NYC rapper Paperboy Prince could become the first nonbinary candidate to win a primary bid for Congress
- Brooklyn activist and rapper Paperboy Prince is vying to become the first nonbinary member of Congress.
- Their long-shot Democratic primary bid hangs in the balance as New Yorkers go to the polls on Tuesday.
- Prince has developed an energetic following by leading protests around the city, and has railed against career politicians who are slow to respond to their constituents.
Paperboy Prince could move one step closer to becoming the first nonbinary member of Congress on Tuesday.
Although the New York City activist and rapper is a long shot in their Democratic primary bid for New York's 7th Congressional District, which represents parts of Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan, they've attracted an energetic following by leading protests around the city.
Prince, who uses they/them pronouns but will accept any pronoun "as long as it's with love," said their campaign is raising awareness of the needs of nonbinary New Yorkers and other residents who feel pushed to the fringes.
"We wold push the boundaries in a lot of ways as far as the way that we dress, the way that we're referred to, the people we stand up for," Prince told Business Insider Today. "Times are changing, and it's about raising the collective consciousness of this country."
Prince is hoping to unseat Rep. Nydia Velazquez, a 14-term incumbent who has been in office since 1993.
Prince's campaign centers on proposals for universal basic income, Medicare for all, and bringing people together — especially in the face of politicians who they've described as purposefully inaccessible and slow to respond to those they represent.
"Right now, when we have all of these tools to reach people, to touch people, to educate people, why aren't our elected officials maximizing those tools?" they said. "It's because they don't want you involved in the process."
"We see the politicians as the police and as the state until they prove their loyalty to the people. And that's very easy to do. Talk to us. Work with us. Be consistent. Keep your word. Don't lie."