State Rep. Amen Brown, who has served on the Pa. General Assembly for two years, has worked on issues including supporting affordable housing, halting sheriff sales for Philadelphians who were in danger of losing their homes, and creating economic opportunities for low-income individuals. According to his mayoral campaign website, Brown intends to focus on public safety and gun violence, economic and job opportunities, housing, education and overall quality of life should he get elected.
Leading up to the primary election on May 16, PGN has been interviewing each mayoral candidate. Some responses from Brown’s April 5 interview have been edited for length and clarity.
What are the challenges facing Philadelphia’s LGBTQ community, and how will you address them?
I think the main challenge is the lack of support and access that you guys have. And [regarding] the office that’s supposed to be supporting you guys, I think that we need to enhance that and strengthen it. And it needs to be run by individuals, such as yourselves. And that’s like a lot of departments in the city. We don’t have folks who are impacted or who need assistance running the offices. So our needs get pushed off. Because they don’t have an understanding of what’s going on.
What LGBTQ community leaders and organizations have you worked with in the past?
I don’t remember names off hand. I know that there’s some organizations [in Harrisburg], not too many in Philly. But it hasn’t been [for] a specific reason why not. I have two committee people in West Philly. They have an organization. They actually are pastors. They’re a married couple and I work with them all the time. I’ve worked with Mike Weiss. I’ve done some good things with him. I worked with several. And I’m not big on bragging about the things that I do. We just do the work and help as many people as we can, and then we just keep them moving.
In light of the numerous mass shootings, including at Club Q in Colorado and the many mass shootings in Philadelphia, what confluence, if at all, do you see between the issues of hate crimes and gun violence? And how does your approach to gun control address that?
So for the first piece of it, I’m hoping that you’re aware that I don’t tolerate violent crime against any individual. I don’t care what they believe in or who they go home to. No one should be a target because someone hates what they’re into in their personal life. Whether there’s a mass shooting on 56th and Market or in Colorado or at a church or a gay club, I don’t tolerate any of that. The kind of leadership that I’m going to be putting forth is a zero tolerance for hate crimes across the board. And especially [for] your community, you guys will have a friend in this mayor’s office who is going to stand up for you and protect you, no matter what the circumstances are. And I’m just a strong believer in that. And that’s how we’re going to operate.
We can pass tough gun laws all day long. And I’m a supporter of tougher gun laws. But we have to really think about what that is actually going to solve today? You can buy guns online. You can buy magazines online. You’ve got hateful people that already have their firearms at home. We need to focus on how we prevent today. [Implementing] gun laws right now might change some things in the future. But we’ve got to protect people today. People are hurting and bleeding now. So we need to focus our time and energy and resources on stopping the bleeding today. So when it comes to crime in general, I’m going to be tough on it no matter who the victims are, because it’s going to be my job to eliminate [violence against] victims. We don’t want people being victims. No matter who you go home to, who you love or who you worship, I’m going to protect you no matter what.
How will you address the issue of violence against trans women, specifically trans women of color?
So trans women of color fall into that. Violent crime is not something that I’m going to tolerate. And if people think that it’s OK to attack trans women, they’re going to have a serious problem with me. I have a zero tolerance policy for crime. I have trans friends and we respect each other. I’m going to protect each and every individual, no matter who you are. And one of the main differences between me and the other candidates, is that I’m for everybody. And I’m going to be a mayor for everybody. I’m a state rep for everybody.
And I lead by example, [and I’m often] doing something outside the typical scope of an elected official. And that’s why we’re changing what a state representative looks like, what an elected official looks like. This is what they want. They want something new and fresh and someone who is going to do what they say they’re going to do, and be transparent. And that’s what I represent. So if anybody attacks anybody in your community, I’m going to be right there with you fighting with you. You can guarantee that, and I’m going to do everything in my power to prevent bad things from happening to your community. And if that takes making somebody into an example, trust and believe it’s going to happen.
Why should the LGBTQ community give you their vote?
Because you can trust me. I’m not flip flopping, I’m not going to be with you behind closed doors. I’m not going to hurt you physically, mentally, emotionally — none of that. You can trust me and you will have a friend in that mayor’s office. And whether you support me or not, I’m going to be there for you. That’s how real this is.
I get it. I might not get all the votes to get the endorsement, but guess what? I’m going to be your mayor. And I’m going to be your friend. And everything is going to remain the same. So I would love your support. And the main reason why is because you can literally trust me and you can build with me. [The other candidates] that a lot of these people are endorsing and supporting, they have their people in place and their relationships in place. And look what that [gave] our city. Our campaign represents a new beginning, a fresh start for the entire city. No matter what neighborhood you’re from, your income bracket and who you love, you will be a part of this city in the direction that we’re going. It’s a fresh start and a new beginning. And you will have a seat at the table. You can guarantee that.
For more information on Amen Brown, visit amenforphilly.com.
