I am immensely grateful that I was given the opportunity to work for Kings County Politics. Since I started working in February, I’ve acquired an intimate knowledge of Brooklyn politics and culture, and I’ve produced some of my best journalistic work to date. The following five stories are the ones I’m most proud of.
5. To David Pepper Law Isn’t Just a Career: It’s a Passion, posted Aug. 9.
In August, I got the opportunity to sit down with Civil Court Judge candidate David Pepper and talk to him about his education, his career and his philosophy on law. I thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent together, and I was particularly fascinated by his patient, compassionate approach to judging – radically different from the stereotype of the stone-faced authoritarian judge we see so often in the media.
Link: https://politicsny.com/david-pepper-law-isnt-just-career-passion/
4. New Kings Dems at Stalemate Over DA Endorsement, Date Posted: June 22
One challenging thing about reporting politics in Brooklyn is that it’s difficult to differentiate the candidates based on their platforms. Kings County is a markedly left-wing district, so the top candidates can usually be expected to take liberal stances on most issues. That was the obstacle I ran into when I was reporting the DA race, not helped by the fact that the New Kings Democrats hadn’t reached a consensus on who to endorse. Regardless, I think I did an admirable job framing the candidates as distinct based on the rhetoric they used to endorse their candidacy.
Link: https://politicsny.com/new-kings-dems-stalemate-da-endorsement/
3. Cumbo, Fox Trade Barbs, 35th District City Council Race Grows Contentious, Date Posted: July 26
This forum was a chaotic, tumultuous affair that provided me with no shortage of compelling clips to use, and it showed me just how passionate and politically conscious the population of Crown Heights is. In fact, part of the challenge came from deciding what to use, and striking just the right balance between barbs and counterattacks so that no candidate is either deified or vilified. Every accusation levied against one of the candidates had to be paired with a response. Ultimately, I think I made each of the three candidates look significantly strong.
Link: https://politicsny.com/cumbo-fox-trade-barbs-35th-district-city-council-race-grows-contentious/
2. Brooklyn’s Chinese-American Community Celebrates China’s Control over Hong Kong, Date Posted: July 5
I was a little nervous going into this story, given my limited knowledge of Chinese politics. The night I spent at the banquet was largely a learning experience for me, giving me insight into the nuances of Hong Kong’s political history (which wasn’t easy to condense into a 5-600 word article), and why its independence is important to Brooklyn’s Chinese-American population. On top of that, I had a wonderful time at the event; I was enchanted by the joyous atmosphere and the passion that marked every speech.
Link: https://politicsny.com/brooklyns-chinese-american-community-celebrates-chinas-control-hong-kong/
1. Lubavitch Crown Heights Confronts Opioid Addiction, Date Posted: May 26
Without hesitation, I can call this one of the proudest clips of my journalistic career. Over the course of a few days, I delved deep into a troubling issue that’s received limited media attention: opioid abuse in Hasidic communities. After speaking to community leaders and former users alike, I was able to paint a picture that’s cautiously optimistic, acknowledging that progress is being made but there’s still a lot of work to be done.
Link: https://politicsny.com/lubavitch-crown-heights-confronts-opioid-addiction/
