.alankhazei.com or visit his Facebook page.

This press release was produced by Alan Khazei For Congress campaign. The views expressed here are the author's own.