On Running for Office
When I began my candidacy for Mayor, I knew it would be a long road. Some people, while outwardly supportive, suggested I aim for another job, run for a smaller office, or use the campaign as a platform for a high-level job in the next administration.
“Commissioners don’t become mayor.” “Can a woman actually win?” “It takes a lot of personality to become Mayor.” “You know, you’d make a great deputy mayor.”
It hasn’t been easy. In January of this year I sat on the floor of my Brooklyn home, where I’ve lived for 25 years, with a campaign volunteer. Across from me was a bowl of candy and a whiteboard. I was getting coached on something utterly unnatural to me — asking people for money on the phone.
I knew I had to get to work, and there wasn’t any other option. I had to get it done.
But the truth is I’m pretty shy. Nearly 20 years ago, I was preparing to speak in front of a roomful of parents for a seat on the PTA — a small, low stakes meeting. But my hands trembled from nerves, and my leg wouldn’t stop shaking.
I have never sought the spotlight. I never set out to be the center of attention or get the headlines in the paper. Throughout my career as a public servant, I have been comfortable behind the curtain, earning a reputation as the quiet fixer. I’m happiest when I’m solving the problems that get in the way of a better life for New Yorkers.
I was raised in a family where public service was front and center. My mom was a teacher at Medger Evers, and my dad was a labor negotiator. My parents adopted me and my two siblings, who are Black, and had two more children as well. They didn’t pressure us to go into public service, but the conversations in our home were often centered around one nuclear fact: If you’re not working to improve someone’s life — then what are you doing with your time? It’s how I live my life to this day.
I began my work as an intern at New York City’s Department of Sanitation. Two decades later, I would return to lead it.
When I was named Commissioner of DSNY, the world’s largest trash and snow removal agency, I became only the second woman to lead a department that is 98% male. I took on a public facing role, negotiating with unions and making the rounds of morning TV for every storm. That fear of public speaking went right out the window, because it was my job — as did my fear of asking for money on the campaign trail.
I earned the respect of the DSNY workforce by staying true to myself. When they handed me my official DSNY uniform jacket, it was sized and designed for a man. It made me look like SpongeBob. I handed it back and swapped it for a fitted version. When I spoke at roll calls at 6am at Sanitation garages, I addressed the workforce in high heels and in my style. As Kathryn Garcia.
I’ve never changed who I am for any job, and I have spent my entire career running to where the problems are. Right now, our City needs someone who knows how to fix problems. I felt called to do what I could. That’s why I’m running for Mayor.
Throughout this campaign, I have defied the traditional candidate stereotype. I’ve been called “boring” and told that I lack “charisma.” Others tried to put me in their box instead of the one I created for myself.
Through all the mudslinging, the chorus of voices asking why I wasn’t as exciting as other candidates — why isn’t Kathryn Garcia what we want Kathryn Garcia to be? — the thing I listened to the most are the voices of New Yorkers, one voter at a time. Over and over again I heard that we need a government that works for everyone.
The other voice I listened to was my own.
What I will bring to the leadership table matters. When I talk about free childcare, I understand what it means to struggle as a working mom, because I lived it. When I talk about police reform, I recall memories from my early childhood that have never left me. From a young age, I saw my Black siblings being treated differently than I was. Every time I fear the risks my brother faces as a Black man in this world, I know that as mayor, I will be in a position to do something about it. And I will.
Nothing about campaigning is glamorous and that’s how it should be, because neither is governing. The Mayor holds the future of New Yorkers in her hands. I don’t just want the title, I want to do the job.
As mayor I will be who I’ve always been, Kathryn Garcia. Should I win, I’m not sure I’d think of myself as a trailblazer. What I hope people take away from my campaign is to never be afraid to do what you know you are capable of.
People will try to hand you the jacket that’s made for someone else. You don’t have to accept it. Wear the one that fits you. And if it doesn’t exist yet, you can make your own.
This week, I sent a message in our team Slack channel: “For this last week, write at least one sentence a day about the experience. No need to share. But it’s always nice to look back.” As a journaler, I write to capture the memories. I want my team to remember what they helped to build. I am deeply grateful for their work and dedication to an underdog candidate.
What did I write down? Well, it was pretty simple:
At 22 years old, I began work in our city government. Now, three decades later, I’m back to ask for your vote to lead it.
