The tent-like structure in SoHo on Canal and 6th isn’t a tourist attraction or some kind of weird sculpture. It’s the hub of activity for a project called “Talking Transition.” An initiative of several NYC foundations including Open Society and Rockefeller, “Talking Transition” seeks to inject the energy of campaign and election season into the mayoral transition and attempts to build broad public engagement to push open the doors of a usually closed-door insular process.
For the first time in 12 years, we will have a new mayor. For the first time in decades, we have the potential for a progressive administration. This possibility should have us far more energized than we are. The fact that people in this tent are talking about a municipal minimum wage, destroying food deserts, building real affordable housing (not Bloomberg’s watered down version), and providing tangible solutions to our NYPD problems, is a big deal. The fact that this is all happening before Bill de Blasio takes office is an even bigger deal. Our ideas are strong and promising, and the opportunity to present them before the special interests get to him (or at least alongside of them), is something to create energy around.
For the past month, we have been helping Erica Ford at LIFE Camp raise money to keep her doors open in Jamaica, Queens, to ensure that her vital work of saving lives goes uninterrupted. Tomorrow, Thursday, November 14th at 4:00PM, Erica will be in the “tent” on Canal and Varick “Talking Transition.” Making the money flow is important; but so is elevating the policy discussion on youth violence intervention and prevention.
We urge all of you to go on down to “the tent.” Take the A/C/E to Canal St or the 1 to Franklin St and look for the enormous structure with lights and signs that say “Talk Here.” At 4:00PM, join in Erica’s discussion about how the community, how you, are essential to her fight and the City’s fight against violence.
