Harp Barbecue Emphasizes Youth Vote

A hundred supporters came out to help Toni Harp open a Newhallville campaign office — a crowd that included young people. That was the main point.

The event took place Saturday at 423 Dixwell Ave. The youth arm of Harp’s Democratic campaign for mayor organized the event — aiming to lure more young people to the fold.

That goal has taken on extra important for the Harp campaign because one of Harp’s rivals, Democratic mayoral candidate Kermit Carolina, is banking on a outpouring of support from young people in the black community. Carolina’s main headquarters is on Dixwell Avenue, in the Dixwell neighborhood.

Amber Moye (pictured at left in the photo with fellow coordinator Ebony Walker), is one of the coordinators for Harp’s youth arm, called MOVE — Moving, Organizing, Voter Engaging. While MOVE’s ​“main effort,” she said, is to support Harp, the organization also wants to engage young voters in city politics no matter who sits in the mayor’s chair.

“I’ve been to several debates, and I can usually count on one hand the people who are there who are my age,” said Moye, who attends college in Washington D.C..

There was a bounce castle…

There were long lines for face painting …

… more than enough food for everybody.

State Rep. challenger Gary Holder-Winfield (pictured), who ended his own mayoral campaign to join the Harp campaign, took photos.

2011 mayoral candidate Clifton Graves (pictured at left), a longtime Harp supporter, stopped by …

… while organizers staged a dance performance.

Harp, too, joined in the dancing after she arrived from a Trayvon Martin rally, dancing to the electric slide and Daft Punk’s ​“Get Lucky,” among other jams. Afterwards, she grabbed the microphone to say a few words to those in attendance.

“I’m running so that this community will be a part of the new New Haven, so that this community thrives like downtown,” Harp said. She called her youth team up to stand beside her, telling the audience that she wanted to make sure that city education was sufficient to provide the right kind of preparation for a ​“talent-based” economy, such as the one most of her young supporters will face.

Carolina, whose campaign has been characterized by its strong support among young people, agreed with the need to engage younger New Haveners.

“I agree that it’s important that our young people involve themselves in the political process and civic engagement,” Carolina said. ​“Not only should they be involved, I think it’s important that they exercise their right to vote.”