Q: 1. How will you balance the political need to compromise with your interpretation of Green values? 2. How will you address systemic racism in the criminal justice system? 3. Over 50% of America's homeless population is Black what is your plan to confront this issue? 4. How will you confront the health disparities in the American Health Care System? 5. What is your plan to deal with environmental racism? 6. COVID 19 is having a devastating impact on the black community. What would your plan be to alleviate this issue? 7. Does your platform include a tangible bonafide black agenda? If so, please explain, detail and outline. If not please explain. 8. What strategies do you have (or would you recommend) for developing the Green Party? Strengthening Infrastructure? Increasing Credibility? Increasing participation from a diverse group of people? 9. Please discuss your perspective on the issues facing Women, Black people, the Latinx Community, Puerto Rico and other territories, LGBTQIA+ , Seniors/Elders, Immigrants, working class people, and Statehood for Washington, DC? 10. Share your perspective, in general, on how these issues impact and relate to White men and women and issues to those communities?
A: I will shoot for the stars and negotiate down. Always. What will make or brake the Greens when we get to congress is whether we have organizing skills to pull off the demands we are seeking. That is what I can bring to the table. We need experienced organizers that know how ask BIG and in a daring manner, and how to pressure for those demands.

I believe we need to vote for ALL judges, up and down the federal and state judiciaries. Period. That is the most effective way to make them responsive to our communities. We also need citizens committees with policy making power over police departments.

RENT CONTROL is our top issue. It is black issue. It is also a trans issue. It is the MAIN working-class issue that resonates when we talk to people on the streets. We will organize around a Tenant Bill of Rights that includes compensation of rent hikes that cause displacement (essentially rent control), and a ban on school-year evictions and winter evictions. In addition, to tax the rich and cut the military to pay for affordable housing. We want to make 50% of the market affordable, like in Vienna. We will tax all the unoccupied properties of private equity firms, the government can and should purchase. After all, housing is a human right and a public utility.

We need free universal healthcare. I do not even have insurance right now like many of my constituents. We also need to reinstate and expand free universities and do deliberate, targeted campaigns to increase the numbers of black healthcare professionals, but need free higher education for that.

Polluters MUST pay. They don’t pay because they donate big to our political system. We need strong, and well-funded environmental agencies, and FULLY de-carbonize our economy. The highest potential for Green energy production lies in South America and Africa. We need strategic partnerships. We can shift our energy sources from fossil to renewable if we fight for it, and we don’t have much time.

Now, we have to live with the long COVID. If people don’t have access to free healthcare, they cannot get proper treatment.

We need to lay out in writing our ideas for a black agenda, which would consist of at least of reparations and expansion of black history in schools. I want to do it together with the caucus and add even more ideas. The affordability issues are all black issues as alluded to by a previous question. Also, Abolish ICE is a black issue. Not only that, it is one of the MAIN black issues. We have Hatian-Americans and Somali-American being tortured and killed, and also African Americans like Keith Porter. We see black teenagers and children all over the country harassed and zip-tied by DHS.

The Green party has to gain expertise in organizing, and understand how to tie issues like war and imperialism to domestic issues. We are not doing enough working-class messaging at all. People need to understand that the money used to build and maintain 700+ military bases all over the world is the money that is not used to build and maintain 700+ free community colleges and universities. Speaking to people’s economic realities will diversify the base.

To put it simply, the country’s image of itself is that of white, slave-holding, aristocrats. We are REALLY comfortable thinking that is “us”. We do not see us also as children of, and inheritors of Africa and tribal nations. That explains the complete lack of investment and abandonment of black communities. We do not really love America; We are still not ready to love America because that IS America, the WHOLE America. When that day comes, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” will become our national anthem. Men, because of patriarchal structures, deal with a lot self-esteem issues and lack of social skills, which in turn becomes violence against or dismissal of half of humanity. Women many times pick up the familial, communitarian, and social labor that society needs and live overburdened. Hispanics right now are being held en-masse in concentration camps. Puerto Rico should vote on their independence, and so should other territories; I understand their movement is picking up steam. Gender is a spectrum. Trans people are under attack right now and being stripped of their rights and access to healthcare to generate votes for political gain. The seniors in my community are going homeless and displaced because of high rents. I don’t say immigrants; I say our neighbors, our families and our communities. Working class people are always a last consideration, but we need to organize. All demands are really working class demands at the bottom, different working families maybe affected more that other based on identity. But their suffering, in economic terms, disinvestment, poverty, and misery, is a common language. That is what Jesse Jackson, MLK, and the Panther’s rainbow coalition taught us.

Q: 1. What do you understand to be the primary duties of the office you're seeking? 2. What challenges do you foresee needing to address if elected as a Green? 3. Do you support reparations for the American Descendants of Slavery? (Please explain your position) 4. What are your top three issues and how can the office you seek influence or further those issues? 5. What are the major concerns of the constituency in the area under your office's jurisdiction? 6. How will you interact with the other parties in office? If applicable, who will you caucus with?
A: The primary duties of a congressional office is to serve the communities of my district and the entire United States. I will not waste a second to organize with the office and bring the heat to the duopoly and their leadership who are holding hostage free education, healthcare, and massive social spending on affordable housing because of their donors. I will hold rallies and show up to people’s districts and offices. Key targets and specific demands. There will lots of opposition of the establishment. The most important thing is to speak to the base, organize the base, and hold the base. I experienced it locally already as an organizer.

I 100% support reparations. This is the most clear case of reparations in all of human history. African-Americans need to be made whole again, and I am in favor of DIRECT DEPOSITS AND CHECKS. Law will cease to have any meaning if we don’t compensate American Descendants of Slavery. There are estimates that have been calculated multiple times. If we tax billionaires and corporations and cut the military budget we can do it.

My top three issues are:
1. Rent Control
2. Healthcare
3. Student Debt

I believe in pairing an issue that has been widely felt for a long time like Rent Control, which has had the best response from the people we have talked to on the ground, with an urgent, hot issue like Abolish ICE. We have to concentrate on these demands and rally and organize the American public to bypass party leadership and progressive gatekeeping. We have to be relentless. The parties will fear alienating themselves from their own voters and be perceived as out-of-touch and indolent. These are really popular issues, across constituencies, everything that touches cost-of-living and affordability is a winnable issue. I believe in the Worker’s Strike Back formula from Seattle. You have to have an adversarial relationship with the parties and go directly to the base. In some issues we can caucus with the Democrats and push them further.

Q: 1. What types of support are you hoping to get from the Green Party and/or the National Black Caucus, besides our endorsement? 2. How does your political platform benefit the Black community? 3. Are you willing to commit to monthly regular updates about your campaign’s progress? 4. Aside from winning, what do you hope to achieve with your campaign?
A: I would like to collaborate on posts related to black history and issues on social media, and I would ask for a social media post with my picture on a NBC social media template that announces the endorsement. I would request that the Caucus reaches out to black-led organizations that are hosting forums in CD12 and ask for our campaign to be included.

My campaign deliberately frames working-class majoritarian issues as black issues. Black people in the United States are disproportionately affected in every metric of health, and almost every economic indicator. We believe that if we can deliver on our economic demands regarding housing, healthcare, wages, and debt, black communities in the United States can live a better life.

I will continue to attend Black Caucus meetings, and if I am absent, Yannice will attend on behalf of the campaign.

I hope to energize, mobilize, and organize working families in the area.

Q: 1. Tell us about the diversity on your campaign team, what personnel do you believe you need to run your campaign? 2. How many Black people do you have on your campaign team? 3. What civic organizations do you belong to? What role have you played in those organizations? Who will support you from those organizations? 4. What other Black/African American groups will you seek endorsement from, beside the NBC?
A: Our campaign team is very diverse, we have African-American members, Hispanics, Arab-Americans, Jewish-Americans, etc. So far we have a head of media and a treasurer, about a dozen sign-ups for volunteers, and a few experienced campaign advisors. The leadership is all black women right now.

I belong to Central Jersey Tenant Union, Somerset County Indivisible, and Central Jersey DSA. I have organized extensively in those organizations in a myriad of issues and campaigns that tackled cost-of-living, union building, state violence, etc. Their leadership does not support me but I am popular with some rank-and-file members. Unfortunately, most organizations are embedded within the Democratic Ecosystem. We need to seek more independent minded pan-africanists, and orgs grounded in black radical traditions, and black socialists.

Q: 1. How much money do you believe you need to raise to run your campaign successfully? 2. How will you raise the funds necessary?
A: Based on past spending on this district, we need $250,000 to be competitive.

To raise these funds, I will excite the “Old Guard” of the Greens. All those anti-war, environmental movement Greens that have been around for decades. I want to host events where we donate part of what we are fundraising to Rapid Response or General Strike . If we grow sufficiently, we could sell Merch that has catchy phrases in support of specific popular issues. I will do compilation videos of my past work and post them on social media asking for donations. I will try and tap into more progressive religious circles that have a strong social bend. Our campaign will be national. I believe I will end up being the “socialist candidate” for the general so we can specifically target the socialists nationally like Kshama Sawant is doing right now.

Q: 1. Please also tell us what you consider to be a successful campaign? 2. What is your strategy or what strategy will you need (have) to run a winning/successful campaign campaign? 3. What role will the following strategies have in your campaign and how much time will you devote to these activities: door knocking, direct mail, phone banking, canvassing, etc..
A: A successful campaign is one that has solid fundraising and a strong ground game. I believe in what the Panthers use to do, which was using their campaigns to also organize the base.

My strategy consists in using data (American Communities Survey) to ID dense, low -income areas with high percentage of renters to canvass. I will canvass train stations, laundromats, and other places of interest. I have a few thousand dollars in donations already, about to start meeting weekly with the campaign committee, and I have a system to intake volunteers fast, everything is automated. I am using modern campaign software that the Mamdani campaign used and I have lots of good relationships with organizers and progressives and socialists in Central NJ to leverage.

I am devoting 2 days per week to canvassing , but I am trying to develop volunteer leaders that can manage on their own and lead local teams. We have phone banking and emailing capabilities. I see a lot of excitement in people. I believe we can grow exponentially, now that we have schedules, regular meetings and a good website and backend.

What is advantageous of our district is that we have no incumbent and a divided field until June.

Q: 1. Tell us about your political history; what has been your prior involvement with the Green Party (and/or other political party or independent candidate process)? 2. Have you been engaged in or with prior campaigns, as a worker or candidate?
A: I have been a tenant union organizer, trained with Tenant Union Federation, and continue to work with Central Jersey Tenant Union. I helped collect signatures from the small businesses in my town to pressure council for a resolution condemning ICE, and to redirect Special Improvement District funds to be spent in activities that brought more foot traffic to the businesses. I helped collect money for displaced seniors due to rent increases, carpooled with folks to the food bank, and started a Rent Ordinance campaign.

I was a field coordinator in Somerset County for Lily Benavides’ Gubernatorial campaign in New Jersey (Green, Latinx Caucus Co-chair).

Q: Are you seeking endorsement from: 1. National Black Caucus (Y / N) 2. State/Local Black Caucus (Y/N) if yes which one(s) 3. The Green Party of the United States (Y/N) If you are seeking support or endorsement; why are you seeking the support/endorsement of the NBC and/or Green Party, as opposed to any other party or running independently?
A: I am seeking endorsement from the National Black Caucus. I ’ve been part of GPNJ for about a year, currenly serve as the Chair of Organizational Improvement and I am 100% a committed Green and I believe in our values.

I seek endorsement from the NBC because I can offer the strongest working-class agenda in my district, probably one of the most diverse in the country. Issues such as housing, healthcare, debt, and wages proportionately affect African Americans, Afro-Latinx, and the Caribbean and African diaspora. We need someone who is willing to fight for us!

This is very much personal to me. My family is Hispanic and African-American. I want to create a future where we can thrive, be healthier, and live dignified lives, free of violence. I support reparations and more black history in our schools curriculum. I am also a pan-africanist and support liberation of the diaspora.

Some of my ancestors were Moors from Southern Spain who were forcibly converted and worked on the ships of the Castilians. Some of my ancestors were already here in the Caribbean for more than 30,000 years. Some of my ancestors came from Congo and Angola, and West Africa. I believe that America should not be a cheap imitation of Europe. We are much more; we are meeting of civilizations, and ALL OF US need to be at the negotiating table. NONE OF US are free until we are all free. I can offer NBC my full commitment to our communities in district 12.

Q: 1. Name, Office you are seeking, contact information, website 2. Why are you running for office? 3. What do you want us to know about you?
A: My name is Andres Jinete and I’m running on NJ’s 12th Congressional District to organize working families and deliver on rent control, universal healthcare, student debt relief, $25 min wage, and other demands.

I ‘m an experienced organizer and a member of Central Jersey Tenant Union, Indivisible, DSA, GPNJ, GP’s Latinx Caucus, and GP’s YES Caucus.

You may reach me at: [email protected]
Our website is: andresjinete.org

Important info: our treasurer Yannice Crawford is part of the Caucus and I applied for affiliate membership.

Q: 1. What do you understand to be the primary duties of the office you're seeking? 2. What challenges do you foresee needing to address if elected as a Green? 3. Do you support reparations for the American Descendants of Slavery? (Please explain your position) 4. What are your top three issues and how can the office you seek influence or further those issues? 5. What are the major concerns of the constituency in the area under your office's jurisdiction? 6. How will you interact with the other parties in office? If applicable, who will you caucus with?
A: 1. My understanding of Co Chair is to provide LEADERSHIP on POLICY. And to INSPIRE The current members to become active. BUT!!! To also be in CONSTANT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BLACK COMMUNITY. To GET THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHATS MEEDED to move The Black Community forward 3. Yes I support Lineage based cash Reparations for Foundational Black Americans.. My plan is based on the study by Duke University professor Dr. Sandy Darity. Author of the book. FROM HERE TO EQUALITY. His study puts the current MEDIAN INCOME WEALTH GAP Between White Americans and Black Americans ( FBA’s) at 350k to about 1000k …. To address this disparity in income a SIN TAX or TRANSACTION TAX on The New York Stock Exchange on CORPORATIONS for $250. Dollars per transaction. And a INDIVIDUAL for $25 Dollars would be implemented. This would generate about $3;Trillion Dollars in tax revenues each year. Enough to implemented a Freedman’s Bank similar to the one proposed after the American Civil War but never implemented.. There are an estimated 43 to 48 million FBA’s…. The wealth gap is currently $350k and growing…

Under this plan. THOSE FBA’s 18 and older would get a MONTHLY Reparations Check of $1,500. Tax Free for 360 Months = 20 years…. That initial CAPITAL INFUSION Into Black American will begin to have what’s called THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT. In The Science of ECONOMICS… In case of death before one receives all 360 months of payments… They can pass on their remaining months to FBA family members. This will begin the long overdue process of FBA’s being allowed to pass down GENERATIONAL WEALTH… Chattle Slavery lasted 200 plus years.. Using this formula also allows GENERATIONS YET UNBORN to get that inheritance as well. There are other tangibles like LAND GRANTS & TAX EXEMPTIONS & FREE COLLEGE TUITION That I think should be Implemented by STATE REPARATIONS COMMISSIONS Because each State has a UNIQUE History with Chattle Slavery… But getting ACTUAL CASH IMMEDIATELY Into FBA’s household is a ACTION ITEM that can be implemented now based on Dr. Sandy Darity’s research around this issue. 4… Reparations Anti Black Hate Crimes agenda.. Environmental Justice. 5….. The same as question 4. . 6. I will work with all Green Party USA members.. I think my leadership style can get the buy I’m to support the language in the proposed platform agenda.

Q: 1. What types of support are you hoping to get from the Green Party and/or the National Black Caucus, besides our endorsement? 2. How does your political platform benefit the Black community? 3. Are you willing to commit to monthly regular updates about your campaign’s progress? 4. Aside from winning, what do you hope to achieve with your campaign?
A: 1. The Green Party USA and Black Caucus I hope would Endorse my candidacy because under the pillar of SOCIAL JUSTICE The Black Agenda as Co Chair I intend to help implement. Would have mass appeal not only to our GP USA/Black Caucus. But Americans in general. 2. My platform Agenda benefits the Black community specifically economically and socially because The Black Agenda Document itself will have a very specific language that speaks to the Black masses. On Economic Environmental & Legal Justice issues … 3. Yes I am committed to updates on my campaign. 4. Aside from winning. BUILDING UNITY and giving HOPE and a sense EMPOWERMENT to our Black Community and Black Caucus is the goal… And to INSPIRE OTHER’S to run and NOT SELL OUT THE PEOPLE for EGO or PERSONAL GAIN..

Q: 1. Tell us about the diversity on your campaign team, what personnel do you believe you need to run your campaign? 2. How many Black people do you have on your campaign team? 3. What civic organizations do you belong to? What role have you played in those organizations? Who will support you from those organizations? 4. What other Black/African American groups will you seek endorsement from, beside the NBC?
A: Because this is a closed vote of Black Caucus members from diverse backgrounds.. My appeal will be to coalesce around a Strong Black Agenda that promotes a. Diversity of thought.. My direct appeal is to get this Black Caucus Young, Middle Age & Old to see The VISION of a Green Party Black Caucus with 1000 active members at a minimum. My experience , skillset &;appeal personality wise I believe can help us to meet that challenge..

Q: 1. How much money do you believe you need to raise to run your campaign successfully? 2. How will you raise the funds necessary?
A: 1. No money will be needed because this is a Green Party Black Caucus only vote… I believe email communication will suffice and zoom meetings for direct engagement.

Q: 1. Please also tell us what you consider to be a successful campaign? 2. What is your strategy or what strategy will you need (have) to run a winning/successful campaign campaign? 3. What role will the following strategies have in your campaign and how much time will you devote to these activities: door knocking, direct mail, phone banking, canvassing, etc..
A: 1 A successful campaign is one in which a broad range of people can come together to back an agenda they all benefit from. 2. My strategy to achieve this goal is direct communication using social media networking and grassroots outreach. Of talking to people directly. 3. The answer’s to the first two questions are the basis of my strategy. Ancestor Malcolm X used to say quote!!! MAKE IT PLAIN!!! That’s my intention.

Q: 1. Tell us about your political history; what has been your prior involvement with the Green Party (and/or other political party or independent candidate process)? 2. Have you been engaged in or with prior campaigns, as a worker or candidate?
A: I have a 40 year Black activist history in the United States around social justice issues for Black Americans… And a twenty year’s history with the Green Party USA and Michigan around its four pillars. I have worked tirelessly to run for political office myself several times as well as helped other GP USA members run for office. Names like Dr. Cynthia Mc Kinney and Dr. Jill Stein to State County & Local candidates. . Additionally, I am the host of The Michigan Greens public affairs channel on YouTube called IN THE GREEN TV WITH CLYDE SHABAZZ..
I have over 20 years of content on that channel showing my work around my Green Party USA activity.

Q: Are you seeking endorsement from: 1. National Black Caucus (Y / N) 2. State/Local Black Caucus (Y/N) if yes which one(s) 3. The Green Party of the United States (Y/N) If you are seeking support or endorsement; why are you seeking the support/endorsement of the NBC and/or Green Party, as opposed to any other party or running independently?
A: I am seeking the Endorsement of The Green Party USA Black Caucus and any State Green Party Black Caucuses that would like to endorse.

Q: 1. Name, Office you are seeking, contact information, website 2. Why are you running for office? 3. What do you want us to know about you?
A: Clyde Shabazz Co Chair of The Green Party USA Black Caucus.

I am a 20 years member of the Green Party USA. I have been a tireless Community Activist in Detroit The State of Michigan and USA politics spanning 4 decades.. My ties run very deep to Black organizations like The Nation of Islam, The Old/New Black Panther Party & The Republic of New Afrika founded by my late uncle Attorney Chokwe Lumumba who has represented 100’s of US political prisoner’s from Mumia Abu Jamal to Afeni/Tupac Shakur and Assata Shakur..

I am running to grow the Black Caucus tenfold around a social justice agenda like lineage based cash Reparations and a Federal Anti Black Hate Crimes agenda working with my fellow Michigan Green Party comrade. Retired former chef Judge Brenda K Sanders who is currently crafting an outline to present to our Black Caucus for review.
I am also a 3 X times US Congressional Candidate having run against the late Democrat icon John Conyers author of HR 40 The Reparations Study Bill that has languished in Congress since 1989…
I also have run on Issues around our Green Party principles of clean air water land.
To learn more about me.
Simply go to YouTube and type in. IN THE GREEN TV WITH CLYDE SHABAZZ…
I am also the Host of The Michigan Greens public affairs Channel on YouTube..
You will find content going back 20 years to show my body of work around these issues.

In closing, I am running to represent all of you whether you are a Black Descendants of Chattle Slaves or Recent immigrants of 1 or 2nd generation child of one…

2026/2028 Presents our Black Caucus with challenges & opportunities to create a real paradigm shift in political thinking and voting among the Black Electorate..

I believe my skills and experience are best suites at this critical time to move our Black Caucus forward ..

Thank you for your consideration and service as well…

Q: 1. How much money do you believe you need to raise to run your campaign successfully? 2. How will you raise the funds necessary?
A: I am trying to run my campaign on the least amount of money possible. At most I want $5000 and then I will be done asking for donations. I am asking the people I talk to for even the smallest donation and will take no money from corporations or PAC

Q: 1. Please also tell us what you consider to be a successful campaign? 2. What is your strategy or what strategy will you need (have) to run a winning/successful campaign campaign? 3. What role will the following strategies have in your campaign and how much time will you devote to these activities: door knocking, direct mail, phone banking, canvassing, etc..
A: A successful campaign is getting as many people as possible to know that other options exist besides D and R. I am working on an online presence to get the message out to as many people as possible. I also am going to local events to make my presence known. I do not have the money for direct mail. I will be starting a txt message campaign. I need volunteers to start canvassing and door knocking campaign but will start in my free time.

Q: 1. Tell us about your political history; what has been your prior involvement with the Green Party (and/or other political party or independent candidate process)? 2. Have you been engaged in or with prior campaigns, as a worker or candidate?
A: I am a new Memeber of the Green Party. This is my first time doing anything political . I am becoming more involved ever say and getting into office is another way I see to fix all the problems of our country

Q: Are you seeking endorsement from: 1. National Black Caucus (Y / N) 2. State/Local Black Caucus (Y/N) if yes which one(s) 3. The Green Party of the United States (Y/N) If you are seeking support or endorsement; why are you seeking the support/endorsement of the NBC and/or Green Party, as opposed to any other party or running independently?
A: 1 yes 2 yes 3 yes I am a member of the NJ Green Party and running under the label Green 13. I choose the Green Party because they closely match my morals and my end goals.

Q: 1. Name, Office you are seeking, contact information, website 2. Why are you running for office? 3. What do you want us to know about you?
A: Federal House of Representatives NJ district 7
AndrewBlackforHouseofRep.org
I decided to run for office because I saw that neither party cared about the people and I couldn’t take our support of gside around the world anymore.