Elias Theodore: “I think there are more Yale students who would enjoy being involved in New Haven than there are at the moment"
A third Yale student — and second native New Havener — has jumped into the race to fill an open downtown alder seat in the hopes of bridging the town-gown divide.
Elias Theodore is a 19-year old rising junior and urban studies major at Yale. He was raised in East Rock and has lived in New Haven his whole life.
Theodore recently filed as a Democrat to run for Ward 1 alder. He joins fellow Democrats and Yalies Rhea McTiernan Huge and Jake Siesel in a bid to replace incumbent Democrat (and New New Haven-raised Yalie) Kiana Flores, who has decided not to run for a second two-year term and who has endorsed McTiernan Huge.
In a recent interview with the Independent, Theodore recalled walking across the newly redone track-and-field turf at the Wilbur Cross Athletic Complex at Wilbur Cross high school for his graduation. As the baseball captain at that time, Theodore had advocated for the renovation. He said he positive experience with the Board of Alders as part of that advocacy work, and that’s when he realized that students can be part of the local legislature. Right then and there, Theodore knew one day, he would run for that position.
“Any chance I get, I write a paper on New Haven history, I just always want to learn more,” Theodore said about his home city and how he’s brought his love of New Haven with him to his studies at Yale. “I love living here, there’s such a charm of always exciting things going on but also a real sense of community.”
If elected, his primary goal as Ward 1 alder would be to bridge the divide between local New Haveners in the area and the diverse Yale student body as well as the university itself.
He also emphasized the importance of making sure the six-year city-Yale deal that the Elicker administration struck by in 2021 and that was approved by the alders in 2022 gets pushed to the forefront again.
“This term of alders and this mayor’s office will be able to advocate for more from Yale,” Theodore said. “I’m ready and inspired to do that work. I’ve been reflecting a lot on what Yale does for the city beyond just the PILOT payments, and there are some really amazing programs I benefited from as a New Haven public school student and a kid in the city. But at the end of the day, New Haven needs more money and Yale has that money and should and can be giving more.”
As a product of the New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) system, Theodore recognizes that there are gaps in the funding provided.
“I’ve had great conversations with teachers and administrators,” Theodore said. “The fact that we have a university like Yale in the city and the public schools are struggling to the extent that they are is really sad and something that needs to change.”
Theodore said that, if elected as Ward 1 alder, he would be a resource to not just Yale students but also the local community, a responsibility he is ready to take on.
“What I imagine for myself is someone who is a connector,” Theodore said. “I think there are more Yale students who would enjoy being involved in New Haven than there are at the moment and I wanna be someone who inspires people to get involved and who makes those connections.”
Hand-in-hand with that goes the conversation about downtown being considered an extension of Yale campus rather than a community place. Theodore said he is set on making downtown “feel like a place that is welcoming to all.”
“I’ve talked to too many New Haveners who feel unwelcome downtown in Ward 1,” Theodore said. “The shops are designed for Yale students, and that is a shame. Ward 1 is at the heart of downtown New Haven. The way that people experience these spaces, it affects all New Haveners.”
He also said he plans to try to tackle the housing challenges that are “at the heart of many of New Haven’s challenges.”
“If there was more access to housing, New Haven would be a more livable and accessible city for all,” Theodore said. “From my research and my beliefs, there are small actionable changes that can be made to New Haven zoning laws or rules that could have a great long-term impact. There’s things that, if they were altered, would promote more development, without the city even having to invest much.”
As for the three-way alder race that Theodore has now entered, he said, “I’m still doing a lot of listening and learning.” He added, “I know Jake and Rhea very well, I have a ton of respect for both of them.”
Currently, Theodore is in Europe visiting cities like Manchester and Leipzig, as part of a Yale-funded summer research project to study post-industrial cities and adaptive reuse. He plans on bringing that knowledge into his plans as an alder candidate and potential future local legislator.
“I think there is a divide that needs to be bridged and I think a Yale student who grew up in New Haven is in a great position to do that,” Theodore said. “I have a love for this city that I think will never end and I really care about being a part of its future.”
