Our Revolution Trenton Mercer Unanimously Endorses Kadja Manuel for Trenton City Council At-Large

TRENTON –  Our Revolution Trenton Mercer (ORTM) today endorsed Kadja Manuel for Trenton City Council At-Large in the November 8th general election. ORTM’s voting members unanimously voted in favor. As the Mercer County chapter of the nationwide Our Revolution network, this endorsement adds more people-power and progressive bonafides to an already promising campaign.

Accepting the endorsement, Manuel shared: “I cannot express how proud and grateful I am. Our Revolution started as a group of progressive Democrats and organizers for the 2016 Bernie Sanders campaign, who continued the national movement for “a more perfect union” that puts regular, working-class people and marginalized communities first. To know that the chapter right here in New Jersey’s Capital County has endorsed me is an honor. This is one of many steps toward getting our Capital City to where we all know it can be.”

A Trenton native with roots in the community, Manuel has experienced first-hand the inequities present in Trenton at the intersection of race and class. He has worked as a community organizer and LGBTQ+ advocate. If elected, Manuel would be the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to Trenton City Council, and the first openly LGBTQ+ Afro-Latino elected in New Jersey.

ORTM Elections Chair, and recently elected Mercer County Democratic Committee (MCDC) Member Brady Rivera praised Manuel:

“Our Revolution Trenton Mercer is proud and excited to endorse young progressive Kadja Manuel for Trenton’s At-Large City Council seat. The dysfunction in City Council and government has stymied progress, reducing Trenton to a state unfit for New Jersey’s capital. Kadja offers a message of hope, cooperation, and prosperity that prioritizes everyday Trentonians. He offers inclusive solutions to return housing and affordable living to Trentonians, develop a thriving local economy that supports the community, and put the forgotten people of Trenton back on the map.

It’s time we fix our city. A strong Trenton is a strong New Jersey – Together, with Kadja Manuel on City Council, we can revive capable, people-first governance in Trenton. ”

Manuel’s platform can be found on his website. Some areas ORTM highlighted as important:

• Economic justice and revitalization
• Affordable housing, rent control, and working to make housing a human right
• Civilian Complaint Review Board: Empower Trentonians to hold police accountable
• Community-led, evidence-based public safety
• Replace lead pipes and invest in public transportation

Seven other candidates are seeking three At-Large City Council Seats: Alex Bethea, Jasi Edwards, Crystal Feliciano, Yazminelly Gonzales, Mike Ranallo, Waldemar Ronquillo, and Taiwanda Terry-Wilson. ORTM encourages any progressive candidates for Trenton City Council interested in endorsement to reach out to ORTrentonMercer@gmail.com.

Taheria Brown, ORTM member and Trentonian, added “Kadja is a great leader for the LGBTQ+ community, and I’m thrilled we’re getting behind him. But the endorsement that really matters is from the people of Trenton in November. We’re excited to help him win that endorsement next.”

Joe Marchica, Founder and Chair of ORTM, and newly-elected MCDC Member, concluded:

“Kadja is an impressive candidate, organizer, and person. Trenton deserves a council member who knows what it’s like to grow up in this city. Someone who has succeeded despite the ways his community’s systemic underfunding impacted him. It is common sense to empower someone who’s lived these issues to implement change and eliminate these inequities. That’s Kadja.”

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ABOUT ORTM: Our Revolution Trenton Mercer [County] is a grassroots organization within the Our Revolution national network. ORTM supports progressive candidates and policies at all levels of government. This includes a recent effort that helped over 20 local progressives win new seats on the Mercer County Democratic Committee this past June.

ORTM’s policy priorities include voting rights issues like the Better Ballots NJ Campaign, making healthcare a human right via Medicare for All, police accountability legislation, and halting the escalating climate crisis.

ORTM will hold its next Meeting this Thursday, 8/18 at 7 PM on Zoom, and its next social event at Trenton Social on 8/26 at 5:30 PM. Visit bit.ly/ORTMercer for more information, including links to social media accounts.