nothin 30 Launch Clyburn’s Reelection Campaign | New Haven Independent

30 Launch Clyburn’s Reelection Campaign

Nick Defiesta Photo

Seniors in Newhallville have had someone these part two years review their electricity bills with them and straighten out problems — their alderwoman.

That’s one reason a crowd turned out to a vacant lot on Starr Street Saturday to support giving that alderwoman, Delphine Clyburn, a second term.

Shirley J. Lawrence, who attended Clyburn’s reelection announcement, spoke of Clyburn’s constituent service. She checks the elderly’s bills, gives them the cards of people to go get help,” Lawrence said. She will call ahead so they know you’re coming.”

Over 30 Clyburn supporters gathered in all as the alderwoman described the changes that had come to New Haven in the nearly two years since she was first elected in 2011: revived community policing, the creation of a jobs pipeline”, and renewed efforts to create more youth spaces like Dixwell’s Q House and the Goffe Street Armory. She said also said she supported and include neighbors in the planned extension of an historic” district that promises tax credits for home improvements and a historic deal with Achievement First to include local jobs and neighborhood access at a new charter school in Newhallville.

Clyburn’s supporters look on.

Those in attendance Saturday — including Dixwell Alderwoman Jeanette Morrison, state Rep. and former mayoral candidate Gary Holder-Winfield, and supporters from Clyburn’s church — didn’t focus as much on legislative accomplishments. Instead, like Lawrence, they highlighted how much effort Clyburn has spent working her ward, both in ensuring constituents are looked after and in engaging them in the democratic process.

In a remark that drew the strongest applause of the afternoon, Morrison credited Clyburn for the high turnout that characterized last fall’s presidential election. Newhallville has traditionally had low voter turnout in elections. Last November saw lines to vote in Clyburn’s Ward 20 that were over an hour long, resulting in one of the highest turnouts in the city. Clyburn had a lot to do with that.

Other supporters described an alderwoman who offers constituents rides to appointments and who will walk up to young men on street corners and inquire, What are you doing?” Linking all of the testimony was a common theme: since Clyburn’s election two years ago, Newhallville is on its way to becoming a potent force in city politics.

Clyburn with supporters after her speech.

We’ve been on the map, they didn’t want to know us until you got here,” one passerby shouted to Clyburn, who currently runs unopposed.

Following Clyburn’s speech, government watchdog Ken Joyner (pictured) announced to the crowd that he was endorsing Clyburn for reelection because of the enormous difference he had seen in the ward in just two years.

This is the kind of positive change we see in one term alone,” Joyner said.

Then, the crowd began to disperse for hot dogs, soda and — most importantly, in the 90 degree weather — shade.

Tags:

Sign up for our morning newsletter

Don't want to miss a single Independent article? Sign up for our daily email newsletter! Click here for more info.


Post a Comment

Commenting has closed for this entry

Comments

Avatar for robn

Avatar for BLACKFEMMEWALKING

Avatar for HewNaven

Avatar for BLACKFEMMEWALKING

Avatar for HewNaven

Avatar for Melissa D Mason