MICHAEL BLAKE ANNOUNCES RUN FOR NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC ADVOCATE TO CHAMPION JOBS AND JUSTICE #FORTHEPEOPLE

Blake shares his vision for the future of New York City at a kickoff rally in The Bronx

Today, Michael Blake announced his candidacy for New York City Public Advocate at a kickoff rally in The Bronx.

“I walk through the streets of New York City, and, I see how many opportunities we have to build the best possible future for everyone,” said Blake. “But, there is so much work left to do to ensure unity, equity, fairness, justice, and opportunity for the people. It is absolutely critical New York City has an agenda that addresses jobs and justice. As Public Advocate, I’ll fight every day to make those ideas a reality for every New Yorker.”

As a member of the New York State Assembly, Michael Blake helped lead efforts to create the first and only statewide My Brother’s Keeper education program in the country to empower young men of color. He helped lead the charge to Raise the Age of criminal responsibility so that 16 and 17-year-old children are not tried as adults in criminal court. He’s worked to increase funding for New York City public housing and fought to secure funding for Diversity in Medicine medical scholarships. Blake’s signature legislation signed into law helps Small, Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises with less than 300 employees who contract with New York state get paid in 15 days instead of 30. This agenda demonstrates Blake’s record of fighting #ForThePeople.

As Public Advocate, he will build on the promise he made to the voters of the 79th District and continue fighting for better opportunities for every New Yorker.  Blake's key vision is JOBS & JUSTICE and seeks to focus on unity, equity, opportunity, fairness, and justice. Blake believes we need a dramatic overhaul in the management and culture of the New York City Housing Authority. We must implement a comprehensive Criminal Justice reform that implements Alternatives To Incarceration, bail reform, speedy trial, and Open Discovery so that we build schools, not jails while changing the culture and training within Rikers Island.  He will advocate for a jobs and skills agenda, with a focus on the future of work and labor, to help lift more families into the working class.

“The people of New York deserve a better quality of life than they’re getting,” said Blake. “In every borough, people need dramatic improvements in on time, public transportation, deserve basic promises like the guarantee of lead-free homes in NYCHA along with more affordable housing units so people can remain in their desired neighborhood and know that we are focused on creating jobs and economic opportunities while simultaneously improving our social services. I am running for Public Advocate to fight for the people, all of our people.”

Blake is also a Vice Chair at Large of the Democratic National Committee helping lead efforts in engaging with millennials, communities of color, local elected candidates and training. He is a Five Year Term Member fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations and a national Honorary Co-Chair of the New Leaders Council, which has trained more than 7,000 millennials in progressive policies and political organizing. He is a licensed minister in the United Methodist Church and African Methodist Episcopal church. Michael is on the board for iVOTE, served as a 2016 Resident fellow at the Harvard University Institute of Politics and recently was an advisory board member for the My Brother's Keeper Alliance.