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WASHINGTON - October 31 - The record number of Green Party
candidates competing in the November election includes
more African-American candidates running for state and
local office than ever before, including city council
incumbents and a candidate running for Governor of New
Jersey.
"Not only has the party's growth manifested itself in
a vastly increased number of candidates in 2001, but
it has included a growing presence in the nation's
urban cores and its largest cities, alongside an
increasing racial diversity among Green candidates,"
said Mike Feinstein, Mayor of Santa Monica,
California, who tracks the party's election campaigns.
The current list of elected Greens includes Latinos in
some prominent city offices: Municipal Judge Fran
Gallegos and City Council Member Miguel Chavez in
Santa Fe, New Mexico; City Supervisor Matthew Gonzalez
and At-Large Board of Education Member Marc Sanchez in
San Francisco, California; and Social Development
Commission Member Robert Miranda in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. Elizabeth Horton Sheff (see below), who is
African-American, holds a City Council seat in
Hartford, Connecticut.
"Originally cast in the late 1980s and early 1990s as
a rural, Anglo middle-class environmental party,
Greens are now showing an increasing presence in the
nation's urban areas, and are presenting an
increasingly diverse face in its candidates. In 2001,
this is most apparent in the number of African
American candidates for the Greens, particularly in
the Northeast. This may come as a surprise to those
who felt the Democrats had a lifetime 'lock' on some
constituencies. But it has not been a surprise to
Greens who believe in the party's progressive agenda
and feel that it was only a matter of time (and hard
work) before increasing numbers of people from diverse
backgrounds would be attracted to it."
Some campaigns to watch:
==> CONNECTICUT
Elizabeth Horton Sheff is running to hold on to her
seat in the City Council of Hartford, Connecticut.
Ms. Horton Sheff became the first African American
Green elected to public office when she won her
Council seat running on an urban/inner city agenda in
1999. This year she hopes to be joined in office by
several more African American Greens.
Web sites:
http://ctgreens.org/hortonsheff/
http://www.ctgreens.org/candidates/hortonsheff.htm
==> NEW JERSEY
Jerry Coleman is the Greens' "yes!" answer to the New
York Times question "Isn't it time for an
African-American candidate for governor in New
Jersey?" A long-time urban activist, Coleman focuses
on environmental justice and racism, affordable
housing (especially for seniors), and a healthy urban
environment. Coleman has been outspoken against
racial profiling and police brutality, and advocates
the establishment of civilian police review boards.
Web site:
http://gpnj.org/Campaign2001/Coleman2001.htm
==> MINNESOTA
In Minneapolis, three African-American Green
candidates are running: three-term incumbent Annie
Young, seeking re-election to the Minneapolis Park and
Recreation Board, which controls the city's vast park
system; Brother Shane Price in Ward 3 member of City
Council; and Natalie Johnson Lee for Ward 5. Both
Price and Johnson seek to serve some of the city's
poorest residents, focusing on education, local
economic development, housing, justice and the
environment. The burden of maintaining some racial
diversity on the City Council there is falling mostly
on the Greens; unless Price, Lee, or the city's lone
Democratic African-American candidate are elected,
Minneapolis could end up with no African-Americans on
council for the first time in 30 years.
Brother Shane Price, a Green running for Minneapolis
City Council Ward 3, is a minister who once served
prison time and has since become the organizer of an
annual march for peace and justice through his
community. Price calls himself a "recovering
Democrat."
Natalie Johnson Lee has drawn extensive press coverage
as an African-American woman taking on City Council
President Jackie Cherryholmes. Lee has worked
extensively on provision of housing, racial profiling
and other community issues with the NAACP and other
community organizations. She came in a close second
to the incumbent in the primary. Cherryholmes has
raised nearly $40,000 from corporate interests in
order to hold her seat in exchange for some well-known
favors. Minnesota Green activist David Strand said,
"The incumbent chose to skip several high profile
African-American community debates after her first
encounter in which Natalie confronted her and spoke
truth to power." Ward 5 is approximately 60%
African-American but includes a portion of pricey
downtown condos that Jackie Cherryholmes helped get
city subsidies to build.
Web site:
http://www.mngreens.org/
==> WASHINGTON
Young Han, Green Party candidate for 21st District in
the State Legislature race in Washington State, made
the national news earlier this year when a Republican
political consultant tried to infiltrate his campaign
and contribute money, which Han returned. Han is the
first Green Party candidate on the ballot for state
legislature in Washington State.
Han, at 18 the youngest among many young Greens
running for office, represents the growing popularity
of the Green Party among voters under 30, the age
group with the highest registration in the party. If
Han wins, he'll join another elected Asian-American
Green, Shwaw Vang, Madison (Wisconsin) School Board
member who defeated a Democrat in a head to head race.
"At the national level, there is no longer an
opposition party," said Young Han. "There is only a
ruling coalition. Here in Washington State, the major
parties are constantly trying to undermine democracy,
but are, thankfully, bickering with each other as to
how to do it. My message of election reform, and
instant runoff voting in particular, has resonated not
only with average voters, but also with elected
legislators who don't appreciate what their party
bosses are trying to do. The idea of getting to rank
candidates is quite catchy with just about everyone."
Web site:
http://voteforyoung.org/
NOTE: A second Green Party press release, on Thursday,
November 1, will cover more Green campaigns around the
U.S.
MORE INFORMATION
The Green Party of the United States
http://gpus.org
Green Party election news
http://gpus.org/elections.html
Green candidate lists and links
http://www.greens.org/elections
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