NYC General Election 2020: Brisport Runs Unopposed

BROOKLYN, NY — Voters living in New York's 25th State Senate district — which covers Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights and other west Brooklyn neighborhoods — will see one name on their ballot for state senator as they prepare to vote in the Nov. 3 election.

Jabari Brisport — who was one of several socialist challengers to claim victory in the June Democratic primaries — is running unopposed for the legislature seat in the general election.

Brisport beat out Assembly Member Tremaine Wright for the Democratic nominee. He will be the first openly queer person of color to join the New York Legislature.

The race for the 25th District — which also includes Prospect Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Park Slope — was left open when incumbent Sen. Velmanette Montgomery announced she would step down after years of serving the district.

All New York voters may request a mail-in ballot due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For those who want to head to the polls, click here to find your poll site. Early voting is available from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1.

Patch reached out to all candidates in the election to create these profiles. Below is Brisport's questionnaire from the primary election, which he opted to use instead of filling out a new Patch form.

Jabari Brisport

Age as of Election Day (Nov. 3)

32

NYC neighborhood of residence

Bed-Stuy

Position Sought

State Senate

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Franklin Brisport (father), 70
Andrea McIntosh (mother), 68
Simone Nicholas (sister), 49
Nzinga Ward (sister), 36

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My sister Simone is a school principal in a New York City Public School. My mother works in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office as an office manager.

Education

New York University, Bachelor of Fine Arts
Yale University, Masters of Fine Arts

Occupation

Public School Teacher, 2 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

I have never held office.

Campaign website

https://jabariforstatesenate.c...

Why are you seeking elective office?

I'm a queer, Black school teacher in Crown Heights and third generation Brooklyn resident. I have watched my community suffer from racist over-policing, rapid gentrification, and lack of investment in our public schools. This is a moment clearly demanding radical change, not means-tested, halfway measures.

I believe that change happens from the bottom-up — when people decide to become involved and fight for what they believe in. I believe that the power of people working together can build a liveable world where housing and education are guaranteed and Black lives matter.

That's why I will use my campaign, and hopefully my office, to empower the people of Brooklyn to win structural change. An approach that gets more people involved in progressive politics is a key part of the coalition building we'll need to make change in Albany and beyond.

The single most pressing issue facing our nation/state/community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue we are facing is the consistent prioritization of corporate interests and the billionaire class over the rest of us. For decades, our government has been avoiding taxing the wealthy by cutting the budgets of programs and infrastructure that New Yorkers. This issue is at the root of so many others.
We see this play out again and again in housing policy. The real estate industry funds many New York political campaigns, and, in return, Albany enacts policies that help developers profit while life-long residents are forced out of their homes.

We see it play out in schools, where our funding is so limited that teachers like me buy essential supplies out of our own salaries. Our students’ right to a quality education is consistently deprioritized. Meanwhile, Governor Cuomo and his allies are forcing through further defunding of our public schools, as he again refuses to raise taxes on the wealthy by even one dollar.

We even see it play out in policing — where cops are instructed to worry more about protecting the windows at Bloomingdale’s than about protecting actual people. We see it where cops armed with guns are called in to solve issues a gun can’t possibly solve — like drug overdoses and mental health crises — because our government would rather pander to billionaires than tax them enough to fund real solutions.

We will only find solutions to these issues by dismantling the stranglehold corporate interests have on our government. And, as state senator, I will fight to do just that.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My main opponent has let down our district with policies that support austerity and line the pockets of corporate real-estate. Tremaine Wright not only opposes Good Cause Eviction, (which would protect tenants from being arbitrarily forced out of their homes) but is actively working to make the eviction process faster. I believe our district deserves somebody who will fight for our right to an affordable home in a time of skyrocketing gentrification, not an entrenched establishment politician who is committed to the interests of wealthy developers,

Another important issue in this election is education. Tremaine Wright's record shows allegiance to charter schools and the moneyed interests behind them that drain resources from public schools serving poor students of color. I am a public school teacher — I know how important well-funded public schools are for our entire community. I will draw upon my own experiences and the experiences of my students to speak proudly and honestly about how to build schools that serve everybody.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Race informs my three core issues — housing, education and climate. We see which communities benefit from luxury housing being built instead of affordable housing. As a teacher in New York City's public schools, I know first-hand the inequalities perpetuated by a segregated system. We need to fully fund Foundation Aid and make sure it's distributed equitably so our neediest schools can be set up to thrive. It's also worth noting that people of color are the hardest hit from climate change, because it layers on existing public health, economic, and racial inequalities. As we march in the streets to demand racial justice, it is more important than ever to remember that housing justice, education justice, and climate justice are interwoven with racial justice.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have been a public school teacher for two years, and an educator for many years before that. Supporting a classroom full of students, I have gained experience working through the nuanced and often complicated ways in which systemic failures play out in individual lives. I have done my best to work with my students to overcome these barriers, finding individualized solutions and consulting with their families about issues outside the classroom.

But the problems are bigger than one classroom. That’s why for many years I’ve dedicated my free time to fighting for systemic change — from coordinating phone-bankings to demanding marriage equality to marching with Black Lives Matter to organizing against luxury developments in the neighborhood.

Too often, I have seen how the challenges facing my students and community-lead fights for change are ignored in Albany. That’s why I’m running for office. I understand the issues facing this district from a real-world perspective, and know how to fight with my community for solutions, not against it.

Additionally, I believe that one of the most important qualifications for this position is being committed to resisting special interests. Politicians should only be accountable to their community — to the people. I have shown my commitment to this by rejecting all corporate and real estate donations. Unlike my opponent, I refuse to be controlled by special interests seeking to shape our laws to their benefit.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

The best advice ever shared with me was: “This is, because that is.” It’s a part of Buddhist philosophy that reminds me that when my community is suffering, there’s a specific reason. When we have a lack of affordable housing, it is directly related to the greed of the housing lobby and real estate interests. When my students don’t have textbooks, it’s directly related to the privatization of education and the defunding of our public schools. When black lives are taken by police violence, it is directly related to the militarization of the police state and disinvestment in black communities.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am a 3rd-generation Caribbean-American from Prospect Heights. I am from this community and know its struggles. I have spent my life working with and for my neighbors as both an activist and educator. Whether it is working with my students, advocating for teachers and students with my union, or organizing my neighbors to fight for progressive legislation, I have always fought for my community. My experiences as a queer, black, public school teacher, union member, and child of immigrants, have shaped my drive to make this community and all New York communities more just and equitable.