🚨John, have you heard the news?🚨
Just this morning, Jamaal announced that he's officially running for re-election to New York's 16th District — and we're gearing up to run one of the most competitive races we could have ever imagined.
We didn't want you to miss out on Jamaal's inspiring message from this morning so if you haven't had a chance to read it, keep scrolling to see his message — but before you do:
We've set out to raise 500 individual contributions by midnight TONIGHT to kick off our re-election campaign and show our opposition the true strength and impact of our movement. We only have a few hours left until the day's through, so if you are able, please support our grassroots campaign with a $HPC contribution so that we can close this final gap!
Thank you for your consistent support, John — we can't wait to get to work and fight for the future of NY-16, together.
Let's do this,
Luke Hayes, Campaign Manager
Bowman for Congress
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Jamaal Bowman [us.bowmanforcongress.com]
Date: Mon, March 21, 2022
Subject: It's not often that people like me are elected to Congress
John, it's official.
I'm running for re-election to represent New York's 16th Congressional District in the House of Representatives.
I'm humbled to ask my neighbors in NY-16 for their vote so we can continue causing problems for the status quo and fight for the progressive values we all deserve.
I'm fired up to go back to Congress, John. Because the truth is, people like me aren't often elected to Congress.
People like me — people who are Black, people who grew up in public housing, people who've been arrested, public school educators — aren't typically given positions of influence and power.
We're not given this power, even though we're the ones closest to the pain.
For decades, white lawmakers and leaders have often excluded people who look like me from key decisions that often negatively impact us. As a result, Black and brown communities have suffered at the hands of politicians who put politics and profits over the needs of the people.
As a Black educator from New York, I've experienced the same struggles as many of those who voted for me. I grew up in public housing and experienced firsthand the result of greedy landlords and failing public housing infrastructure. I've seen first hand how gun violence affects our communities, our schools, and our children. And to this day, I myself am dealing with the crushing weight of student debt loans.
I say all of this to simply explain that I understand. And that's not something that many of our current representatives in Congress can relate to — which leads to unjust and out of touch leadership and legislation.
Delivering for NY-16 is my top priority. In just our first term, we have made strides for NY-16 and communities that look just like ours. I've dedicated 100% of my time in Congress advocating for the marginalized communities that are all too often forgotten. I truly believe that only when everyone has a voice at the table are we able to build a more compassionate community and a successful multiracial democracy.
This past year, we have watched as conservative and Republican leadership have exposed the true depths of injustice that run rampant in our government systems. And we've watched our democracy crumble as the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and the sick get even sicker.
Enough is enough, John.
I am ready to continue our fight to cancel student debt loans, end the filibuster, secure voting rights and protections for all, and advance key policies like the Build Back Better agenda in its entirety.
We still have so much more work to do to fully address the racial, social, economic, and environmental inequities that exist in our communities and in our government.
As one of very few progressive leaders in Congress, I deeply recognize the gravity of our decision-making — the lives of thousands depend on our ability to find solutions to the issues we face each and every day. And unlike many representatives in Congress today, I refuse to be pressured or swayed into making compromises for my constituents.
With three challengers poised against our campaign, and a voter landscape that has shifted dramatically from the one I was elected to in 2020 due to redistricting, we cannot afford to lose our momentum or we lose our opportunity to continue fighting for change in Congress.
Thank you for your support, and I can't wait to see what changes we continue to make together.
Peace and love,
Jamaal Bowman
