For those who think politics is a drag,Marti Gould Cummingsis here to spice things up.
The New York City drag queen, 32, announced plans on Thursday to run in 2021 forManhattan’s District 7 City Council seat.
“I love New York,” Cummings said in acampaign videoposted to social media. “Politics should be for everyone. I think for so long politicians should run. Everybody should be afforded an opportunity to run for office.”
So far three other candidates have filed to run for the spot, according tothe N.Y.C. Campaign Finance Board: Shaun Abreu, Daniel Cohen and Luis Tejada.
If elected, Cummings (real name Marti Gould Allen-Cummings) would be the first drag queen to ever serve on the City Council. (Across the country, another drag queenis running for Congress.)
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Cummings, a Maryland native — who prefers the pronouns they and them — has been living in N.Y.C. since 17.
For over a decade, Cummings has built a name in the drag community scene, performing at clubs around the boroughs nightly and often appearing onWatch What Happens Live withAndy Cohen.
Politics has long been a fixture of Cummings’ act.
“For over a decade I’ve had the great opportunity to be a drag artist in New York City,” Cummings said in their campaign video. “It has been my great honor to use my platform as a performer to not only make people laugh and entertain them, but to advocate for issues that matter.”
Cummings has experience in actual politics as well, serving as a member of the mayor’s Nightlife Advisory Board and of Manhattan Community Board 9. Cummings is the founding president, too, of the Hell’s Kitchen Democrats — a liberal activist group formed in response to the election of PresidentDonald Trump.
“Activism and politics starts with you, the people on the local level. When I go into city hall as your City Council member, the voice I’m taking with me is your voice,” Cummings said. “This is somebody who is going to get things done for you. I’m going to listen to you and I’m going to work for you.”
source: people.com
