On Thursday, January 9, we're electing NKD's 2020 Executive Committee. Check out who's running for which positions.

Here’s who’s on the ballot, plus statements from the candidates: 

• President: Emily Hoffman, Mariana Alexander
  • Emily Hoffman: I'm running to build on the work I’ve done communicating NKD’s vision outwards as VP of Political Affairs over the past two years (and Head of Partnerships for the current #RepYourBlock cycle). I'm well-prepared to continue navigating political relationships on NKD's behalf, while also guiding members in strategizing about what we want the Party to be and how to make our vision a reality. I'm excited to work with you to show everyday Brooklynites that the best way to resist the GOP and win the policies we want is by building a party based on grassroots power, not backroom deals.
    
    
  • Mariana Alexander: I am thrilled to run for NKD President. I see the club doubling down on its positive vision for the Brooklyn Democratic Party in 2020. We need to model our vision by transitioning #RepYourBlock to a continuous operation, working with County Committee members to organize their blocks on an ongoing basis: registering voters, educating people about ranked choice voting, and making neighbors aware of local issues (and visa versa). For the work to have the impact that it should, we must diversify NKD membership and the #RepYourBlock candidate base. Addressing diversity of all kinds would be my primary focus as president.
    
    
• Chief of Operations: Emily Hoffman, Mariana Alexander
  
  • See statements above.
    
    
• VP of Organizing: Sage Rockermann
  
  • Hello! I’m running to be NKD’s VP of Organizing. During the past year in the role I’ve had the chance to work with many of you, and I hope to work with many more of you in 2020. If elected my goals for the upcoming year are to support our incredible organizers who are running #RepYourBlock in districts across Brooklyn; to build teams who will lead the club's efforts to elect our endorsed candidates; and to empower #RepYourBlock’s County Committee members with the tools to use their party role as a platform for organizing in their Election Districts. We have a lot of work to do, but I continue to be inspired by all of you and can’t wait to meet these challenges together.

• VP of Political Affairs: Jessica Thurston
  
  • 2020 is an incredibly important year for Brooklyn politics — and NKD. I’m running to build on the great work the club has already done to support political candidates and elected officials who are working to build the representative, inclusive home Brooklynites deserve — with a renewed focus on folding more members into the process of framing our goals and meeting them through the Political Affairs process. Building on my experience overseeing NKD’s communications and messaging, I‘m excited to help lead the process, alongside all NKD members, to determine where and how NKD can most effectively reform the Democratic Party through the political process.
    
    
• VP of Policy: Richard Semegram, Tony Melone
  
  • Richard Semegram: Hi. I have have been an NKD member since 2012, and I've been attending policy committee meetings since 2013. I have participated in many policy committee projects, and I was part of the core #RepYourBlock team for our 2018 campaign. I am fundamentally skeptical and wary of political power and committed to making sure NKD is driven by that same skepticism. For my day job, I am a housing lawyer at a small tenants rights organization in Manhattan. I organize with NKD because I believe that diffusing the grip of power within the Democratic Party of Brooklyn is essential to building power for tenants and low income people throughout New York State.
    
    
  • Tony Melone: My vision for Policy Committee:
    • Be a bridge between advocacy organizations and elected officials—help them work together on complex issues like housing, criminal justice, and climate.
    • Focus on areas where small changes in Party structures or legislation can have a major impact
    • Help NKD members develop their own voices through writing, speaking, and advocacy.

Over 3 years with NKD, I've helped create policy platforms, organized Vision workshops, knocked doors for candidates, published op-eds, and I'm now helping coordinate #RepYourBlock 2020. I want Policy Committee to give people from diverse backgrounds the life-changing experience I've had with NKD!

• Director of Communications: Caitlin Kawaguchi
  • "Hi, I'm Caitlin and I'm excited to be running for your Communications Director! In my day job, I lead marketing and partnerships at Bird + Stone, an e-commerce startup based in Brooklyn. Over the last few years, I have also lead digital communications for campaigns around juvenile justice reform and increasing federal funding for programs supporting Opportunity Youth. I'm currently the co-lead for #RepYourBlock in Assembly District 53, and look forward to the opportunity to continue to fight for a more transparent, accountable, and inclusive Kings County Democratic Party as your Communications Director."
    
    
• Director of Membership: Morenike Lambert
  
  • Morenike Lambert has been a member of NKD for a year, and she’s very active in the central Brooklyn community. She’s developed many meaningful political connections through her position on the Uncommon Schools’ External Affairs team, where she serves as a community and political liason. She’s been connections and community throughout central Brooklyn, as she hopes to do so without NKD. She’s also a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church, PLGNA (Prospect Lefferts Gardens Neighborhood Association) and it’s Race and Culture subcommittee, the 43rd Assembly District’s ADC, and serves as an appointed member of the Bedford Union Armory Advisory Committee.

• Treasurer: Courtney Adrian
  • Courtney Adrian has been a member of NKD for two and a half years and has five years experience in municipal budgeting. At her current job she works for the NYC Office of Management and Budget in the Tax Policy Unit analyzing the impacts of proposed tax policies and forecasting annual Personal Income Tax Revenues. She is also a member of the Park Slope United Methodist Church's Finance Committee where she has learned a lot about the hard and soft skills required of finance officers. She aspires to own one of those green eyeshade visors all numbers people seem to have in movies.

NKD’s Secretary and Data Director positions are appointed. Email us if you want to learn more!

You can learn more about NKD's current ExCo, as well as their duties, here.