On a sunny Saturday in mid-September, more than a dozen volunteers for Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign gathered at a corner of Canarsie, Brooklyn, armed with talking points and voters’ addresses.
The crew was almost ready to hit the ground — but first, a slight adjustment.
One canvasser, who had arrived on foot as part of the DSA Running Club, wore a black shirt emblazoned with ‘Democratic Socialists of America’ in red lettering. It caught the eye of Pat Williams, the mother of Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and who was much older than most of the group.
“This is not going to work here. That’s a big turn-off in this neighborhood,” Williams said she told her fellow volunteer. “The older Black folks are pro-Cuomo — I mean, unbelievably pro-Cuomo.”
The runner, who declined to be named, ducked into a nearby store and emerged with a plain burgundy t-shirt.
“It was $2.50!” she said cheerfully.
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Because of the expanded territory, field lead Christian Celeste Tate warned the canvassers in Canarsie that things could feel a bit different from when they canvassed leading up to June’s primary. The 31-year-old nonprofit consultant instructed them to listen more than talk. To avoid lecturing. And to ensure the interaction makes a positive impression.
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