Building a better future for city of Bridgeport
I write this letter as a founding member of the Greater Bridgeport Ed Gomes Black Democratic Club, a political action committee committed to identifying, electing and holding accountable candidates who will ensure justice, equity and parity for the greater good.
The nation just celebrated the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday and his legacy — and we know that all too often Dr. King’s vision is reduced to quotes that erase his radical political organizing. Dr. King didn’t just have a dream. He had a vision — to mobilize the poor and disenfranchised to demand a living wage, affordable housing, safe neighborhoods and a free, high-quality public education for all. We, the citizens of Bridgeport, represent today’s Poor People’s Campaign. And we, the people, have the power!
At Selma, Dr. King stated “Voting is the foundation stone for political action.” Dr. King knew that the right to vote is simply the beginning, not the goal itself. Because when we vote with collective purpose, we build political power to enact a vision — a platform — for our communities, for what Dr. King called the “beloved community.”
We at the Ed Gomes Black Democratic Club believe deeply in the vision of a beloved Bridgeport. Yet we know that vision is not possible without an agenda focused on real policies and programs to solve our most pressing issues. As part of the Unrig Bridgeport Coalition, we developed that agenda in 2021 — called The People’s Platform — and we’re excited to launch it again in 2023.
This year’s elections for mayor, City Council and Board of Education will not be a popularity contest. This year, the people have the power. Candidates will have to respond with their vision and plan for the issues we know that voters care most about. Specifically, the people want candidates who will:
• fully fund public education;
• end corruption;
• make housing more affordable;
• improve public safety;
• fix our roads and infrastructure; and
• create economic development that benefits everyone, not just a select few.
The Ed Gomes Black Democratic Club and its partners know that the time is now to get this right. This is the year of change. Together, we can Unrig Bridgeport and build a more just, equitable and livable city for all.