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Jean Kim said, "I was fearful of Stringer& #39;s vindictive nature, that he would retaliate against me & destroy my career in politics." Stringer& #39;s response suggested he doesn’t abuse his power, but I know for a fact that he uses his position to bully women-because he did it to me. 
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In the fall of 2017, I was fresh off losing a City Council race, but remained active in local politics as president of a small Democratic club in Manhattan.
I was tired of the hypocrisy of too many of our elected officials, so I thought at our monthly meeting we could discuss the problems that plague the Democratic party. I sent an email to our club membership, which you can read here: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Meeting-tonight-.html?soid=1120607855836&aid=Bcq43Ehu5iw">https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Meeting-t...
Scott Stringer got word of my email, and by many accounts, was livid. He called the former president of my club, he called the District Leader, and he called the head of a consulting firm I had worked with (all white men).
I was a progressive activist interested in discussing important issues with our club and emailing a membership list of less than 100 people. Meanwhile, Scott Stringer was NYC& #39;s 2nd most powerful elected official who had 8M+ constituents and managed $250B in pension funds.
Yet Scott Stringer made it clear that he was out to destroy my political career.
This message from the head of a top political consulting firm communicated what others who got that call from Stringer told me personally. With one email, I& #39;d made a "permanent enemy" of Stringer & his allies, including UFT, and "eviscerated" my chances of ever becoming a leader.
Most shockingly, I was being told by a man that I was no longer able to help women - as if I needed permission!
Stringer& #39;s vengeful behavior made me feel absolutely awful. I can remember the exact place I was (outside the Staples in Union Square) when I got this email. Relationships I built over many years of activism were destroyed because Stringer declared me blacklisted.
I had 4 month old twins at home and my mom was battling terminal cancer. I didn& #39;t have the strength to deal with any of this, so I stepped away from politics - which I suspect was exactly what Stringer and those in his circle wanted.
However, the following year a group of amazing women came together & we created @AmplifyHerNYC. We built Amplify Her with the important acknowledgement that women aren& #39;t underrepresented in NYC elected offices because we& #39;re not running or can’t raise the money or lack the skills.
The *real* reason is the establishment, the machine, the boys club - that actively pushes women out and silences our voices again and again and again.
Women are 52% of New Yorkers and 61% of the electorate. WE have the power to change the culture in Albany and City Hall. Let& #39;s expect more and do better!
I stand with Jean Kim and I applaud her courage to speak out. She has inspired me to share my own experience despite the risk of being smeared. As progressives, we must insist that it is time not just to say we believe and respect women, but prove that we actually do!
