Champions on the Court, Fighters at the Polls: Michael Blake vs. Richie Torres | Nayma Silver-Matos Uptown

It's a new day in New York City — and Uptown Voices is here for all of it.
The episode opens with hosts Led Black and Octavio Blanco still riding the high of the New York Knicks' first NBA championship in decades. From the celebrations at 181st and Cabrini to Dyckman Street to the packed subway cars after the final buzzer, they share the kind of community joy that only Uptown can deliver — and draw a straight line from Jalen Brunson's leadership on the court to the political leadership the Bronx and upper Manhattan need right now.
Then: two candidates who want to bring that same energy to government.
First up is Nayma Silver-Matos, a Dyckman native, youth development veteran, and caretaker who is running to represent District 31 in the New York State Senate against longtime incumbent Robert Jackson. She speaks candidly about the drug injection site debate on 190th Street, the unmet needs of working-class families in upper Manhattan, ACS oversight, and why her fifteen years on the front lines of civic life have prepared her to go to Albany and fight.
Then Michael Blake — Bronx-born, Obama White House veteran, former State Assemblymember, and ordained reverend — makes his case for why he's the right person to unseat Richie Torres in NY-15, one of the poorest congressional districts in the country. Blake breaks down his platform on immigration, housing, Medicare for All, and the genocide in Gaza, and explains why he has 32 endorsements and seven labor union backers against a two-million-dollar APAC-funded incumbent.
The episode closes with Led and Octavio in a wide-ranging post-interview conversation about the state of the Democratic Party, the role of foreign policy money in local races, the misinformation campaigns targeting Uptown's Dominican community on social media, and why this moment — the Knicks, Mamdani, Blake, Silver-Matos — feels like a genuine turning point for New York.
This is why Uptown Voices exists. Subscribe. Vote. Spread love — it's the Uptown way.

00:00  Cold Open  
00:58  Welcome + Big Announcements  
01:03  Knicks Champions! Led's Night in Uptown  
01:53  Octavio's Night in Queens  
04:56  Knicks Fan Interviews on Dyckman  
05:26  Shoutout: Elizabeth Schwey / Gothamist Nutcracker Piece  
06:13  Guest #1: Nayma Silver-Matos — NY State Senate, District 31  
06:51  Nayma's Origin Story  
10:18  From Youth Development to Albany  
12:21  The Unmet Needs of District 31  
15:41  The On Point Debate Continued  
17:19  Nayma Returns + Closes  
19:46  Nayma's Info + Handoff 
20:10  Bridge: Early Voting + Eric Adams Postmortem  
20:36  Guest #2: Michael Blake — NY-15, Bronx Congress  
21:20  Why Congress, Why Now  
22:32  The Case Against Richie Torres  
23:28  Endorsements + Labor Support 
26:28  Octavio Plays Devil's Advocate on Housing  
28:35  Day One in Congress  
31:37  How Blake Was Built for This Moment  
32:55  On APAC, Faith, and Staying Strong  
35:41  Blake's Info + Call to Action  
36:56  Post-Interview: The Dam Is Breaking  
42:43  Led Endorses Darializa Avila Chevalier  
43:16  Octavio on Representation and Centering  
46:02  Would We Have Ritchie Torres on Uptown Voices?  
49:02  Dominican Social Media Misinformation  
51:39  The Ugliness of This Campaign Season  
57:29  Clean House: The Democratic Party Reckoning  
59:37  Close: Go Vote, Subscribe, Spread Love  

About Nayma Silver-Matos
Nayma Silver-Matos is a community organizer, youth development professional, and caretaker running for New York State Senate District 31, which covers Washington Heights, Inwood, and parts of northern Manhattan. She is challenging incumbent Senator Robert Jackson, who has held various elected offices in the district for decades.
Website: nayma2026.com | Instagram: @NaymaSilverMatos

About Michael Blake
Michael Blake is a Bronx native, ordained reverend, Obama White House veteran, and former New York State Assemblymember (District 79) who served six years in Albany. He is running for Congress in NY-15 to unseat incumbent Richie Torres, who has held the seat representing one of the poorest congressional districts in the country.
Website: michaelblakeforcongress.com | Instagram: @michaelblakeforcongress X: @MikeBlake1922 & @MrMikeBlake | TikTok: Blake4TheBronx

Election Information
Early voting for the June 2026 NYC primary is open now. 
Election Day is Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
NY State Senate District 31 (Washington Heights / Inwood): Nayma Silver-Matos vs. Robert Jackson
NY-13 Congressional (Uptown Manhattan): Darializa Avila Chevalier — Led Black endorses on air
NY-15 Congressional (The Bronx): Michael Blake vs. Richie Torres

Support Uptown Voices
Support Hyperlocal Media: Uptown Voices is a fiscally sponsored project of the Maysles Documentary Center. Support our mission here: https://bit.ly/4eddiWT

Creators and Guests

Host

Led Black

Host

Octavio Blanco

What is Uptown Voices?

Uptown Voices tells the stories of unsung heroes who are transforming New York City's Uptown neighborhoods from Washington Heights to Inwood to Harlem to the South Bronx. Each episode profiles an individual or organization making a positive difference. These social entrepreneurs, artists, and community leaders are navigating critical issues of affordability, public safety, and mental health. Through conversations rooted in journalistic integrity and genuine community ties, this podcast challenges negative narratives and celebrates the true spirit of the vibrant neighborhoods thriving north of Central Park.

Each episode features extended interviews in which subjects tell their stories in their own words. The series examines the interconnected challenges facing Uptown communities—gentrification pressures, resource scarcity, systemic inequities—while simultaneously showcasing the creativity and collective power emerging in response. While uplifting the people shaping Uptown’s future, the podcast holds local elected officials accountable for the promises they make. During this pivotal time, Uptown Voices is creating a unique audiovisual archive.

Uptown Voices is a fiscally sponsored project of the Maysles Documentary Center. Make a tax-deductible contribution to our program here: https://bit.ly/4eddiWT

Led Black (00:00)
What up, what up, what up, what up, everyone.

It's Leb Black and Octavio Blanco, Uptown Voices, Black and Blanco on a very, very special day. It's a it's a new day in New York, a new era has begun. You know, I like to think that, you know, I I'm not a spring chicken, right? But this is the first time in my lifetime that that the Knicks are are world champions, you know, and and it felt really good. You know, I mean, this is this is amazing. I feel like I I couldn't process it yesterday. Like I was super happy. And, you know, but it's like this has never happened. So so

You know, I spent it at I spent it at one Cabrini with my entire family, like it happened somehow. And 181 Cabrini was jam-packed. My brother Darryl was behind the bar, so he kept giving us like pictures of of sangria, margaritas, and it was flowing. You know, it was it was ⁓ it was fitting. Like you think about it like this. The only game we lost was when that motherfucker came, Trump, and fucked up the vibes. So if Trump hadn't come, we would have swept in New York, but maybe that's better for New York City. We got to, you know, survive on some.

Octavio Blanco (00:38)
Nice.

Ahahaha!

Yeah.

Led Black (01:03)
Scathed, you know, somewhat. But man, it was it's beautiful, man. This is his it was a historic run, and and the outcome was was something, you know, so sweet. And then what we did after the game, and I'll let you tell you what you did, but after the game, I was hanging out with my brother Juan Ignacio Rosa during the game, and you know, we're getting lit, having a good time, and he was like, We're going to Dykman. So after 181 Cabrini, we walked down on Broadway. We stopped by ⁓ Locksmith, which was lit. We stopped by Tyrant Public House, which was lit, Dykeman was lit. It was

Octavio Blanco (01:15)
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Led Black (01:33)
You know, everyone was really, really happy, man. I think this is something that, you know, it it's it's funny what leadership does. You know what I'm saying? When you have a leader like Jalen Brunson, how you you know, things change. Also, you when you have a a leader like Maya Mamdani, things change, right? Like sometimes you could be so jaded and pessimistic, but you know, it feels good to be happy and optimistic and see that like hard work pays off, you know? But how how was your night?

Octavio Blanco (01:53)
Yeah, absolutely.

my night was incredible. Incredible. I had the best time. I was hanging out with my whole family. We were out in Queens. We were with my with my in laws. We had family in from Miami. ⁓ All the DT's almost all the DT's except for one.

cousins are there. We had just like a great time. And then we were all watching. So we started out watching the World Cup. That's what we were doing watching the World Cup. Yeah, the Brazil game and ⁓ we're not gonna talk about that. It was not important but but everybody was waiting for the Knicks. Everybody was waiting for the Knicks game and you know, it's a it's like like your family, my family, it's a family tradition, the Knicks. And and so

Led Black (02:34)
Yeah, we're watching that to the Brazil game, right?

Octavio Blanco (02:52)
You know, it was so exciting. My sister-in-law, Suji, she's like the quintessential New Yorker from Queens. Like her energy watching the game from the minute it was like she was on the court. Like there was no, she had no chill about the game at all. So she was like, she was, mean, we were all stressing out over the game, you know, because it was like, you know, we were like the Knicks like to do. We were behind for a big chunk of the game.

And to me, it was hilarious the way she was like, just like, ah, die, die. And then when the Knicks won, man, it was pandemonium in our little living room there. The whole family was jumping up and down and cheering and hugging. And my son, recorded it all. I'll put it up on the Instagram later. It was a beautiful, beautiful thing. And we came back.

in an Uber because it was late and my in-laws live sort of far away from like public transportation out in Queens. But it was the one time where I would have really liked to come home on the subway, you know, like it would have been, it would have been bonkers and bananas. I saw some of the videos of the subways. They were just like out of control and me and Cathy and Dante, we all had our Knicks gear on and you know, everywhere, everywhere we went.

Led Black (04:02)
Yeah, the someways relate. Yeah.

Yeah, so do we. Me and my wife had the Knicks

gate. Like my wife is official Knicks fan now.

Octavio Blanco (04:20)
Yeah, you know, yeah, I was saying, I don't know if you I mean, I know you saw I don't know if our viewers saw I was on Dyckman not yesterday, but I was on Dyckman the day before yesterday, and interviewing people about what it means for them to be a Knicks fan. And we got some really, really great responses from a wide variety of people from people who were, you know, who don't even speak English to, you know, young young ladies who are

You know, was really, it was interesting. So I do encourage everybody to check out those interviews on our Instagram channel. ⁓

Led Black (04:56)
And I want to

say a shout out to ⁓ Elizabeth Schwey who had jumped on the IG Live. And Elizabeth Schwe did a really dope piece on the Nutcracker drink ⁓ on Gothamist. So it's a really, really dope piece. Yeah, I you see me. I got a little, I talk a little bit on it. So we had, well, I was in the Dominican Republic, her and I had some conversations about the Nutcracker because I my myself and a few other people were working on a documentary. Never never finished it or never really never released it. But so I got to talk a little bit about the Nutcracker. So does Jose.

Octavio Blanco (05:08)
⁓ nice.

Led Black (05:26)
from Florida Mayo. So it was really cool. So look that up. Elizabeth Shui, Gothamist Nutcracker.

Octavio Blanco (05:30)
Yeah.

I mean, not not crackers. Don't forget is also like kind of like a side character in what's in. my God. I'm so yeah, my bills to pay. Sorry. I'm so tired. I can't think straight.

Led Black (05:42)
Map builds of bait. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, no for real.

Yeah, I woke up hungover this morning. I was hungover like I drank a lot of sangria. But it was fun, you know what I mean? It was just not every like this is again, this historic run. You know, I like both of us are real Nick fans in the sense that we're like we've been watch we watch all year. You know, we tried not to miss a game. So this has been beautiful.

Octavio Blanco (05:54)
Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, it was great. And being with family, that was also, Naima, yeah, she just joined on. So yeah, like, go ahead, Lyd.

Led Black (06:13)
I think we have our guests with us.

Night.

Naima, how you doing says, how's it going?

Nayma Silver-Matos (06:22)
I am

doing so well. Hi Led, hi Octavio. Good morning.

Octavio Blanco (06:26)
Good morning.

Led Black (06:26)
Really good. Happy Sunday. Happy next

day.

Nayma Silver-Matos (06:28)
I know,

right? ⁓ it's also early voting and we are outside today. Yes. Thank you so much for having me. I know that we have a very tight schedule. So I just want to say my name is Naima Silvermatos, for those who may not know me, and yes, I am running for New York State Senate. I am ⁓ a product of this community. ⁓ went to IS fifty two.

Led Black (06:32)
Early voting began yesterday, yep. Yes, yes, yes.

Octavio Blanco (06:35)
Yes,

yes.

Nayma Silver-Matos (06:51)
I went to George Washington High School for some time, transferred over to ⁓ environmental studies high school for some background. And I know our people, we like to know where are people from. So I'm from Dykeman specifically, like right across the street from IS-52. those are my stomping grounds. And what can I say for those that may not know, Naima is a problem solver. So whenever people come to me, I'm like a walk-in constituent services office. So people will see me in the street and they're like, my kid needs.

Octavio Blanco (07:03)
Hehehe

Led Black (07:03)
Yeah.

Nayma Silver-Matos (07:21)
you know, tutoring for math and all right, I'll help. Someone reaches out, they're like, Hey, I'm having, you know, there's an eviction notice. Can you help me with housing? And even though I'm not a housing attorney, I support them with advocacy, right? most recently a mom just reached out to me and asked if I could support with ⁓

And this is something I would like to push forward in the Senate. ⁓ you know, we do have a lot of families with members that are incarcerated, right? And ⁓ we we know the funny business and the and the profit that these ⁓ institutions have on the backs of our people as well.

And so one of the things that that that has come up is that they are forcing families now, they're not allowing families to bring their own food. They have to buy food from there, right? Just more money. So those are some of the things. ⁓ I'll just pause it right there. Give me one moment.

Octavio Blanco (08:13)
Yeah.

Nayma Silver-Matos (08:14)
Go ahead, I'm listening.

Octavio Blanco (08:15)
Yeah, no. Thank you. Thank you so much for that. yeah, for me, it's good to meet you. I hadn't actually met you in the past. So you've mentioned your background in Upper Manhattan. But what is it that shaped your commitment to Uptown? What is it that, your shape? If you were an X-Man, what would be your origin story?

Nayma Silver-Matos (08:44)
Ha ha ha, I like that question. ⁓ what would be my origin story? I would say that ⁓ ever since I was little, I had an understanding that you had to be involved civically, and I would credit that to my dad. So my dad was like president of PTA at G Dubs, ⁓ 52, and they were very actively involved as parent advocates in the community. ⁓ as well as I would I have to say Captain Planet from back in the day.

⁓ because you know, Captain Planet taught that you have to be take care of the environment, take care of the people, do the right things. And so I just believe that we are we we are required to, like we have a duty to be involved and to be active. I would also have to credit the really great teachers that I had along the way. and they really taught me about.

Octavio Blanco (09:13)
Hmm.

Nayma Silver-Matos (09:38)
civics as well and the importance of being involved. And so I know that like the issues issues are big, but I just always held this belief that, you know, one person can spark another person and another person and so on. And that it's worth us doing it, even if it takes a long time. Because the reason why there's so much, let's say, evil in in in what we see in

not just government and politics, but it's because like the good guys, we need to get better organized. We need to like come together more. the other side is much more organized and and consistent, I say, ⁓ when it comes to these things.

Octavio Blanco (10:09)
Mm-hmm.

Led Black (10:18)
So, so Naema, you it's funny, I could tell you from uptown said G Dubs, right? Like that's only only Uptown people know G Dubs. ⁓ but you have an incredibly diverse background ranging like youth development and civics with organizations like the Project Beauty Experience and Dominicana's USA. How does that hands-on frontline experience directly prepare you to serve in Albany?

Nayma Silver-Matos (10:24)
Mm-hmm.

thank you, Led. So it it it prepares me to serve in Albany because over the past fifteen years my work has been in education. It's been in civics. It's been ⁓ working with our youth, developing programs on the front line. So sorry guys. There are one moment. ⁓ yes.

Octavio Blanco (10:56)
No worries, no worries.

I know you've been rushing rushing.

Nayma Silver-Matos (11:03)
So the way that it's gonna prepare me, it's just it really comes down to I have been with the people on the ground, like in the streets, in the front lines, and I know what our families are dealing with, you know. and so I can bring that ⁓ not just lived experience, but the collection of other people's lived experiences and situations and problems, and bring that perspective to Albany and also the connection to those people because it's not just me, ⁓

It's it's it's gonna require I'm so sorry guys. Can you can you just ask me the question one more time because I have someone knocking on the door, I have someone calling me and it's like trying to stay focused on this interview. I know I only have like a few more minutes allowed on on the show. But but ⁓

Octavio Blanco (11:38)
Mm-hmm.

Ahahaha

Led Black (11:52)
It was

just basically how yeah, how your f your experience w with the work you've done prepared you to serve in Albany.

Nayma Silver-Matos (11:58)
Yeah, so basically, yeah, so the experience that I have is ⁓ being able to bring those perspectives to Albany. And also I've over the years I've seen how our agencies work, how government works, and how it doesn't work, and where are the places that ⁓ that things fall through the crack, for example. And yeah.

Octavio Blanco (12:21)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Yeah, that's good. No, I appreciate that that you've got all this experience and, and you want to aim it to do something in Albany. Now, you know, you're running against somebody, Robert Jackson, who's held this public office and in our community for decades, not, you know, many public many, many roles. He served the city council, and now he's in the state senate. So let's get a little bit specific on what are the gaps or what are some of the unmet needs?

in District that have made you say, the status quo isn't working and I need to step up and run. So what are some of the unmet needs in District 31 that you think you can bring to bear in Albany?

Nayma Silver-Matos (13:08)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah, so some of the unmet needs in in our community, I I'm sure it's not a surprise at this point, but one of the one of the issues that I brought up is ⁓ it's connected to ⁓ a a safe site, right? A drug injection site in Washington Heights and how that has been impacting the quality of life for people. And

There are folks that feel unsafe when they're coming out of the train, right? Because people are injecting themselves right outside of the elevator, for example, on 190th Street on the one train, right? Now they've had to increase police presence. ⁓ our families need more support in terms of ⁓

Led Black (13:51)
You you were saying Aina?

Okay. I think I think we lost her, so

Octavio Blanco (13:54)
Are you still there or? Are you here? ⁓

Led Black (13:56)
I'm here. I'm here.

Yeah, she dropped

off. So I mean, we was gonna end it anyway, I think. So we're good. Let's keep it moving. Where's our next guest coming?

Octavio Blanco (14:06)
He's going to be on here in just a few minutes. ⁓ It's around, he should be on, he should be on already. hopefully, you know, yeah, early voting has.

Led Black (14:16)
But let's talk about, yeah, okay, let's talk. So it's early voting has begun, people. Let's stop playing, right?

Let's get out there, let's go vote. Right. ⁓ I think that this last election of of of mayor of New York City proved to the world what voting can do, right? We have a functioning government in New York City after that that lame ass Adams, you know what I'm saying? They didn't do shit for four years with party and bullshit, right? Didn't do a damn thing and just and just got more corrupt and grifted and and you know.

Octavio Blanco (14:38)
Yeah. Yeah.

You know, I...

Led Black (14:45)
⁓ just basically

became Trump's bitch.

Octavio Blanco (14:48)
I want to talk about, I do want to talk about Neyma's last, last answer, even though she, I don't know that she actually finished it, you know, talking about on point and the impact that it's having on the community. was, I was glad to hear Neyma mentioned it. I mean, we did speak with Robert Jackson about that as well.

think Robert Jackson, he's got family history within his family, tragic family history of how addiction really impacts families. And so it's understandable that he's very supportive of On Point. And I would say, of course, I think everybody is supportive of helping people.

with addiction. The only thing is that you would something that you and me have talked about is that the services it seems to be our our our addict centric and they're not community centric and yeah.

Led Black (15:41)
You know, I want to say one thing about that though. You know, like I I

like I agree, you know, I've always been the one pushing that point, right? ⁓ But I do say like again, like now I do start I'm starting to see to a degree some of the things they do for the community. Right. So while while ⁓ I still don't think that safe injection in only two parts in in in uptime makes sense.

But, you know, yesterday we were driving by that area, right? And and again, it's a lot of drug addicts in that area. And ⁓ a lot, a lot, cause even more, cause that's Audubon, I and that's Amsterdam, you know what I mean? ⁓ but one thing I noticed is that while the park was open, a little kid 'cause you there's like a little kid park, a little playground right there on on 180th in Amsterdam. Yeah. What I liked is that there was an on-point person in the park.

Octavio Blanco (16:15)
a lot a lot. Yeah.

Right across the street. Yeah, right across the street.

Led Black (16:37)
Like just kind of making sure there was no drug addicts in the park. You know, and I had never seen

Octavio Blanco (16:39)
⁓ name, name is back.

Name is back on as we wait for our next guest to come on. So Neema, we're just discussing the on point issue that you were you were bringing up. ⁓

Nayma Silver-Matos (16:50)
Mm-hmm. Yeah, so I'm sorry

that it got thrown out. So literally I'm also a caretaker. So full transparency. I'm a caretaker for different family members, including my mother. And so literally the home attendant needed access. No one is around. So I and that's who was knocking and all of this. So I had to jump off. So ⁓ I know that we only have ⁓

Octavio Blanco (17:05)
Yeah.

So this is gonna,

Led Black (17:10)
No worries, we got you.

Octavio Blanco (17:13)
you, yeah, finish your thought and then we're gonna have to move on to our next guest who's on the recording right now. So go ahead, Neymar, finish your thought.

Nayma Silver-Matos (17:19)
All right, so then let's do it like this because

⁓ since we're gonna close out, I just wanna say thank you so much for allowing me to be here, Octavio and Led.

Octavio Blanco (17:23)
What? Yeah.

Nayma Silver-Matos (17:28)
I hope that you know, whatever the results are, we can come back and have a more ⁓ thoughtful conversation because the ⁓ issue of the drug site is multi-layered, is very nuanced, and you know, it's very it produces very visceral reactions. On the one hand, I want to make it clear that I do support services and institutions for our brothers and sisters that need support in terms of addiction and and drug use and all of that. So the existence of it I do support. What I don't support is for

Octavio Blanco (17:36)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Nayma Silver-Matos (17:58)
site to be where it's at right now because the way I see it is that our community is already dealing with the war the with the consequences of the war on poverty. Like this is ⁓ wash the district 31 is a very low income district and with poverty comes a lot of ⁓ side effects let's say right and and I'm I don't know everyone's background here but I we we grew up in poverty right and so when that happens

⁓ well I only have a few minutes, so let's not go down the rabbit hole there. But the point is that I would like to have a more ⁓ thoughtful conversation about this. And I would encourage Uptown Collective if we can come together and maybe we can have community conversations around it. Because what's happening is that we have a community that doesn't feel safe, doesn't feel respected, and then we have another aspect to it, which is the compassion and humanity for those that need the support.

So to close off, my name is Naima Silvermatos. I'm running for New York State Senate because I come from the working class. And we do need a fighter. We need someone to protect our interests. And I am a caretaker. I am a ⁓ a a problem solver. And one thing about me is that I can't be bought off by any interests, anything. No, this is about what does the what does the working class need and any policy that is brought forth, what is the real life implication and consequences of it.

For example, we need to be more aggressive about the Family Miranda Rights Act. All right. Because we have, for example, as as senator, one of the things I'm looking forward to doing is providing more oversight to ACS because there is a focus on black and brown families and being separated, right? So as a senator or in the Senate, we need to be aggressive about making sure that families know their rights when it comes to ACS knocking on the door, you know? So that's one example. So I'm just going to bring, yep.

Octavio Blanco (19:32)
Okay.

Yeah.

Led Black (19:46)
Naima th

I'm sorry, we have to cut you off. I'm we have to get to the next guest. My apologies. So sorry, but you know any you want to give us give give us give give us your website, give us your handles, your so go give us that stuff right now.

Nayma Silver-Matos (19:51)
Of course, of course. No, no, you were you you

Of course, of course. So

my website is naima2026.com and you can check me out also on Instagram, Naima Silver Matos. Thank you so much, Led. Thank you so much, Octavio. You too. Thank you.

Led Black (20:09)
Welcome. Have a good day, Sus.

Octavio Blanco (20:10)
All

right, thank you very much.

Okay, okay. Okay. Next, our guest on on Uptown voices, you know, with his live and Naima has been juggling a lot of things she was canvassing she rushed back to her house to to to get on with us. So thank you for coming. But our next guest is Michael Blake. He's running against the incumbent. ⁓ Richie Torres is to represent the the Bronx. He has district 15. ⁓

Led Black (20:34)
Boo.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (20:36)
You started born you you born Richie already?

Led Black (20:37)
I fucking hate Richie Torres. I

hate Richie Torres, my brother. I hate Richie Torres. The worst.

Octavio Blanco (20:41)
Yes, let's, we're gonna, we're gonna be, we're

gonna be transparent in that we've lad has always has always ⁓ worn that, that that disdain for Richie Torres, proudly, ⁓ you know, so, but you know, Michael, welcome to Uptown Voices. You're not a newcomer to politics. You've served in the state assembly representing the Bronx and as vice chair of the DNC.

Led Black (20:55)
Yeah.

Octavio Blanco (21:09)
And for viewers watching across our platforms, you know, why is Congress the right arena for you right now? And how does your specific track record prepare you to represent this district?

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (21:20)
Well, well well, I'm prepared because the Knicks are prepared. So we already know what time it is right now. Right. You know, I got I got I got I got my my Brunson bobblehead, you know. So we we know what time it is out here right now. ⁓ so shout out to the Knicks. The glorious vibes. I see lead out here. We all understand orange and blue skies right now. Orange and blue skies. Right. ⁓ why why Congress? ⁓ because we need real Democrats, we need real leaders, we need real fighters for us in the Congress and in the Bronx. and Richard Torres is not that.

Octavio Blanco (21:23)
That's right.

Led Black (21:24)
That's right. That's right.

That's right. That's right.

For real, for real. We we for real.

Octavio Blanco (21:39)
For real.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (21:51)
for everyone listening and watching, ⁓ my name is Michael Blake. Family's from Jamaica, born and raised here in the Bronx. I had the opportunity to serve in the assembly as I thought you appreciate you and great to be with y'all, brothers, right now. You know, I served in the assembly six years, I worked for President Obama for seven years, ⁓ and we need and deserve better in Congress. And so there's a big difference. I oppose the war, Richie supports the war. Big difference.

I'm protecting immigrants. Richie has been supporting ICE.

I'm actually trying to make sure we have affordable housing. Richie's taking money from the CEO of Pinnacle. And so we need to make sure that people understand that you have a choice and a difference here.

Led Black (22:32)
Yeah, and like I said, like I really hate Richie Torres, right? Because Richie Torres is the absolute worst. I'm not even really sure he's a real person. I think he's like an APAC AI that they did like in a in a like a printer. And you know what I mean? He's like a robot. He's like an Apex android. ⁓ he is the worst, right? He represents the the poorest district in the country. And up to maybe a year ago, all his stuff was about Israel, right? And I'm really done with that. And I think I think the Bronx is done with that.

But but again, he he's entrenched. I think he gets like ⁓ almost two million from APAC. ⁓ he's got an endorsement from

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (23:08)
You got yeah, you got two million from APAC.

APAC is the American Israeli Political Affairs Committee, yeah, you got two million from them alone.

Led Black (23:15)
So and then he's got an endorsement from a lot of established democrats who are as are as disappointing as ever. How do you why are you the person to fight that 'cause I I I cause if you are, I'm gonna be down 'cause I I really need we need to get rid of Richie Torres.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (23:28)
Look, first, lead I I I'm on need for you on the campaign trail with us for the next nine days right now. We need that energy right now. ⁓ I I feel you on that right there. ⁓ itself. ⁓ and to everybody listening and watching again, you know, just many blessings. Look, ⁓ first we have more endorsements than Richie. We got thirty-two endorsements in the race. we actually have also in that seven labor unions have already endorsed us. ⁓ Unite here, local one hundred.

Led Black (23:34)
For real, for real.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (23:54)
Five of the DC 37 Union locals have endorsed us and the Alliance South Asian Labor. ⁓ everything from Catholics for good to until freedom, from Yama and Yemenis to Gage to Muslim Democrats. We out here and we're putting in that work because people are tired of us. Richie is supported by the Israeli lobby, the American Israeli Political Affairs Committee, by those that are out there. Richie said that the genocide is a figment imagination.

It's not. It's happening. It's real. And so when we think about the big difference here about keeping it real, you know, my family's from Jamaica. And I tell people whether if you be from Jamaica, my my wife who's Jamaican and Honduran, whether it be you know Dominicano, Boricua, Ecuadoran, Mexicano, Paratoro, right? Doesn't matter where you come from, right? Like ICE does not give a damn about us. Richie Torres voted yes on the Lake and Riley Act to deport people. So I just want people to understand that.

Led Black (24:40)
Right. Right.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (24:51)
Someone representing the Bronx voted to deport people. Why did he take that vote? Because Richie wanted to run for governor. He said that. He said that in the interview on the Guy Benson interview last year. He said it in politico. Richie Torres said that he supports the war. That's not me saying that. Richie said that. He said it is in the best interest of the United States and Israel to bomb Iran. He also went a step further and said that Zara Mamdani and DSA.

That the city would have a downfall if they get elected. He called Kathy Hokel one of the most least effective executives on the face of the earth. And so there's a big difference. And so I talk about this: how do we lower the price of rent, roast rent, groceries, gas, and con ed? How do we make sure we end credit scores when it comes to housing applications? Let's get Medicare for all, and let's also make sure we protect Medicaid. Let's make sure that we're standing up for our communities.

If someone Dominicano, right? Think about the the remittance fees and how expensive it is when you're trying to send money back home, right? when we think about these things today, Puerto Rico Day Parade, we're gonna pull up there later on the day. You know, I'm I'm going to churches as well. This the you can hear my voice right now, we deserve better. And what we want people to understand is we have an opportunity over these next nine days to change the game. We have been disrespected for too long because of someone named Richie Torres. And if we come together.

Led Black (25:51)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (26:15)
All of our communities, we could do this right now. But ⁓ for for for everyone out here, ⁓ too much is at stake for fake ass people to be in office right now.

Led Black (26:27)
Facts. Facts.

Octavio Blanco (26:28)
Oh,

man. Okay. I'm gonna I'm gonna try to provide some balance here. So forgive me, you're led. Okay. So, you know, Representative Torres has been a vocal advocate on federal housing committees, pushing for public housing investment in urban and urban development funds. If you're in Washington, what is your concrete alternative to delivering federal resources to the Bronx?

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (26:35)
We welcome balance. We welcome balance.

Octavio Blanco (26:56)
without losing that committee momentum.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (26:59)
We need to end using credit scores for housing applications because credit scores have been a disc discriminatory racist policy. ⁓ the best way to know if you can pay your rent or pay a mortgage is did you pay your rent? Right? You know, we need to increase income limits for housing applications. and we need a local median income instead of area median income. You take those kinds of steps, you will actually convoke further when it comes to housing. Go a step further. People living in public housing.

There were an expl explosions that happened within public housing. Richie was the former chair of housing on the in the city council. It's not just about giving you more money. It's that there has to be accountability and changes. And when we think about to your question, what needs to be done differently, someone being in the seat is not enough.

Led Black (27:45)
100%. And and and that's why I I I'm sorry, like Octavio. I don't think we need balance with someone like Richard Torres. Like, I think it is a disrespect, right? Because he he what you realize with with with Tel Aviv Torres, right, is that he was installed. He was installed in that seat, right? He was installed in that seat, right? And and when you're installed in the seat, right? First of all, he's swagless. He has no swag. So I don't know how he's from the Bronx, first of all, right?

Octavio Blanco (27:46)
Yes.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (27:53)
Yeah.

Smell a bead tourist. ⁓

Led Black (28:14)
But secondly, right, when you're installed in a seat like that, you don't really care about what you're doing. So he's not he is not governing. He is not doing shit. So my Michael Blake, what is your like first day in the office? What's the thing you like? Okay, that we haven't had a congressman in this district f for a long time. What is my first boots on the ground priority for you?

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (28:35)
We gotta repeal the Lake and Riley Act because we gotta stop deporting people.

Octavio Blanco (28:36)
Great question.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (28:39)
It makes no sense that we could be here in the Bronx and we have something right now that's making it easy to deport people. That's crazy. Cause we all know and we're seeing ICE and Border Patrol are not just going after someone who they think is not here legally or illegal. They're going after anybody, they're going after citizens, right? So, first and foremost, we got to repeal the Lake and Riley Act and and get rid of that there, right? Second.

Octavio Blanco (28:57)
Yeah.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (29:05)
When we think about ⁓ immediate priority, and that's for everybody, right? That's for our the African brothers and sisters, that's the Asian brothers and sisters, that's for Latino, Caribbean, all of us who've got to care about that, right? but then second, we have to immediately make life more affordable. And we can do that with a local median income. It makes no sense that Westchester, Rockland, and Suffolk counties are the reason why our housing is more expensive and calculated at a higher expense. It should be based upon what's happening here in the Bronx, right?

And so we're gonna go for that right there. Look, I'm Jamaican. We can never do just one thing. You asked me about one thing. We're gonna do two tree things on the same day, right? That's how we're gonna move right there, right? ⁓ and and so there's the opportunity. And look, I just real talk, I think it's an education exercise. The energy that we're having right now, and shout out much love for y'all having me. For people that know, they know Richie ain't doing anything. We got nine days to make sure we keep educating people about the clear truth. And that's why when the poll came out about two weeks ago.

Led Black (29:39)
Yeah, that's right. ⁓

Octavio Blanco (29:40)
you ⁓

Led Black (29:56)
Mm-hmm.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (30:04)
And it said when voters learn about our positives for both of us, me and Richie, and then learn about Richie's policies, we're up 4138. Just from people learning that he is supporting the war, that he is supporting deporting people, that he does not support Medicare for all or canceling student debt. He's not trying to do any of those things. And so it's important for us to mobilize. And I'm gonna say to everyone who is Latino.

And in particular, if you're Latino and you're Spanish speaking, which is obviously, you know, we don't make it all monolithic, so I'm saying that very clearly. We need that energy for the next nine days, knocking on doors, phone calls, radio, digital, everything. Because what I don't want to have happen is that someone sees a last name of Torres and they think that he's on the team. We remind folks, not all not all skin folk are kinfolk, right? and and so it is important that we communicate very directly around that. Lastly, ⁓ to the point.

Octavio Blanco (30:55)
Mmm.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (31:02)
around the differences. There is no perfect politician. There's no perfect person. We understand that, right? ⁓ but my heart is in this. And and I'm doing this because I want to help my people. And and and that's why we're asking folks the same energy we had when we fed the community during COVID, when I was the assembly member, going all across the Bronx and helping all across New York City to feed people and help people, the same energy we had ⁓ when serving in the White House, you know,

We went from no house in Jamaica to the black house in Northwestern to the White House in DC to the state house in Albany. That's the same energy we want to take to the US House in Congress.

Octavio Blanco (31:36)
Mm-hmm.

Led Black (31:37)
Yeah, you

know, and and I wanna go back really quickly again to to to Bichy Torres, right? Because you know what I realize now is that when when he first came on the scene, he was everywhere, right?

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (31:45)
my.

Led Black (31:51)
There's a there's a show called Habla where they feature different Latinos giving you like little bits of wisdom. No one knew Richie Torres. But you look back and you say, he's black, he's Puerto Rican, he's from the projects, he's gay. It's like, wow, this guy's amazing, right? So before Richie Torres was a thing, he was being sold to us. Right? He was being commodified and sold to us. So that's where you realize that, and now you look back at it, you realize the fix was in for a long time. And and what I what I'm trying to say is that.

The enemies of I think APAC is an enemy to democracy, right? And when you could do to c when you could when you could do to Corey Bush to to to to to to the brother right, exactly to and then to do massy.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (32:24)
It is.

to Bowman. Yeah, Jamal Bowman, who who has endorsed

our campaign.

Led Black (32:34)
Exactly. Do Massey the Republican, right? It it it's corrosive on our our democracy, right? And they spent millions to to to to to fight against the people. Like how why? And I think that Jamaicans, you know, are a really strong people, you know what I mean? So why are you that person that could withstand that that pressure? Because that pressure is real.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (32:55)
Because ⁓ I I I serve a God that has protected me and will continue to protect me. ⁓ because I got a mama and daddy that raised me for this moment, because I have a family in a village that has my back. you know, we're ready for this moment. Look, I I have been to Israel twice. I'm also an ordained reverend. and I'm gonna have to jump in a second to go speak at churches, as we mentioned, right? You know, so it is this of course it's Sunday. It's next Sunday, but it's still Sunday, right? but like, you know, the ⁓ I prayed at the Western Wall.

Octavio Blanco (33:19)
Hmm

Led Black (33:20)
That's right.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (33:25)
I've baptized people in the Jordan River. ⁓ I've seen it. And we're in a moment right now where you have someone in Richie Torres who supports the war and is lying to people about it. He said in the Guy Benson interview last year, June 18th, 2025, US and Israel, it's in the best interest to do so. People are dying because of policy decisions that Richie Torres and Donald Trump are taking.

And that means when you speak that, that means you want folks that come for you. That means you're going to people who don't donate to you. Means people who are not going to helping us. All those things are happening, but we're not afraid because we're doing this for a bigger calling. And if we just have enough people that are ready to organize and mobilize, we're going to make this happen and bring this home. Right. Like I said, think about this. I'm running against an incumbent, and we have 32 endorsements. We must be doing something right. Right? Something must be going right for that. So again,

Octavio Blanco (34:18)
Mm-hmm.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (34:22)
Go to Michael Blake for Congress dot com, everybody. We want you to learn about what we're doing, what we're building. Early voting's happening right now until next Sunday. ⁓ of course, I know we got the next parade on Thursday and Fridays, Juneteenth. So it's gonna be a r extra long weekend for folks who you have no excuse out here, everybody. ⁓ but you know, we we need you, we need you, we need you. ⁓ and again, I want to lower the price of rent, groceries, con ed and gas. We wanna end the war. We wanna stop r deporting our immigrants. We wanna have Medicare for all. We wanna cancel student debt. We wanna help our our communities to win.

and if we do that when we do that, we will win. You know, and and and for anyone, you know, ⁓ that's recognizing it and 'cause I'm from the Bronx, so I understand what we gotta represent. Unlike Richie Torres, I actually also speak Spanish. So we wrong remind people of that. So et me mi nombre Michael Blake, Candata para Descrito Quince, pero implemente asembolista para Descrito Center Nueve, ⁓ para elección, vete tres el junio, etcanderata el tres línea, ⁓ necesita cambio.

Necessita protection for immigrants. My family is Jamaica. Necessarily campaign for the election. So vote Michael Blake Democrat for the Congress at 23 ⁓ for

Led Black (35:41)
My brother, what's the social media? What's the social media?

Octavio Blanco (35:42)
Muchas... Sí.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (35:45)
⁓ go to ⁓ on on on IG go to Mike Blake 1922 and go to Michael Blake for Congress, Michael Blake FOR Congress, so follow both of those accounts. Mike Blake 1922, Michael Blake FOR Congress on X. It's ⁓ R Mike Blake and Blake for the Bronx. So follow both of those accounts. So Blake, the number four of the Bronx, MR Mike Blake.

Led Black (35:49)
Mm.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (36:14)
We're on Facebook as well, TikTok and everything there. ⁓ but I want people to listen. I want you to vote for me. And no matter where you're listening from, you can help us. You can go to the website. You can sign up to volunteer. We need people to knock on doors. We need people to make phone calls. And I'm asking, donate anything you can. $50, $100, $250, $1,000, whatever you can do. All of that matters right now for us to go bring this thing home.

Led Black (36:37)
Michael, you're doing the Lord's work. Hopefully, we can defeat Richie Torres. He needs to go. Thank you so much for being on the show. We really appreciate it, brother. Thank you.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (36:42)
I brought it. Appreciate

y'all. Appreciate y'all. I'm on and I'm gonna hit y'all in in in the chat so y'all can y text me as well, but DM me so we can link up for the next week.

Led Black (36:53)
Yes, sir. Thank you.

Octavio Blanco (36:54)
Thank you, sir. Thank you. Have a good one.

Michaelblakeforcongress.com (36:54)
Much love y'all. Peace.

Led Black (36:56)
Man, you know, this is amazing, right? You know, again, like I've been I've been on this thing about Palestine, you know, for a long time, you know, and you learn to kinda like you can't say everything you feel, you know, it's it's you say to things to people, you know, when you talk to them in person. Because there was such a time where, you know, saying anything, anything about Israel, you know

Octavio Blanco (36:59)
Yeah.

Led Black (37:26)
would would would just kill you, right? And you you would be labeled, I don't even want to use the word. You to one time used the word and I was like, why would you say the word? But you know, ⁓ it it it tarnished everything. Yeah, no, but it but that that word doesn't communicate, right? That word is a cudgel.

Octavio Blanco (37:28)
Hmm.

To communicate, lad.

Led Black (37:42)
That's used to silence people, right? And it's used and it's used to not not have truth told. And it's used to impose a worldview that's been imposed for too long, right? And and you know, it's like I've been I've known forever that Israel has not been a good actor. They're not the most moral army. Israel is is is is a colonial ethnostate that's currently practicing apartheid, but you couldn't say that for a long time.

Octavio Blanco (37:44)
That's true. That's true.

Led Black (38:11)
Right. And now we're in a time where people can denounce APAC and say, no, this has nothing to do with Jewish people. I love Jewish people. This is about Zionism. And Zionism is is anti-humanity. Right. And we couldn't even say that before. And now we're at this place where we can talk, you know what I mean? And and we're seeing, right? Like, you know, we didn't even we didn't even ask Michael Blake if it was a genocide. We didn't have to. He he peeps out himself.

And that's a Democrat that worked for Obama, right? Obama won't say genocide yet, right? But Obama's not running for office. So he could play the aloof cool guy in the back that just comes around every once in a while. But if you if you're in the arena, if you if you fight in that fight and you and you and you wanna and you wanna win, you you never you need to start talking. And and right now, you know what I mean? And I I never thought I would say this, right? You know, ⁓ I'm gonna say this go back a little bit, like you know, in 2016, when when Adrian Spyak,

You know, came on the scene, became the first Dominican, first undoc formally undocumented, you know, immigrant to attain to a the level of congressman, right? I was super proud, right? Told them too that, like, you know, ⁓ I took that video from C-SPAN, I ripped it, I put it on social, my first kind of viral, real viral numbers, you know. And

You know, ex Dan Espaillat, Congressman, you know, back before the day, he drove my mom to the voting booth. You know what I mean? Like and and he's done so much in this community, right? But when you ask him, is it a genocide? You know, he don't know what to say.

And I just saw New York one, there was another like forum, like kind of debate between us. He couldn't answer. And it was just this fucking horrible answer. And then you tell me that, ⁓ that APAC money doesn't mean nothing. It doesn't sway my vo anything. You can't say the word genocide. So it is swaying you, right? And and and and I think what I'm trying to say is that we are this is an inflection point.

And this nonsense about Israel being moral and good, it's it's gone. It's gone. And basically, Israel is America's Frankenstein, right? It's it's the way we we imported death, destruction, and control over the Middle East for so long, right? And and we gave it all this money and we fed it and then we told the people, we gave incentives for those people to be there, right? They they get free education, free healthcare, a lot of things, but we sucked this country dry by doing it.

Right. And we're now at this point we can talk about it. You know, we have Michael Blake on, who's a huge candidate, right? And he's like, yeah, genocide, right? So I just I just want to note that that like this is an important part, right? And and it's and it's about lifting that veil that we've been living. Like you think about even our educational system, you know, was Gislaine Aswell's father. Epstein's like father-in-law was the guy that wrote our fucking history books, right?

The Schofield Bible, right? Which is the Bible that tells you that in order for Jesus to come back, there has to be the new temple has to be rebuilt. That was, that's, look at, look that up. Look at the Schofield Bible. That's the one that's the cause. Who, who, who financed that?

So, what I'm saying is that like the dam is breaking and it's a good time to live in, and it's a new day, right? It's a new day because we won with the Knicks, it's a new day because we Mam Donnie, but it's a new day. We need to, we need to, if you can't tell me it's a genocide, and then I look at my phone and I verify that it's a genocide, you are not, you are, you should not be leading. You're not qualified any longer. So you may have been qualified, but you've lost that qualification. Once you start telling me lies into my face.

Then a lot of other things.

Don't matter. And I think a lot of people, you know, the reason Biden lost, even though it's really Kamala, Biden, that genocide was under Biden, right? Kamala never ran away from far from it. He waited seven days for it for to to to to step out, which is ridiculous, right? But the the election was lost because of this genocide. You know, Kamala didn't know how to talk about it. She would do word salads when she talked about this genocide that that was started under Biden. This Democratic started genocide. And they lost that election.

Election. So at this point, you know, we need to clean house. We need to clean house. Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, anyone that can't call it what it is, anyone taking money from APAC is no longer fit to lead. I'm sorry to say. And then that custom clutch home. That's why I will be voting for Daria Lisa.

Octavio Blanco (42:43)
and

Sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off on that very important moment. ⁓ that's huge. I mean, that's a huge thing. Led Black ⁓ endorsing Dariah ⁓ Lisa. ⁓ That's a huge moment there for our community. And I will say this also about the way that we are represented. We can no longer be where

Led Black (42:48)
No, we're good. No good.

Octavio Blanco (43:16)
People of color are seen as less than anybody else, right? We cannot be represented by people who will other the residents of upper Manhattan and the Bronx, who are people of color, and look at them as less important than other people in the Bronx or upper Manhattan.

One of things that you've said and that I'm, know, it's important to note is like, we wanna not always center the conversation around whether or not Israel is being insulted or if Israelis or Jewish people are gonna feel like, ⁓ you know, marginalized. Because the fact of the matter is,

There's a lot of other people that are already marginalized in our communities. And so that's why we try to make sure that we're not centering the conversation in that traditional media place where, you know, there's so much focus on, well, what's Israel going to say? Or how will, how do Jewish people feel? We're making sure that

Led Black (44:18)
Okay.

Octavio Blanco (44:39)
Yeah, I'm not saying that that's not an important part of the conversation, but certainly shouldn't be centered. It shouldn't be the only part of the conversation. There's a lot of people out here who are being marginalized every single day that are not getting the resources that they need every single day by their representatives who are much more focused on making sure that APAC, for example, holds them in a high regard and delivers

millions of dollars into their campaign. So like you said, Lex, I think now we've, ⁓ the conversation has been normalized to say, a minute, is that right? Is that right? What's happening? I'm not trying to denigrate somebody or put one person against another person, but is it right that the people

Led Black (45:34)
Yeah.

Octavio Blanco (45:37)
of this district or these districts don't seem to be getting equal representation because of the millions and millions of dollars that are going into the pockets of the people who are representing them. I mean, the fact that Richie Torres is voting to deport people is crazy. We should have him on the show and talk to him about that.

Led Black (46:02)
You know and

I wish we had Richie Torres. my God, that would be the one of the greatest days of my life. I would my God, I would hope that would happen. But he wouldn't be on. He's a coward. He's a coward. And Yeah, he's a coward. ⁓ you know, and that's the thing that like you know, once someone shows you that something can be done, you start saying, like, why haven't you been doing shit? Right? You know, mom Donnie's been in

Octavio Blanco (46:10)
Well, we're gonna invite him. We're gonna make sure that we invite him.

Led Black (46:27)
In power, how long? You know, a few months, six months. And and and you know, we won a championship, right? No, I'm joking, but no, no, but like, you know, like right here ⁓ on 179th where where Port Authority is.

Octavio Blanco (46:34)
No, no, no.

Led Black (46:42)
Those things you have massive powerholes there. They're clean now, right? So it's not like the city's perfect, but you see steps in the right direction. You see movement. You see things that have been done for so long, done differently, done more effectively, because they're thinking about the job of governing, right? And basic services. Those are those are thoughts that are foremost in their minds. How do I how do I hack this so it works better for the people of the city?

Right. So now, well, you've been in you've been in power for 10 years. Why is it ⁓ people can't afford to live up here anymore? Right? Why is it? Right. And that's the thing that like what I'm starting to realize, and I think Richie Torres is like a a

Like the the the the test tube specimen of it, right? Where he's completely bought off. Like he's completely installed, has no actual basis in that. And he's not from there. Yeah. I don't care. I really don't know if he's real. I seriously don't know if he's an android. I really don't not sure. I'm not sure. But what I'm saying is he's a completely bought thing. I don't I don't say that about the honor. I would never say that. He is a he is a member of this community that's been in leadership for a long time. But but the moment, right?

You you you can't say the you can't call the thing for what the thing is. That's that's the moment you've lost me. And I think like b like I was trying to say before, you know, a lot of people draw the line of genocide. You know, not everybody, right? I know people rather be brunching.

Than going through this, right? But but but we we we not we now to need to look at ourselves at our country and our democracy w eyes wide open, that it's not just a Republican Trump thing, that that that the so-called democratic leadership leadership is corrupt and and we need to get rid of them and clean house, clean our house first. Do new things. And that's what Mam Dani has showed that you can do things new. And and and one of the things I want to say, right, because

You know, I'm a social media strategist, right? I spend a lot of my time on social media because that's how I make some money, right? Like and

So I spend another, you know, social media really, you know, like you know, you say you have black Twitter, you have this. It really is ⁓ many universes, right? So you know, you have Dominican IG, right? Dominican social media, right? So one thing that I noticed on on Dominican social media, right? And I I don't even think it makes sense as a is a as a strategy, is a lot of attacking of Daria Lisa.

Octavio Blanco (49:02)
Can I

ask you a question first? Is it Dominican diaspora social media or is it Dominican Dominican social media?

Led Black (49:08)
No. It's Dominican, Dominican,

Dominican, and DR Spanish language. ⁓ for for the Dominicans there, kind of warning them about stuff happening here, right? And and and and you know, the thing is with the algorithms, once you commens come c you know consume a piece of content, you're gonna get more of it. And you know, so I've been you know compiling some of this stuff. And what's interesting is first of all, they're very big on the deleted tweets, right?

So they'll say, you know, and then it gets really ugly because then there's a lot of like taking the the climate and the situation there and kind of try to impose it here in a weird way, right? So the so their take is that basically Mam Dani is shitting on Dominicans, right? But she's Dominican, right? So that's first of all, that's dumb. But then Mam Dani.

Octavio Blanco (49:59)
⁓ that

Daria Lisa is shitting on Dominicans? ⁓

Led Black (50:02)
No, the Mandani.

Because Mam Dani didn't

keep his commitments to Espaya. That's that's the the claim, that's the claim they're making, right? And you know, and they're telling Dominicans over over there to tell the Dominican family here that they have to vote for Espaya because basically she's first of all, she's not Dominican, she's Haitian and she's a socialist communist, and she's part of like ⁓ like Mamdani's terrorist army, right? And like that's how ugly like Spanish language Dominican IG can get sometimes, right?

Octavio Blanco (50:07)
⁓ I see, I see, I see.

Led Black (50:33)
And it's like these kind of like but they look like regular news shows and they're like talking, yeah, like and they're just making all these wild accusations, right? They never talk about APAC. They just talk about her deleted tweets and how

You know, she hates Dominicans and she she's she's not, even though she may be Dominican, she's really like a a Haitian Muslim terrorist. You know what I mean? In really ugly terms, you know. And and another thing that, you know, I don't even know if should be saying it, but there was an encounter my wife had like recently with someone that supports the candidate. And they called her a terror, but call my wife a terrorist because she wasn't with the candidate, you know, and and and I think like it's it's a subtext that I find really gross. And, you know, like I find that like it seems like there's some type of like

back and forth with the New York Post, just posting bullshit. You know, and I find that like when when when you engage in that kind of thing, you know, I think, I think that's ugly. You know what I mean? I I think that it it it shows it show it says a lot about the people doing it. And I think that's really whack. So, you know, I I but I also think it doesn't it's not even smart because it those it doesn't really affect the election either. So it's like I think it's being hateful for no reason. It doesn't even really help your candidacy.

Octavio Blanco (51:39)
Yeah, I mean, this campaign has ⁓ has gotten very ugly for sure. ⁓ It is ⁓ the advertising that hits my stream the advertising on TV because now now television is much more television advertising is much more directed at at individual people you can really tailor your advertising. ⁓ It's really ugly and what you're saying about calling you know the misinformation about

her background as a being Haitian or something like that is totally falling into that Dominican racial trope of Haitians versus Dominican Republic and that terrible history that exists. It is sad to see that. It is sad to see the ugly campaign. You know, both there is, there is.

It's it's a it's it's a real it's a real bare knuckle brawl. Everybody who's running is really, you know, out there to try to get in there. They it's understood how monumental this time that we're living in is, which is why we do this, right? This is why we're here, because we're living in that cursed, interesting times, you know what mean? We're living in that monumental time in history where

Led Black (52:54)
Mm-hmm.

Octavio Blanco (53:03)
where our future is being developed in a very, very concentrated ways. Our technology is changing. Our worldviews are changing. ⁓ The way that messages are shared is changing. What we can talk about without being hit with backlash is changing.

so, you know, that's why we're doing this and that's what these campaigns are recognizing that this is the time to, to get in there. And if you got to get dirty, you got to get dirty. And I want to mean dirty. mean, when you get nasty, you know, they're getting nasty with each other. I know. I don't know. Well, wait, let me just, let me just say, just, I hope that, we can, it's like in sports, right? You can be against the other team real, real hard.

Led Black (53:50)
But listen, like like to to your point, right?

Octavio Blanco (54:03)
And then when the game's over, hopefully you can shake hands and say good game, you know, hopefully there's learning that happens. ⁓ And hopefully that

Led Black (54:11)
I'm sorry. I don't

need I'm sorry. That's just so like, hey, like pie in the sky. Like, I'm sorry. Like at this point, if you're taking money from APAC, it's immoral. That's it. Like you I'm sorry. Like that we have to draw the line somewhere. And if you if if you're so anywhere supporting this genocide, it's beyond the pale. And it's not about shaking hands, kumbaya. Like, I mean, like, let's be for real. And and and you know, to your point, right, that this is this is the time.

Right. So a few weeks ago I heard Nan and Yao saying, we're no longer gonna take any more American money. well, why is that? It's because there's a there's in the N NDA, NDAA, whatever, ⁓ there was a a a Tool 24 little part in there where they want to merge the American Israeli militaries. Right? They wanna use all the technology that Israel has developed on actual people in that in the lab that they've been they've been they've been waging war on human beings with all types of harm.

Horrible, you know, Nazi-like experiments, that's gonna come here, right? And that's what the merging means. It's it's it's AI, it's all, it's it's it's sourcing, right? It's the United States of Israel, right? So that's why this is a fight, right? And and and and that's why we've joined this fight. And I also think that's why, you know, we you and I.

Have been really big on on getting these candidates, right? So we now have two interviews available with Daria Lisa. We have one very lengthy one with with with Espaya. And and it's about going go back. Go check it out. Go go look at it, right? it's it's time to do those things now. So there was ⁓ you sent me the WYNYC, the Brian Larry. It wasn't a debate, it was a forum between the two of them. Look, go look at that. You know what I mean? And and again, like, you know, I don't ever want to disrespect Espaya as a

Octavio Blanco (55:52)
Mm-hmm.

Led Black (55:59)
As a person, I I have a I had a lot of love and respect for him, you know what I mean? But you've lost me with this one, right? And so go back, go look at that interview where they're both in front of each other discussing, you know, look about the genocide, look how he canceled genocide, look about the money he's taken, look it up, it's there. And I think also New York One just did another interview, you know, where the guy asked him, was it what Pix 11.

Octavio Blanco (56:23)
PIX11, I think

it did it.

Led Black (56:24)
Pixel,

my apologies. That was an excellent interview. And again, he has a chance to call it what it is. Stop playing. Like, this is a genocide. And you you you can't have any, it has to be all armed sales. We we need a new thing. Like, we need a new thing. And if you're with the old thing, then then you gotta go. You know, it doesn't matter if it's here or for somewhere else. Like, we need to take care of this country. We need to really hunker down.

Changed the democracy, never let a Trump happen again. That was fucking Biden's whole job. To not let fucking Trump happen again. And he did nothing. Bolsonaro went to fucking jail in Brazil. And fucking Merrick Garland didn't do shit. The Democratic Party didn't do shit. Schumer, all these people are horrible people. They would need to be cleansed.

That's it. Like we need a we need to care about this country and with other things. And what we've show what Mandani's showing us is that it's possible. What what what Jalen Brunson showed us was that it's possible, right? The leadership, right, can can can weather the storm, right? And can succeed. And but we need that. And then and we need we need leadership. And these leaders that are getting paid by

Octavio Blanco (57:29)
Yeah.

Led Black (57:37)
But not just not just like lobbies in this country, lobbies for other countries, right? Where where those countries suck suck the very life of us. Just take everything, get us into wars, right? We're in this war right now because of I because of Netanyahu. Netanyahu won this war. The CIA said don't do this, right? Because they knew what a the strategic blunder that this was, right? But if you look at Congress, Congress is for this war. Hakeem Jeffries is for this war.

Octavio Blanco (57:42)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Led Black (58:07)
Right? Schumer's for this war. You know, he he's might he may might not be forceful enough for him. For forget about Lady Graham. Lady Graham is loving this war. It makes him hot. Right? So so this is this is this is the problem, you know, Tavio. We we need to we need a real change, brother. But we have a few seconds left. I'll let you get the last word, brother.

Octavio Blanco (58:23)
And yeah,

no, this is all happening during a time where we're confronting an economic crisis in the United States, where we're confronting a health crisis in the United States, not just mental, but just health in general, people's, people's health care is being taken away from them. This is at a time where, where, where Americans are feeling more and more disappointed with what's going on in their countries. And ⁓ it's it's amazing to me that somebody like Trump

was able to maintain that status, you know, but it's it's it's eroding, it's falling, it's he's he's at the end of this. At the end of his term, it's going to be he's going to be a joke and he's never going to be heard from again, hopefully. ⁓ But yeah, it's a I say, you know, that's why we're here. We are trying to get the these get so important for us to make sure that our people, our communities are engaged and using critical thinking.

and getting out there and voting. The polls are open, so make sure that you get out there. If you want to do early voting, get out there and vote. And the election day is on the 23rd. So that's it, lead. Go Knicks. Go Knicks. We're champions. We're champions.

Led Black (59:37)
Spread love is the uptown way. Make sure you make sure you subscribe. Go, Nick's.

All that. Let's go, y'all. Subscribe to the channel. Tell your people about it. Spread love is the uptown way.

Octavio Blanco (59:44)
All right.

Peace.