Brooklyn Native Jabari Brisport (XXI) is Set to Lead His Community

As a public school teacher, Jabari Brisport has always been concerned with creating a better future for his students and families. A third-generation Caribbean American born and raised in Brooklyn, he’s no stranger to gentrification and how quickly residents can be pushed out of their neighborhoods. Jabari points to this as well as his experiences as a queer Black man to shaping his drive for civic engagement and commitment to helping his community. His advocacy on issues such as tenant rights and eviction protections are grounded in the issues he’s seen in his students. “I even see it bleeds over into my students’ home life,” he said in an NBC News interview, "when my students are shuffling around from place to place because they don't have stable housing of their own.”

“It’s really about remembering your roots. I never want to forget that I’m a teacher. I’m a public school teacher when I’m in office, and education is a high, high priority. But beyond that, I’m just trying to make sure I’m meeting on the ground with community groups as much as possible and making sure they’re still leading the charge,” said Jabari in a recent interview with Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who has publicly supported Jabari’s campaign. He also secured endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders, the Democratic Socialists of America, and New York Communities for Change.  Jabari won his Democratic Primary this past spring with 58% of the votes, and will run unopposed in the general election in November.

Jabari is a member of Prep for Prep’s Contingent XXI and an alum of Poly Prep. After graduating, he attended New York University and went on to pursue an MFA in drama from Yale. This isn’t the first time Jabari has run for elected office. In 2017, he ran in a close race for New York City Council. He hopes that his campaign will galvanize others and empower his community to fight for their basic needs and an equitable distribution of resources.