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 receive the support of Cori Bush — and I hope to also receive your support today, as well.
In a few months, I’ll be asking 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.
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 firsthand 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 loan debt.
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.
Enough is enough, John.
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
