Support These Candidates

By Keith Boykin, in politics
Tuesday, November 1 2005, 10:21AM



A week from today, we will see not one, but at least two new openly gay or lesbian African American candidates on the election ballots in the U.S. The first is Jass Stewart, a candidate for mayor of Brockton, Massachusetts, who has been profiled on this site several times before. The second is Vivian Paige, a candidate for treasurer of Norfolk, Virginia. Both candidates are in the final stretch of the race, and they need your support.

Jass Stewart represents three historic firsts for Brockton. He is the city's first-black, first openly gay, and youngest candidate for mayor. Married to his partner Denzil Paul, Stewart and Paul have a 13-year-old son. As I reported in September, Stewart won 29 percent of the vote in the 4-person primary election, which earned him a spot on the November 8 ballot against one opponent, a conservative member of the Brockton City Council. He is asking for donations as small as $15, so please help out today. You can give money to his campaign at www.jassstewart.com.

Vivian Paige is a a certified public accountant and the only accountant among the candidates for Treasurer in Norfolk. If elected, she would become the first openly lesbian African-American to win elected office in the state of Virginia, according to her campaign. After being targeted in a "dirty tricks" campaign because of her sexuality, Paige is fighting hard to win. Although she is a first-time political candidate, the treasurer's race is considered to be the most competitive race in the city of Norfolk, according to the Washington Blade. You can give money to her campaign at www.paige2005.com.

More:
http://www.keithboykin.com/arch/2005/11/01/support_these_c