Primary Bootcamp Leaderboard is Live!
Plus: join me for a tea party at Gracie Mansion!
Thanks to everyone who came out for the Primary Bootcamp Launch Party last week!🎉 I loved meeting you and hearing your plans for strengthening your political muscles and making a difference in your neighborhoods.💪
If you weren’t able to make it to the party, I announced the top prize there.
The top 3 winners to get the most points in the Primary Bootcamp will have a tea party at Gracie Mansion.
asked if Eric Adams will also be attending. Fortunately, no.And yes, there will be prizes for anyone who reaches 70 points. Stay tuned for that!
Who’s in the lead?
Since the bootcamp launched last week, some Bootcampers have already logged their completed actions! So who’s winning so far? Carley, Margaux, and Peggy are in the lead!
Here’s the reviewed points as of this morning (below), and you can click in to the links below to view the points in real time anytime. Here’s how it’ll work:
There are two tables: Unreviewed Points and Reviewed Points.
When you submit an action, it first appears in the Unreviewed Points table—this means I’ve received your submission, but haven’t had a chance to verify your proof yet. Once I review it, your points will move to the Reviewed Points table. My goal is to review all submissions within 24 hours.
So when you submit an action, refresh the Unreviewed Points table to see your updated points in real time.
Do you need a refresher on what the Primary Bootcamp is again, how to join, and what to do? Here you go:
Complete Bootcamp Actions (here)
Check your points (Unreviewed Points here | Reviewed Points here)
Tips from Primary Bootcampers
Carley’s Takeaways from Attending a Community Board Meeting
Bootcampers James and Carley went together with a handful of neighbors to go to a community board meeting together and have pizza afterward (free pizza from Grimaldi’s and the Primary Bootcamp!). According to Carley, it makes a huge difference to go to these events with friends or others in this community. If you plan with friends, it’s easier to add the meeting to your calendar and be excited (and not intimidated) to go.
Carley’s key takeaways from attending a community board meeting:
I loved hearing from all the libraries and didn't know that would be a part of the meeting. I was surprised by how many free events are hosted at libraries across Brooklyn. Going to go to a plant swap and look into a writing workshop.
You quickly get a sense of the major issues people care about by noticing what comes up again and again from different elected officials and community board members during the meeting. Attending is an easy way to get a broad sense of local political issues in one sitting.
Overall, it’s a low-stakes, super informative way to learn who your representatives are and what’s happening in your neighborhood.
Attending a community board meeting is worth 10 Primary Bootcamp points. I’m going to a community board meeting this week if you want to join– it’s the Landmarks Committee meeting of Manhattan CB5 (April 22, 6pm – 8pm at the Bryant Park Corp Office at 5 Bryant Place, 24th Floor). I’m on the committee, so I’ll be asking questions to the applicants that want to update their landmarked buildings, and voting for my recommendation on whether they should be able to make those changes. You don’t have to RSVP unless you want to join virtually– community board meetings are meant to be open to the public.
You can also find your community district using this map, if you want to figure out when your local community board meetings are taking place.
James’s Advice from Volunteering on a Political Campaign
This advice from Bootcamper James, who canvassed with Brad Lander for mayor. James says,
When I first signed up to volunteer, I knew what issues mattered to me and where the candidate stood on those issues. That said, I wasn't familiar with ALL the specific policy recommendations from the candidate on ALL issues. That made me a bit nervous and I wondered what I would say if someone asked me about where the candidate stood on an issue that I wasn't as close to. While I did get asked questions I didn't know the answers to, I really had nothing to worry about. What mattered was that I could speak to why I got involved, what mattered to me, and direct people to the campaign website if they wanted to dig further into something. I also got into some great conversations with people. In the coming weeks before the primary election, I plan to continue to canvass and volunteer.
It’s worth 30 points to volunteer on a political campaign! I wrote a detailed piece about what to expect when volunteering on a campaign here.
To make it easy to find volunteer opportunities, check out some upcoming options for great candidates at the Primary Bootcamp calendar.
Events coming up from the Primary Bootcamp calendar
You can also subscribe to the calendar on lu.ma for more events as they’re added:
📆Landmarks Committee Meeting, Manhattan Community Board 5
Tuesday, April 22: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Bryant Park Corp Office at 5 Bryant Place, 24th Floor, entrance on 40th St between 6th-7th Ave. Zoom also works.
You don’t have to RSVP, unless you want the link to join virtually.
I’m on the committee, so I’ll be asking questions to the applicants that want to update their landmarked buildings, and voting for my recommendation on whether they should be able to make those changes.
📆Open New York Learning Studio
Thursday, April 24, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Open New York office in Tribeca. Message me for the address
Open New York's Learning Studio is a space to build connections and community while learning together. ✨ This month's Learning Studio is the Bookclub edition! We're reading Ezra Klein's book, Abundance. No huge pressure to finish the whole book before April 24. Even if you've just barely started the book and want to hear from others, it'll be a great discussion.😀
📆House Party in Support of Zellnor for NYC
Thursday, May 1st, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Location: Williamsburg — Address Upon RSVP
Join my friend Zach for a fundraiser for Zellnor Myrie for New York City Mayor. State Senator Myrie has been described as “the perfect abundance candidate” and has the most ambitious housing plan of any of the New York City mayoral candidates, proposing we build 700,000 new housing units in the next decade and preserve 300,000 more.