Alexandra Diaz Photo
Bunting.
Hypothesis: New Haven teens aren’t too enthused about Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Methodology: Send a young reporter downtown to talk to some of them.
Conclusion: Elm City teens are, as predicted, not big fans of The Donald. But that doesn’t translate directly to good news for presumed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton either. Many of them said in interviews downtown this week that they’re not ready to cozy up to her quite yet.
Jordan Bunting, 16 (pictured at top), a student from Achievement First Amistad High, told the Independent he “wouldn’t vote for either candidate.” “Trump is Islamophobic, and we can’t trust Hillary’s lies,” he said.
Johnson.
Naszir Johnson, 19, who is studying Media, Journalism and Film Communication at Howard University, was quick to identify as a Democrat but said he feels “forced to support Hillary.”
“I wish Sanders” were the nominee, he told the Independent. “Bernie is the man.”
Adams.
Kwamee Adams, 19, who recently graduated from ESUMS, self-identified as Republican. However, he said, he won’t vote for Donald Trump due to Trump’s “war against the Mexicans” and the candidate’s racist statements.
What about Hillary Hillary? Adams was tight-lipped, but suggested that he doesn’t think she can provide “the change America needs.”
Robinson.
Not so for Kuree Robinson, a student at Elm City who is thinking a lot about the election even though, at 14, he can’t vote in it. When asked — and without much pause — Robinson responded that he’s much rather see a Clinton than a Trump White House. He was enraged, he added, by Trump’s plan to “a wall against Mexicans.”
“Donald Trump is a racist,” he proclaimed repeatedly.
Draughn.
That fire burned bright for another teen the Independent found downtown. Ty’Liayah Draughn, an 18 year old from Amistad, launched into a passionate attack on Trump, calling him “uneducated, belligerent, racist, uninformed, unqualified rich boy” who got to where he is only by being a celebrity and “fueling the hidden yet massive population of racists in America.”
Hillary Clinton didn’t fare very well ether. Draughn brought up the time the presidential hopeful called black children “superpredators.”
Smedley.
Madi Smedley, a 18 year old who recently graduated from Oakdale High School, remains indifferent to the upcoming general election. “I wanted Bernie in office,” she said, adding that she might not even vote.
“Hillary changes her opinion too much which makes not trust her,” she added. “And a majority of Trump’s followers are racist.”
Simon Zhou, 18, had a different take on it. Ultimately, he said, “this election is just about who you hate less.”
Great article Ms. Diaz! It's so interesting to hear the viewpoint of a demographic of people that make up the future of our nation on a presidential campaign that has been so highly debated. If good for nothing else, the "celebrity" of this presidential election has really made national politics a topic of discussion even for the politically tentative like myself! Happy to see so many faces I care about contributing to the discussion.