Harlem Republicans Speak Up

Columbia conservatives and black Republicans from Harlem discussed the implications of being minorities as conservatives on Columbia's campus and Republicans within the black community on Wednesday night.

In honor of Black Heritage Month, the College Republicans and college conservatives invited several black members of the Republican party to speak about the current political scene for African-American Republicans. The event, closed to the press, was also sponsored by the Columbia Political Review and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Speakers included Will Brown, Republican district leader of the 70th assembly district, Stephen King, part-time commissioner of the foreign claims settlement commission, and JoLinda Ruth Cogen, Republican associate district leader of the 70th assembly district and New York state coordinator of Republicans for black empowerment.

The politicians discussed the difficulties of overcoming the stereotype that all African Americans are Democrats. Christopher Lanzillotti, a Republican New York state assembly candidate, recalled Cogen's sentiment that other African Americans often agreed with her views until they discovered her political affiliation.

"It can never be a mistake to engage in intellectual exchange, and given the perception the populous have of Republicans and black Republicans, ... any opportunity to appear on any stage is always advantageous for black Republicans," Brown said. "We welcome the opportunity to make our presence known."

Following the speeches was a discussion between those present, which included both Republicans and Democrats, about the state of the Republican party, and the experience of being a minority as both a conservative at Columbia and Republican within the black community.

Chris Kulawik, CC '08 and president of the College Republicans, said he thought the event was a success because it increased awareness of the diversity within the Republican party. "People are surprised to hear that there are black Republicans," he said. "It shouldn't be a surprise, and the fact that it's a surprise is very telling."

Christopher Tortoriello, CC '08 and director of intergroup relations for the College Republicans, added that he thought the discussion would help to overcome the perception that Republicans on campus have little interaction with cultural groups.

"It links two groups of people-Republicans and African Americans-in a way people wouldn't expect," Tortoriello said. "It provides us a nice setting to talk about political issues the country faces today. Without having them [Harlem Republicans] come here, we would never get a chance to hear them speak and articulate their views."

Yoav Guttman, GS and JTS, said that he found the discussion to be refreshing compared to what he described as a one-sided political exchange that often occurs on campus. "All the guests really emphasized a willingness to dialogue about the issues and talk it out," he said.


The Harlem Republican Club is the official Republican District Club for the 70th Assembly District, covering historic Central Harlem and parts of Manhattanville, Hamilton Heights, and Sugar Hill.

http://www.nycrepublican.org/hrc/index.htm