Why I’m With Cory: Cory Booker is More Than An Ally

Guest post from Kylä Paterson, Iowa Democratic Party Stonewall Caucus chair.

The 2020 election is far and away the most important election of our lifetime, and I cannot, in good conscience, sit on the sidelines. Our planet, our rights and dignity, and the values of our Democracy are at stake. We need a leader who will pull this country together to defeat Donald Trump and repair the damage his hatred has inflicted.

I believe that the antidote to Trump is a leader with incredible empathy. Someone who looks out for those who have been disenfranchised, forgotten, and left behind – even when it may not be politically easy.

As a member of and advocate for the LGBTQ community, I know that love-centered, compassion-driven activist movements are incredibly effective and create long-lasting change. I saw this spirit in Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and when I asked for her advice about what to look for in a 2020 presidential candidate after she ended her campaign, she told me to follow my heart.

My heart led me to Cory Booker.

Cory’s campaign is fueled by the idea that the ties that bind us are far greater than the lines that divide us. He sticks to his values – he sees the dignity in every person that he meets and does not hesitate to take on the tough issues.

He is more than just an ally for the Trans Community, he’s an accomplice; he was the first candidate in a presidential debate to call out the horrific murder rate of black transgender women. He is an unflinching advocate for survivors of sexual assault. As a survivor myself, I trust him to lend his voice to the fight for those who have been silenced for too long.

I think his work on criminal justice is a beyond great example of how Cory uses his position to stand up for the people who need it most. He promised the people of New Jersey in his run for Senate that he would go to Washington D.C. and fight for Americans whose lives have been destroyed by a criminal justice system that’s stacked against low-income and minority communities – and he did it.

Last year, he passed the most comprehensive piece of criminal justice reform legislation with bipartisan support and got it signed by a difficult Republican president. Beyond that, Cory is not afraid to take bold stances to restore justice for those convicted for non-violent drug offenses, like marijuana possession, and people in sex work.

I appreciate that he’s on the front lines and refusing to let the mess in Washington stop him from making progress.

Then, there’s his climate agenda – it’s one of the only plans in this 2020 race that takes direct aim at the systemic injustices that have exposed vulnerable communities to the harshest impacts of the climate crisis and pollution. Cory stepped up to co-sponsor and fight for the Green New Deal, and incorporated much of it in to his climate plan, because he sees this crisis as an opportunity to not only save our environment but also improve public health and empower workers in the new clean energy economy.

Cory gives me hope for the future, and I cannot wait to get to work electing him as the next President of the United States.

by Kylä Paterson
Posted 9/16/19