PTP Profile: Kwame

Meet Kwame, one of our Field Representatives who is talking to voters in Northern Virginia! 

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Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself and where you’re from?

I’m from Washington D.C. and was interested in politics from a very young age. I saw poverty growing up and wanted to change it. I wanted to do some work that would help affect how we all live so I studied Political Science at South Carolina State University. I had a great professor, who has been a great mentor ever since. I’ve worked in labor for quite awhile, and done some union organizing and campaign work. This work is important and something I love to do.

Q: What specifically about PTP appealed to you?

Just the fact that we are trying to get Democrats elected. If we are going to try and see the change that I want to see in this country, we have to elect Democrats across the board. We need wages to go up, a single-payer health care system, and affordable housing. The only way any of that will happen is if Democrats get elected. And that’s why we keep fighting.

Q: What’s your most memorable experience working in politics?

I was doing some community organizing in Ward 8 of Washington D.C., where I grew up. We organized a large group of unemployed people to march on the 11th street bridge that was under construction at the time. We protested to get more D.C. residents hired. It was unique to see folks in the area where I grew up come together and protest

Q: What is the most memorable moment you’ve had while knocking doors in Virginia?

There were a couple conversations with folks who hadn’t voted in awhile that really stick out. There was woman who has been a citizen for 6 years and had never voted. I encouraged her to participate by talking about the things important to her. In this case it was education, as she had a young child and another on the way. By speaking with her at the door, I encouraged her to at the very least think about why voting is important and what’s at stake.  

Q: Who inspires you in politics and why?

Martin Luther King Jr. because he saw injustices and went on to lead a movement that fought the injustice. Also Malcolm X and Gandhi, as they also led movements to end oppression in our society. Those are some of the people that I try to emulate.

Q: If you could have dinner with one former President, who would it be and why?

Franklin Delano Roosevelt because of the New Deal and what was going on in the country at the time. The kind of programs he put into place to deal with the economy and workers, like his publics works program, actually built up workers so they had something to fall back on. He built up the middle class.

Q: Other than voting, what is one of the the issues that you’re interested in?

Everything that I’m interested in is tied to the political process. The things that I’m passionate about –  living wages, health care, housing, affordable childcare, free state funded college tuition – are all tied to voting or making demands to our government. The role of government should be to ensure that our citizens and people who live here have a fulfilling and good life.  

Q: If you could ask President Trump one thing, what would it be?

When are you going to write your resignation letter?

Q: What’s something on your bucket list?

To show my daughter her roots and take her to Eritrea in east Africa, where her mother is from.