Phara Souffrant Forrest is “Waking Up The Working Class”

Photo Source: https://pharaforassembly.com/

“Look around! This is how it happens, they have ignored us for too long!” Phara Souffrant Forrest speaks out, over a crowd of eighty volunteers in Fort Greene Park.

On a chilly Saturday afternoon in the 57th Assembly District, they gathered to collect signatures and petition for Phara to be on the primary ballot on June 23rd.

She wants to represent this district in the New York State Assembly in Albany, including the urban neighborhoods of Prospect Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, and Bedford Stuyvesant. Forrest says with hope,

“We’re gonna win, and when I stand up I’m standing up for all the young people that feel that they have been failed.”

The general election is to be held on November 3, 2020 against the longtime incumbent Walter T. Mosely. Forrest explained she has received “More in-district contributions to my campaign, all small dollars, than my incumbent,” and says being for the community means she’s “...not taking a red cent from developers or any corporate entities.”

Forrest’s young age may motivate the youth who make up nearly 50 % of the District, which is a running challenge for many elections. “I think there’s definitely going to be an improvement in turn out.” In June 2019 she participated in a rally in Albany, protesting for housing rights. She explained that it was supposed to be very peaceful but ended up turning out to be very violent.

Forrest explains this is when she decided to run in the district election. Saying, “It was very sad to see that, I wasn’t asking for something that was out of my reach.” Forrest goes on to say “We are in the midst of a movement, which is waking up the working class.” A surge in young voter turnout could help her progressive campaign efforts.

She is no stranger to the issues of working class citizens, being a thirty year old union nurse. The life-long resident of Crown Heights says,

“I share the district’s same concerns and I will not let anyone else but the community sway my decisions and policies I choose to vote for.”

Being a nurse has allowed her deeper insights into the healthcare system and how it intertwines with other issues like housing, income, and employment. Forrest explained “A real source of self determination is when you have a healthy mind connected to it,” and says that, “We need to guarantee free health care for all.”

Forrest emphasizes the importance that the district's voters, “Need their candidate to understand that 40% of the district is rent burdened.” and says, “You need a candidate that is pushing forward uncompromisingly.”

She positions herself to be that kind of candidate, and she hopes to try provide a solution to the housing crisis where, “Working people get their benefits and they're the ones in charge.” Three years ago her landlord wanted to convert her rent-stabilized apartment into a condominium. “We don’t need development!” Forrest exclaimed,

“Housing is a human right.”

NYCHA stated in 2018 that it needs $32 billion and said to only have one third of that to fix public housing issues. “It’s not enough.” Phara seeks to put more money into housing, and to eliminate 421a and 485a tax abatements. She says the elimination, “Seeks to rectify more than just taking back control.

We’re going to be putting people first.” Reports have said 90% of public housing will be past the point of repair by 2027. Phara hopes to work against this crisis.

Aside from the present housing crisis and healthcare reform, Forrest’s platform also includes concerns for the climate. She is advocating for the elimination of all new fossil fuel infrastructure, and is pushing a “Green New Deal” in New York. With that comes the potential to create union jobs to build grid integration for solar and wind resources, in an effort to transition to 100% clean, renewable energy by 2030.

She is currently still working on her policy platform, and will have it in writing in the coming months. The cold day on Fort Greene park was one of many, as more than 14,000 doors have been knocked on and over 400 canvassers have come out in her support ahead of the primary.

Before setting out to knock on more doors to get herself on the ballot, she enthusiastically says, “We’re gonna turn out the people to vote, they're going to vote right, and they're going to vote for a democratic socialist candidate. Power to the people.”