How does working at a federal level differ from working at a municipal level?
The federal government is more complicated. Bicameralism is more complicated than unicameralism. Even though we think of Congress as centralized, the City Council is even more centralized. The speaker is the center of the council; if you have the support of the speaker, 99% of the time you can pass your bill and pass it easily. In Congress, the reality is much more complicated. There are larger issues where the speaker will impose her will, but day-to-day bills are decided at the committee level.
In Congress, a bill can implicate multiple authorizing committees, it can implicate the appropriations committee, and it can implicate the rules committee. And all of these committees are their own fiefdoms, have their own rules and norms and personalities. And you have to familiarize yourself with all those dynamics and navigate them carefully. And even when you do, you’ve only passed it in one chamber of Congress.
What legislation would you like to become an expert in?
I have a fascination with blockchain technology and asymmetric cryptography. I believe blockchain has the potential to create a financial system that has far less rent-seeking and far less intermediation than the one that dominates our society. The traditional financial system is notorious for long delays and high costs that prey upon poor people of color. The most egregious examples are the check-cashers. I’d love to explore how we could use blockchain technology to create a better, cheaper, faster payment method that lifts up poor people of color.
Who are your mentors?
Apart from my mother, who is the most inspirational person in my life, there were four people who had a formative influence on me as a person and public servant.
Two are educators who’ve since passed away. I recently eulogized one of them, Robert Leder, at one point the longest-serving principal in the New York City school system. And my assistant principal and social studies teacher Michael DeStefano, the most brilliant person I’ve ever known, an intellectual inspiration to me.
Two people in politics who were central to my political journey are former Councilman Jimmy Vacca and his former assistant Jeff Lynch. Jeff gave me my first job in politics as an operative on Jimmy’s City Council campaign in 2005.
In life, talent can only take you so far. You’re only as strong as the support around you. I’ve been blessed by mentors who’ve opened doors for me and who’ve seen in me potential.
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