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For the past decade, Khalid Bey has served as a member of Syracuse Common Council, both representing his native Southside neighborhood as a Common Councilor for District 4 and as an at-large councilor. After losing the Democratic Party endorsement in February but still going on to win a closely contested primary this summer, Bey hopes to become Syracuse’s first Black mayor.

Bey has recruited a staff of community activists, three of whom said they were inspired by his message of hope for a better city, and has created a trusted inner circle of diverse viewpoints as counsel. 

The Daily Orange spoke with three members of Bey’s staff for his mayoral campaign. Each has their own story — some balancing multiple jobs to work for him — as they hope to lift Bey to office in November.

These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

Nitch Jones, scheduler: 

“Years ago, when there were a lot of shootings in the city, I spearheaded some of the protests and began reaching out to Common Council members to garner support. I remember Khalid (Bey) was always right with me, and he was an important piece in motivating people in the city then.

After that, about five years ago, there was a tragic death in my family, and I learned through a relative that Khalid is actually my cousin. That he is my family. It’s surreal. I just sit back and think, ‘Wow, I am really connected to this man.’ Many people think of him as a colleague, as a friend, as I did, but for me I’m linked to this man by blood. It’s huge for me and my son.

That’s what this campaign is all about, people like my 7-year-old son. I want him to have options. Options to stay in Syracuse or to go. And if he’s going to stay, I want him to have the ability to raise a family here — that when he opens his door he is not judged by the color of his skin and that nothing happens to him because of the color of his skin.

What this campaign means for the Black community is like when Barack Obama became president or when Kamala Harris was elected. That we, as African Americans, can say that we did this. That we can reach and conquer something like being mayor of Syracuse. For those on the Southside, it means that you don’t have to be a product of your environment, of poverty and violence.

I’m looking forward to the next month between now and the election because it’s when people will really learn who Khalid is. I remember when we elected an independent in Ben Walsh and how groundbreaking and jaw-dropping that was. How ecstatic we were that we could do something different. I believe we will have even more of that feeling when we elect Khalid Bey as our next mayor.

It’s history in the making, and I get to watch it every day.”

Yaschia Kinsey, volunteer coordinator:

“In 2009, when I was attending the University at Buffalo, a student was shot and killed outside a bar just hours after he had graduated. His name was Javon Jackson. It was devastating.

I had a criminology teacher who was Black, and I went to him crying. I told him that we needed to do something, and he said we should set up a rally. So we did. Over 150 people came, including students, professors and the mayor. I left there feeling empowered. Feeling that things matter when you speak up and you don’t let them get brushed under the rug.

I continued being involved in community activism when I came to Syracuse, and that’s how I met Khalid during his 2011 Common Council campaign. With his leadership skills, I knew the position of mayor would always be the next thing for him. It was all about timing.

So when he announced his campaign and I was still in Syracuse, I had to get involved, but I could only volunteer because I had to balance being a mother to my 5-year-old and working as a mental health therapist. When he won the primary, I sent him a message on Facebook congratulating him and offering help, and he asked me to take a bigger role coordinating volunteers.

Working with volunteers and interacting with the community is what makes this campaign enjoyable. Even just teaching people who want to volunteer what to say and why Khalid is the best choice for Syracuse is so rewarding.

Three members of Khalid Bey’s mayoral campaign’s staff shared their stories as to why they hope to lift Bey into office this upcoming November Nick Robertson | Senior Staff Writer

It would be so nice to have a mayor that looks like me. A mayor that is intelligent, that knows what he’s talking about, and that’s going to address the needs of my community. Someone that can be a mayor for the whole city but not forget about the inner city. A lot of people see Khalid as a beacon of light, as hope for change in Syracuse.

There’s only a month or so left in this campaign, and it’s all about being visible in the community, being present. Going out in the neighborhoods is almost like a rally itself.”

Caly Givens, press secretary:

“Not long after I first met Khalid 12 or 13 years ago, I thought to myself that he would make a good mayor. He’s always been so active in the community and is very intelligent and great at working with legislation. When I found out he was running this year, I said, ‘Wow, It’s about time.’ I feel like he’s a perfect candidate, which is why I got involved.

I’m an actress by trade. I split my time living between Syracuse and New York City. And surprisingly, I’ve learned that acting is more similar to campaigning than you might think. That’s because it’s all interviews. Every time you knock on doors, every time you talk to constituents, you’re constantly interviewing. It’s a really interesting perspective that has given me even more respect for Khalid.

Growing up in the Southside, I was surrounded by violence in the community. I know that’s so important to Khalid, being from the Southside himself, and that understanding is a reason I like him so much as a candidate.

Even just having a Black candidate in this city is so important. I’m a first-generation college student, and when I attended an HBCU (historically Black college or university), Howard University, I saw for the first time Black and brown people in leadership positions, and that was so important for me then. I know that seeing Khalid as mayor will be just as big for people here too.

And even inside the office, he’s surrounded himself with a group of people that he trusts to give advice. We’re all from different backgrounds and have known him for different amounts of time, and it’s very normal for him to ask, ‘What do you think, Caly?’ to me or anyone else. He’s confident and really knows what he’s doing, and that’s relaxed us all through this process. It’s very positive. He believes in himself, so it makes it easy for us to believe in him.

One of my favorite quotes is from Michael Jordan, and I think Khalid Bey embodies this very well. ‘Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.’”

Published on September 27, 2021 at 11:39 pm

Contact Nick: nickrobertson@dailyorange.com | @NickRobertsonSU