Highly Melanated Podcast
Hosted by PJ, Blair & Red A safe space for you to enjoy every bit of your melanin no matter how "melanated" you are in skin tone, we are ALL Highly Melanated.Come enjoy funny and dynamic conversations that people of color face on a day to day basis with various topics such as loving ourselves, knowing who we are as a people and uplifting each other with a mix of class and rachetness (CLATCHETNESS)
Highly Melanated Podcast
Grassroots Against The Machine w. Kyle Little
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They told him he couldn’t even stand on the debate stage without raising $250,000 and he still made the ballot by grinding for signatures and showing up in the community. That’s where this conversation starts: what a grassroots congressional campaign actually looks like when you don’t have party insiders, big donors, or a political machine clearing the path for you.
We’re joined by Kyle Little, a small business owner, fitness professional, and adjunct professor running for Congress in New Jersey’s 12th congressional district. We talk honestly about being ignored by establishment players, how fundraising rules can silence first-time candidates, and why he believes the system rewards money more than ideas. Kyle also lays out the policies he’s running on, including a $20 minimum wage, universal health care, free childcare, student loan debt forgiveness, and a $25,000 grant for first-time homebuyers, all through the lens of what working people feel every month when rent, debt, and costs keep climbing.
We also get into the hardest questions he faces on the trail, especially the war in Gaza, how quickly “truth to power” turns into labels, and what it means to represent a diverse district while staying principled. And as an openly gay Black man, Kyle explains why representation matters while still keeping the focus on serving everyone and being accountable every two years.
If you care about voting rights, primary elections, affordability, and breaking the pay-to-play model in American politics, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reason to vote, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
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Kyle Little Cold Open Message
SPEAKER_07I'm Kyle Little, and they didn't want you to hear from me. I was the first of 12 candidates to enter this race, but for over a year, the political establishment ignored me. Ignored by mayors, ghosted by party insiders, outspent by career politicians. And then they shut me out of the NJ-12 debate because I didn't raise $250,000. Think about that. In their world, money decides who gets heard. But not in my campaign. I made the ballot myself. 500 plus signatures, door to door, no shortcuts, no handouts. I'm a small business owner, an adjunct professor. I live the same struggles you do. That's why I'm fighting for a $20 minimum wage, universal health care, free child care, and $25,000 for first-time homebuyers. New Jersey doesn't need another politician. It needs someone who actually understands the struggle. I'm Kyle Little, and I'm fighting for you.
SPEAKER_04I don't
Welcome Back And New Toys
SPEAKER_04know what it is, but I just love being Blair BJ here.
SPEAKER_02What up, Joe? It's your girl Blair. You know, my melanin was popping yesterday.
SPEAKER_03It's popping today, and it's showing up gonna be popping tomorrow. It's your boy Red, and you're listening to the Highly Melanated Podcast.
SPEAKER_05Hey girl. What's up, Sally?
SPEAKER_04Hey guys, hey guys, hey guys. Welcome back to another episode of Highly Melanated Podcast. The safe space where it's okay to stand up for what you believe in and speak your truth.
SPEAKER_01I was gonna do it too. Stand up for your rights.
SPEAKER_02Stand up, stand up. Yes, thank you.
SPEAKER_04PJ is enjoying my new toy. I got a PlayStation, y'all.
SPEAKER_00Oh, okay. Thank you for clarifying.
SPEAKER_04I had to clarify because I already know where y'all, y'all are so y'all are nasty. But no, I gotta go to PlayStation. So PJ is enjoying his new toy. Okay. You could have just said I'm enjoying my new PlayStation, but he could have, but definitely his mind works.
SPEAKER_02But he wants to lead you in.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god. Y'all think y'all know me so well.
SPEAKER_03Y'all do that. Red. Uh I I recently got a new duck. So for you guys who don't know, I love ducks. I collect like little rubber ducks. And so I just got a new duck keychain.
SPEAKER_04Who a duck keychain? I see what you did there. Rubber ducky. No, or ducky. Got you.
SPEAKER_02Um we're talking about things that are new. Um, this is so I I got I got new nails. Okay. Okay, okay. And so normally just because like with um with modeling, you know, you always have to keep like your nails like very basic, very neutral. But every once in a while I kind of like to throw a little something in there that's just a little, just it's still subtle, but it's just a little fun. So I this has been on my Pinterest board for a while. And so finally I was like, fuck it, do it. And so we did it yesterday. It was great. I love them.
SPEAKER_03Thank you for the nice nails. You know how to do it.
SPEAKER_02And and I got a new nail shape. I know I don't know if you guys care about this at all or not, but I am I am a squovile girly, and I got almonds this time, which is squovel. Squovel. Square but oval.
SPEAKER_03The word of the day is squovile.
SPEAKER_02Squovel. They're square nails, but they're slightly oval on the edges. So but this time I got almond.
SPEAKER_04Yes.
Meet Kyle Little For Congress
SPEAKER_04And guys, we have a special, special, special treat for you. Uh currently we have a if you can hear a little snicker here and there. Uh, we have another person here on the mic. He is um, of course, uh a brother of uh I unified theater fraternity incorporated. Uh oh. He is also an animal lover. Uh he is really mostly important, running for Congress. And uh for some strange reason, he loves loves the TV show Love is Blind.
SPEAKER_00That's not strange at all. That's not strange.
SPEAKER_04I have no idea. I've never seen it. I have never seen it.
SPEAKER_07Oh, so oh, so yeah, so don't knock it before you try it.
SPEAKER_03You're gonna have the whole Love is Blind community after you, PJ.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. Everybody, please welcome the podcast, Mr. Kyle Little.
SPEAKER_03Welcome aboard, Kyle. Thank you.
SPEAKER_07Thank y'all for having me.
SPEAKER_02Yes, and so to to round us all the way out, um, give us your you you are, you know, PJ's enjoying his new toy, Red is enjoying his new duck, I'm enjoying my new nails, and you are enjoying your new my new time on this podcast.
SPEAKER_07I'm enjoying my new Okay, look, we we like that.
SPEAKER_04Okay, because hopefully by the end of this, you'll be enjoying your new congressional seat, okay? Absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_07So the primary elections are a week away, one week from today.
SPEAKER_00Indeed.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, one week away. It's already like uh it's already uh coming up. I mean, like, can you believe it's already June? Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Happy New Year, everybody. Happy fucking new year. It's already about to snow. Okay. Oh, so we're gonna because we have a guest on, we're gonna, I guess, speed past a little of the normal uh things that we do. But um, so instead of all of us taking the time to say how our weeks have been, you're our guest.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. How was your week, sir? How was your week? How are you doing?
SPEAKER_07My week has been and but it's good overall, you know, very good. I have been running for Congress for a year now, so I have had some great days and I have had some shitty days. Uh my mood is back and forth every other day. We're coming down to the wire. So I would say like this last week or so has been, you know, I I feel like I already have some weight off my shoulders because it's like by now it's gonna be whatever it's gonna be, you know. Um still very busy though, because I'm also a small business owner and I have a lot of changes going on with my business right now as well. So um it's just a lot of things going on, I guess in my personal life. Okay, but yeah, it wasn't overall. So Chris is asking for the crowd because he knows he should be. The people want to know.
SPEAKER_06The people want to know, they want to know, they're gonna know.
SPEAKER_07So I am the owner of Isolation Fitness. Um, I own two fitness facilities right now, at the current moment. I own two fitness facilities. I'm currently leaving one um literally next week. Um, leaving one and could and renovating the other one to have to do what I have been doing for the past five years in my first location. Okay. Yeah, yeah. So I'm the owner of isolation fitness, and you know, I've always
Campaign Week And Business Life
SPEAKER_07just been serving the people, helping get people get in shape and you know, having community events and you know, all types of things that just give back to the community.
SPEAKER_00All right.
SPEAKER_03Nice.
SPEAKER_00Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_03Come on. I remember when this guy had zero fitness centers. Zero, nothing, not a thing.
SPEAKER_02I thought you were gonna end the sentence with zero fitness. So here's so here's the thing.
SPEAKER_04What there's one thing that Kyle has always been, he's always been fit physically fit. So, you know, he even though ironically enough, he's such a little guy. Um with his last name being little button. We love this guy, so like we're you know, we're anything we could do to support him. But you know, when we actually opened up his business, opened up his fitness, the first one. And the first one was just in Edison, I think, right? Metuchin, yeah, which is right by Edison. Yeah. Um it was like, okay, look a little bit, just look at look at you know how black people look at him little his little business.
SPEAKER_05Okay, but it's support his little business.
SPEAKER_04Okay, just like Stephen said, Mine, my mind and my business. You know, okay. So, but let me support. I love, I love it, I love it.
SPEAKER_03Okay, good.
SPEAKER_07Well, speaking of 10 years since I opened that first one.
SPEAKER_03Wow, has it been 10 years? November 1st, it would be 10 years. Yep.
SPEAKER_00That's amazing. Congratulations.
SPEAKER_03Happy anniversary on that, too, because like 10 years is a big milestone. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you.
SPEAKER_00A lot of businesses don't make it past their first year, so that's great.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, so that actually brings me to my point. So, question of the week, question of the week, question of the week. Your questions as they pertain to you prospectively and introspectively. Uh, you're talking about accomplishments, and we are at the halfway mark of the year. And I was just how I came across this thought was basically I saw recently all the conversation around Dr. Cheyenne Bryant and everything that's been going on with her and whether or not she is actually credentialed and she's actually licensed. And I want to make sure that I want to start thinking about what is something that I want to make sure that I accomplish and actually complete through and through. So, what would you guys like to accomplish before the year is over?
SPEAKER_04I'll go first.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_04Actually, I will not. Ladies first.
SPEAKER_01I insist, PJ. Go right.
SPEAKER_04You know what? Before wait, before we get to question of the week, I just want to say this and say this one thing. Ladies and gentlemen, if y'all have not paid attention to uh this one slight Instagram, uh, I think it's called Hey Girl Hey.
SPEAKER_06I'm screaming.
SPEAKER_04We were uh, you know, and you know, back in the day we did this little, you know, we did this little thing. Actually, it's been a year now since we did the Martin. It's been a year.
SPEAKER_02It's been a year since Martin, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And so we did one uh celebrating these lovely ladies uh with uh Dana Queen Latifah Owens uh and all the others. Um no I can't remember the days of it with Cam Calvin. Alexander, Cam Coles, Kim Fields, TC Carson, our frat brother, as well as um We remembered you, don't worry. Yes, okay, and and my character as well, Overton. Um someone had the opportunity to meet and finally like I want can we before we move any further, can we just can we hear that from you? What was that like? What how did that happen? What I never know. How was you in the room with Erica Alexander in the first place?
SPEAKER_02So it happened because um Audible um was doing a pop-up installation in the city, and they were hosting a part of the the pop-up was um Fireside Chat with Erica Alexander because she has a book on Audible that um won a bunch of like different like journal awards. And uh, if you guys remember the book, uh Finding Tamika, she narrates it. So um it was one of Audible's like most listened to uh series, and it did really well and was very popular. So she uh was the uh person of topic for the fireside chat, and the conversation was just about like main character energy. So it was a conversation about her and her career and um the many hats that she, you know, holds and just you know, QA interview style kind of thing. So I saw that she was gonna be there, and so I made sure to RCP, and they said space was limited, so I made sure to get there hella early because I was gonna get my seat. Um I was sitting right there, right up front. It was so funny because like I felt like I I obviously strategically chose my seat. Um, but I I was so happy about where I sat because I felt like she was just giving me the eyes the whole time. I was like, we are locked, we are locked in. Like every answer she gave, she was looking right at me. I don't know, maybe you know, it's whatever placebo effect. I thought she was looking at me, whatever. We had a moment. So, and she's just so humble and so magnetic. And um, so they had a QA afterwards, and only two questions were able to be asked in the time that was allowed because the questions were lengthy, and then the answers she gave were like very thorough. So they didn't have any more time for questions after that. So I was like, ah, shucks. I was like, okay, that's okay. Because afterwards, she took the time to meet and greet every single person in that room. I think there's maybe about like 40 to 50 of us total, but she she stood on that stage and she let that line form and she she spoke to everybody that came up to her in that line. And so when I got up to her, we the first thing we did was we took pictures with each other. And then um, after the pictures, I, you know, took my opportunity to speak to her. And I just said, I just wanted to thank you so much for being here today and for speaking to us and being able to hear from you know yourself as another fellow actor and creator, somebody who, you know, admires like the career that she's built and building my own career. Just wanted to thank you. And then I told her, I was like, I don't know if you're gonna remember this or not, but um, I actually produced a tribute to Living Single and we recreated an episode, the Christmas episode, and she stopped and looked dead at me. She was like, I knew you. I thought I knew you. Yo, I feel like we're friends in my head, we're friends in my head, we're connected in my head. I was like, girl. So of course I'm geeking. And then she was like, get that camera back out, get your phone back out, get your phone back out. I gotta talk to your crew, I gotta talk to your crew. She's like, What do you what do you call yourselves, the living single crew? And I was like, uh, yeah. Cause I it was gonna take too much time to go through like explaining the whole hey girl, hey productions thing. So I was like, Yeah, yeah, yeah, just call this the living single crew. That's cool, that's cool. So I put my got my phone back out and started recording, and she recorded that message just for you guys. Like that was from her to you because she wanted to speak to you all. And then afterwards, you know, um, she was just so sweet and humble. We hugged and we talked a little bit more about, you know, I had to pitch the pilot to her. So did that, and yeah, so stay tuned. We might be able to get a few things going.
SPEAKER_04Shout out to the Maverick and the Wolverine, y'all.
SPEAKER_03Shout out to the Maverick and the Wolverine. Okay, okay. So Blair has already accomplished her goal this year.
SPEAKER_04So, okay, so to piggyback off of that, um, my main goal is to fully have the script finished with the first with the pitch deck and all the things done for uh Firefly,
Midyear Goals And Creative Wins
SPEAKER_04the actual thing that I've been working on for a while in in secret. Um, that's all I'm gonna say. But I just I'm I've gotten a lot of it done, at least like 90% of it done. Um, and I had did this weird thing with ChatGPT where I asked it, like, give me my uh blind spots, and it said, you keep creating new things, yet you don't finish one thing.
SPEAKER_03Oh, you didn't work on the live when you were talking about it, and it's like GPT will read you.
SPEAKER_04And it basically said it said, While your mind is is great and is, you know, all this is just a part of avoidance. What are you really avoiding? You have a lot of potential, you have you you do all these wonderful things between the podcast and between all the scripts that you have and the teaching and all of this other stuff. Uh there's something that you need to get completed, and so I hope it's like, okay, so I made a step program about like what it is gonna take for me to finish it for this year. So that is my goal for this year.
SPEAKER_00Amazing.
SPEAKER_03I like. Um my goal is to actually finish uh the script that I've been writing. Come on, script. So that it that you know, I don't I don't I don't know if you guys remember, but I had talked about I was writing a a a essentially a rom com, a sci-fi rom com. And I keep stopping because I had to formulate the main characters, and so I think I have who that who they are now.
SPEAKER_06Okay.
SPEAKER_03It's about nine individuals, and they just their their paths just all intersect, and so now I'm all like, all right, now that I have the nine, let me finish.
SPEAKER_02It takes time to develop a story like that. I think like people think that like, oh, a script is put together, you know, super quick, but especially when it's just like one or two people like writing it, like like my pilot, like we workshopped that for almost three years before we finally landed on a version that like we love, you know, so it takes time.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, no, yeah, you're absolutely right. And it doesn't help that it's a sci-fi rom com. So there's a lot of world building that I have to figure out like where people are gonna be at the right place at the right time to kind of convey the thought that I have in my head. But yeah, that's gonna be done this this year.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Um Mr.
SPEAKER_07Little. Well, my goal is to become the next congressman of New Jersey's post-progressional district.
SPEAKER_01You see how that just flowed right into it. The setup and we flow right into it.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I mean, but I have you know, I have other things. I don't know if I will get this done this year, but I want to also write a book about this whole experience because it has definitely been a unique one. Um from when I probably more unique than anybody else's. Oh, I wouldn't say it definitely in the state of New Jersey, but I want to say in the whole country because I went into this challenging an incumbent, challenging an incumbent Democrat, um, and who then so so for the whole first seven months of my campaign, I was running against an incumbent. She decided not to seek re-election, you know, and retire. So then the seat became open. Now I had, you know, from so from November to February, it was just like I felt like DJ Khaled, another one, another one, another one. Because I just kept seeing people into the race, one or two people into the race weekly. Um, so we got to the point where it was me versus 16 other people. Um, but then when it came time for us to make the ballot, 13 of us made the ballot. Um and one has dropped out since. So now going into this final week, is I'm one of 12 candidates. Um, but I've seen I've been there from the beginning and seen how this whole thing unpacked. Um, and also like just running, almost running my campaign as uh a one-man show, you know. Um, so it will be interesting to see what actually plays out next Tuesday. Like how many people were I will I be able to get to vote for me with pretty much organizing my whole campaign by myself as a first-time candidate.
SPEAKER_02So that gives us a nice snapshot into, and again, it's just a snapshot because I'm sure it the story is so much bigger than what you've been able to put in a couple of words here. But that shows this kind of like where you're at now. But for our listening audience and um for your you know potential voters, like let's step it back just a little bit and just tell us about who you are and why you want to be or how you even got involved in politics in the first place. Because I'm sure, like you said, like you when you mentioned um about um your business, you've always been serving the people, but this is a very specific way to serve the people. So, how did you get here?
SPEAKER_07Well, I've always been very outspoken. You know, I've always been very outspoken. I've always stood up for what I believed in. Um so I've had friends telling me for years, you know, Kyle, you need to get into politics. Um, and then once the 2024 election happened and Donald Trump got re-elected, I knew then that I had to step out there um and fight as a black man, as an openly gay man. Um, I knew that all
Why He Jumped Into Politics
SPEAKER_07of my and you know, human and constitutional rights would be taken away by this administration. And I knew that I would be that representation for marginalized communities to be able to uh advocate for them and serve them in Congress. Um so I'm not a career politician, and that's what makes me very another thing that makes me very unique. I am a small business owner and I'm an adjunct college professor. Um so no, I don't have political experience, but I do have world experience, you know, and I do I am able to relate to the average individual. You know, if any one of you um were to, you know, run for Congress right now, now I I know like what it takes, you know, for for like the average human being to be able to run for Congress. Because let me tell you, the establishment does not make it easy for the average person to be able to run for office.
SPEAKER_03What so Let me ask you this. I mean, now that you've been, you know, essentially running and you've been a kind of like this a well-oiled machine by yourself. What has been some of your biggest hurdles that you've been having with this process?
SPEAKER_07I honestly think the biggest hurdle was fundraising. That was the biggest, and because I wanted to, you know, I'm a different type of person than like your average politician. You know, like a lot of these politicians make, I mean, you know, like they raise their money to send out mailers or they they raise their money to do, you know, just calling big donors to uh uh get billboards and things like that.
SPEAKER_04They start lobbying.
SPEAKER_07Yeah. But I always wanted to like, even with the money that I did fundraise, I wanted to fundraise and have like community events. So some things that I wanted to do during this campaign, I wasn't able to do because I couldn't, I didn't have enough fundraising, you know. Um, and that's probably the hardest part for a grassroots candidate because I'm depending on everyday people to donate to my campaign. I don't have access to a bunch of millionaires um, you know, to donate money to my campaign or large corporations. Um, so I think that was probably the biggest struggle. Um, other than that, like struggles have been just getting in with the establishment. No, like no matter what, when you're when you're challenging an incumbent, nobody wants to talk to you, right? So for instance, when I first launched my campaign, I reached out to every, I'm a I'm a Democrat. So I reached out to every Democratic mayor in my district. Um, not to like get an endorsement or anything, but just to say, you know, I'm Kyle Little, I'm running for Congress, I want to come and talk to some of the people in your towns to, you know, see what, see what their wants and needs are out of an elected official. And I didn't get any response. Like they all ignored me. You know, um, mayors, city councilmen, like they all they're all just going to ignore you um once they know that you're challenging and established and an incumbent. Um and that's how politics works, which I didn't I didn't know that, but you know, I I quickly found out.
SPEAKER_02So with talking about how politics work, and I I think one of the things that I feel like we're responsible for on this platform, especially when we have guests on and people who are running for, you know, for uh any type of office election, something or other, is to really just kind of make things very like plain and simple and easy for the audience to understand. So we're talking about, you know, you're running for a seat in Congress. Um what is it specifically that made you want a seat in Congress as opposed to being um, you know, on a community board or something a little more local? Like what is the what is the difference for you? Because obviously there's there's different things that are accessible at different levels, but what is it about Congress that you particularly want to get in there and do on that level?
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I want I want to progressive. So I want to change the whole system. Like the whole system is jacked up and it's always been jacked up since its its inception. You know, like it's it was never. What's an example uh that that people would be able to relate to? So the electoral college, for instance, right? The electoral college, we're the only country that has an electoral college, and the electoral college was based on racism. You had enslaved Africans in the South who were counted as part of the South's population, but yet they weren't able to vote. They were enslaved at the time. You know, so um it when you talk about when black people talk about how this country was built on racism, it literally you see it in all of our of our government still now to this day. You know, so I um I want to change just a lot of things. Like, you know, even on both sides of the aisle, even on our side of the aisle, a lot of politicians are too old. You know, they're too old and they and they don't want to change anything. You know, they um if and I feel like if the average age of of any regular job is 65 to retire, it should be the same thing for individuals in Congress as well. Um, going back to I guess what made me want to run for Congress is just that. Like I want to change things on a national level. Um, and I see all of the bigotry um and hate that's geared towards marginalized communities, you know, um on a national level. Um so I I and I felt like the Democratic Party was not fighting enough for communities that always do support them, black voters. We're the number one uh voter, like number
Fundraising Barriers And Party Gatekeeping
SPEAKER_07one voting base of the uh Democratic Party. LGBTQ voters, again, we're a faithful base of the Democratic Party. But I always felt like the Democratic Party was not standing up for us enough. Um so that's those those are some reasons why I wanted to run for Congress.
SPEAKER_04So I I want to backtrack a little bit because Congress is a big swing. Um and so like like uh there are in certain people's eyes, there might be necessary steps you can take before you can just jump to Congress. Um, do you feel that you have reached or had resistance because you're so new, no one's ever known who you are, and all of a sudden you want to fill these big shoes without knowing the ins and outs of how politics works? Or are you ready to be one of those people who's like, here I am, I'm ready to change this, and here is how? Like, do you when you not only do you want to, but do you have an actual plan that you you don't want to lay out lay out your full plan at the very beginning before the primaries, but also like do you have these things already laid out for yourself as well as for the people who want to be like, oh, so who is this little guy? No pun intended. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_07I mean, like, I'm even I ain't taking you, I ain't I ain't paying you no money. You've never used go ahead. But um, no, like I I have plans. I I'm I've been thinking into the future, even things like once I'm in Congress, what I want to accomplish. Um, so yeah, I've definitely had like these long-term plans of things I want to do. Like, even just look looking at my policies, right? I want to create uh uh a Black Wall Street in Plainfield, New Jersey. Um, I want to revive because Plainfield is a city in my district. Queen's um yeah, just I'm sorry, just have such a bad taste about Plainfield.
SPEAKER_04Just look, go ahead.
SPEAKER_07Listen, we're not about to we're not about to shade these these towns in in New Jersey 12.
SPEAKER_04We can shade the people in them. Sorry, that's one of my exes from Plainfield.
SPEAKER_07Well, we yeah, we we can definitely do that because the mayor of Plainfield is running against me, so we could definitely throw the shade against some of the people. But but um no, Trenton. Trenton is the capital of New Jersey, right? But why is this so underfunded? You know, um when I feel like when we go to Trenton, we can see the systemic racism just in it, um, because it's a predominantly black and black and brown city. Um it's the capital of our state, but yet nobody is proud of Trenton. Y'all, you know, uh um you you you from Jersey, you know. Anybody want to go to Trenton? You know, we so we drive through Trenton. Yeah, yeah, exactly. So yeah, like there's plenty of things that um I definitely I definitely want to change, you know, like even on a on a statewide level, once I'm in Congress, of course, I want to put that pressure on our governor um to implement these things within the state of New Jersey. Um, because we just we need changes. We need changes within our state, we need changes within this country.
SPEAKER_02I think one of the most effective ways in order to convince people that you're the right person for the job is to identify like what one of the biggest issues or area of concerns is for the people at large, and then present a plan as to how to address it or how to, you know, um at least make some type of like progress towards fixing it. So can you give us like just you know an example of something that you have a progressive plan for to change or to fix or to modify or whatever it is? Yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_07$20 minimum wage, you know, like we talk about uh the cost of everything right now in the state of New Jersey, you can't even get a one-bedroom apartment for less than two grand a month. Um a $25,000 grant for first-time homebuyers. Um, people are always like saying, like, well, how are we gonna get all this money? First of all, we're spending $850 billion in military spending right now. Um, bombing countries, you know, the current president bombing countries without congressional approval. Um, and now you see because of like the two attacks on Iran, the prices of gas constantly increasing. Um, student loan debt forgiveness. I've I've experienced that myself. You know, when my spouse and I were buying our home, I owe $75,000 in student loan debt once I graduated from grad school. And they told me, we don't want you to be on a mortgage right now. We don't want you to be on a mortgage because your debt to income ratio is too high. So student loan forgiveness is definitely another uh uh important policy that can really help people. Um free, you know, I'm I'm offering progressive policy, so free childcare. You know, if if if if conservatives want to force people to have kids and want to stop women uh from having abortions, they want to ban abortions, and people and they want people to have kids, parents should be able to go to work and have somebody take care of their kids without paying $20,000 a year, you know, um, or go back to school if they wanted to and get another degree. So all we and we hear these politicians talk about affordability, but these are all factors that can help under under the affordability aspect because affordability is very broad. So whenever you hear a politician just throwing words out there like affordability, ask them, okay, well, what concrete policies do you have that are going to make things more affordable?
SPEAKER_03Gotcha. Uh let me ask you this, because it
Why Congress And System Change
SPEAKER_03seems that what I see a lot that happens in politics is that there's a certain level of cognitive dissonance that's there because either people don't, I don't know, understand the the politics of it all, or you know, they only care about like a particular issue and not the other. What has been the most surprising uh pushback that you've gotten from constituents? And what do you think about how do you think you're gonna change that?
SPEAKER_07The most surprising, um the the war um in Gaza is like a huge one, especially in this district, because we have a a big Muslim population and a big Jewish population. Um a lot of the pushback, of course, has come from the Jewish side. Um because I felt like the moment that any of us politicians speak truth to power and actually call it it what it is, we're then labeled as being anti-Semitic. Um, so I I would say that's been like the most surprising part of it because I didn't think I would be called anti-Semit, the anti-Semite just for saying that it's a genocide for you know Israel killing 70,000. Yeah, exactly. You know, um even even when I was see, I made I I got all we had to collect 500 signatures um from Democratic, Democrats, registered Democrats in our district in order to get on the ballot. Collected my signatures myself, like over 90% of my signatures I got myself. So as I was out there getting signatures, I had one lady that came up to me and she said, I said, hi, I'm Kyle Little, I'm running for Congress and you're in my district and everything. And she said she was a registered Democrat, but then she asked me, she said, Well, what do you think about the war in the Middle East? I said, Well, there needs to be a ceasefire. She's like, Oh, there already was. There's no more killing, and she just walked away. And I was like, girl, I'm like, like, you know, like like get it together. How could me saying something as simple as there needs to be a ceasefire offend you? You know, so I I I've experienced a lot of that for sure. Um, when it came to pushback. Other than that, like the pushback, I've gotten normal pushback from Republicans, but I'm not worried about them. I'm not talking to them.
SPEAKER_03Gotcha.
SPEAKER_04Well, I mean, in in this sense, we you're talking to everybody. Not just it's it's it it goes, we need bipartisanship, right? So we need from every spring, every single party. So we we're also because there have been Democrats who voted for Republicans. There have been Republicans who voted for Democrats. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. Um so let me let me ask you, let me ask you this, because this is this I I love this and here's this is the only credit that I can barely give this this this naha that's end office now. Um for it's an orange. Um he has opened the door for a pe for Americans to see that you do not have to be a career politician to run for something. Absolutely. You do not have to be a politician, and I think that we do need to get away from politics as usual. Um and like bringing younger uh people who are not willing to because I'm glad you're like the person who that you were running against, I guess, glad they dropped out because the last person we had here who was running for Congress, he was running against the incumbent Yvette Clark. She's still in Congress here because she wouldn't drop out the race. Is she the best? I've met this woman twice, and each time I a sour taste in my mouth. Um and and we were gonna have her own as a guest. And she's like, sure, I would love to come. Who are you? What are you talking to me for? You know, it was just like you're your the people in your state, the people in your your your district are there to support you because you support them. What would you say in your well first of all, what district did you because I don't think you gave your district number. Okay. In the 12th district, what would you say are the top three issues that just that is specific to your district? Do you know?
SPEAKER_07I would say healthcare, I would say uh affordability, and I would also say I would say third, the the war in Gaza. Um that is such a big, I mean, it's it's never been a form that we've been at where we haven't gotten that question. Um that's like almost everybody, even if you're not Jewish or Palestinian, it's like that's like one of the first questions progressives ask. Uh, well, what do you think about the war in Gaza? You know, um, so I I think those are probably the top three.
SPEAKER_04And see, here's my problem with those with them asking that question because they're already trying to put you in a box, regardless of whatever you are going to bring together as a senator, as a congressman, as a council person, you know. So it's it's already just to pin people against you, just the way you say you spoke to that woman, she probably was like, but little do she does she know that you probably would support her ideas and beliefs, you know, more than any just whoever was in office prior to or whatever have you.
SPEAKER_07Absolutely, yeah. And that's
Affordability Plans People Can Feel
SPEAKER_07what I think I think Chris alluded to that a little bit before. You know, people get stuck on one thing, right? People get stuck on, you know, and their whole issue is abortion, right? Yeah, they they'll vote for vote for Trump, somebody like Trump just because he wants to ban abortions, you know, like so. People have to get out of that idea of being stuck on one thing, and what's going to benefit you overall? You know, who are the these politicians who are going to benefit, you know, your your your life here? I mean, at the end of the day, we got to keep it real. This is not Israel, this is not Gaza. You're talking about New Jersey. So New Jersey's 12th congressional district.
SPEAKER_04Before I pass the question to anybody else, what when you say speaking of your life, what would you say to anyone who, especially for you, who is married, an openly gay man, and what would you say to anybody who is not um supportive or anything of that, or feel that we shouldn't have anybody in office who, you know, like what is your opinion about like the way you live your life and how you want to run it run this district and this country? Shit, fuck. Okay, no, so I mean, but like that's an because there are, you know, we have there are so many. Um, okay, because last time we checked, uh, we remember uh grinder got shut down at the uh the the Republic convention because uh okay, because all of these DL um conservative men, and we're not even talking about politic like uh party in general, but there needs to be representation. And I think that it is a beautiful thing for for you as a openly black uh queer man to be, you know, running for office, not ashamed of who you are, and ready to like hit the ground running with ideas, fresh ideas. I think it's refreshing. I think it's a a beautiful thing. Um, but my question to you is what do you say to those people who like I would never vote for him because he's he's gay or he's queer?
SPEAKER_01Well, that's it.
SPEAKER_04That's your question.
SPEAKER_01I mean, I'm just gonna say that's his question.
SPEAKER_07Let him answer it. I mean, I mean, I it is kind of like that though. It's almost like, all right, well, then don't have your your your quality health care. You know, like don't have your um, you know, I'm trying to because like a lot of times we'll you'll get that response from like older people, you know, like the older generations and stuff. Like the younger younger people seem to be a little more open-minded, um, you know, when it comes to that. But I'm like, I I'm not running to to you know turn um turn the United States or turn the state of New Jersey into some big gay pride festival. I'm running to benefit your life and to implement policies that benefit everybody. I'm sorry, y'all. Go ahead.
SPEAKER_04I just he said he said pride.
SPEAKER_07Uh-huh. Uh-huh. But yeah, yeah. So I, you know, I and my sexuality, it's a shame that I even really have to mention my sexuality, but I do because I know that our community needs that representation, needs somebody to stand up for us. Um, because right now you see all of these conservative Republicans just trying to take away everything. You know, they tried to, I've already, since I've been running for Congress, I've already gotten my marriage threatened twice by both the federal government, because there was Kim Davis who went to the Supreme Court trying to overturn same-sex marriage. And um in the state of New Jersey, we had Jack Chitarelli, who fortunately for us, he lost his election, and our governor is now Mikey Sherrow. But he was threatening to overturn same-sex marriage here in the state of New Jersey. So thank God, you know, New Jersey did not go red. But but you have somebody like me who is literally experiencing this type of hate and bigotry while I'm running. So I know I can serve the communities that really need to be served because experiencing it myself.
SPEAKER_02The thing is about being, you know, elected is that you have to serve everybody. So what are you going to say or do to keep that messaging going, you know, despite everything that you went through to get there? Like you are, you know, a public servant for everybody.
SPEAKER_07For everybody, yeah. Everybody in the in everybody in the district. Whether they agree with you or not. Yeah, yeah. And you have to be. I mean, and um, and I always tell people too, like, you have to hold any elected official accountable, right? Congressional um terms are every two years. So if you feel like I'm not doing a good job, then by all means, you have the right to vote me out. You know, um, and and I I always want to be transparent about that. Like, nobody, no elected official owns their seat. No matter what elected office you're in, you do not own your seat. And you could always be voted at at any time if you not if you are not serving your constituents, um, serving your constituents. Now, of course, there's gonna be people who don't. Always agree with you. You're always gonna have people that don't agree with you, but I'm going to try to be
Gaza Questions And Constituent Pushback
SPEAKER_07the best congressman I can be. And I know what I'm capable of. Like I know, you know, people were uh um think that I could open a business and I did, you know. People didn't think that I could do a lot of things and I've overcame that. So I know what I'm capable of doing, and I know I am capable of being a great congressman.
SPEAKER_04Let me tell you, one of my favorite movies is Distinguished Gentlemen. There are there are moments where I am just like, I would love to see you in this role. Anyway, that's completely off topic. Were you about to ask a question, Chris? I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_03No, no, no.
SPEAKER_04Okay. So there are 12 congressional seats for the state of New Jersey. They're all up for re-election, correct? All of them, yeah. So let me ask you, do you do and this is a question as a person who votes? Do you each talk to each other? Is there a group chat? Would you all like become friends? Would you how how does that work when it comes to like you're in your district? Do you want to know who the other people in their district are so you can have their supporters help you? Or like how does that work? Do we work together as a state, as a team, prior to the election? Or does this just wait based on after afterwards?
SPEAKER_07It depends on a personal relationship. I mean, we don't we don't I don't necessarily like help any of the other uh candidates like in other districts. No, I don't necessarily do that. Um, but there is one, you know, um Katie Benzil, her and I uh had become friends throughout this whole process because she was challenging an incumbent at the same time when I was challenging an incumbent. Um now her her incumbent, um you probably know, you probably know Phil, you're from New Jersey, you probably know Frank Bologne.
SPEAKER_04Um let me explain something to you from I lived in Jersey, I am from Brooklyn. Go ahead. Whatever, whatever. Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead, go ahead. Before all this, everybody's from Jersey always be arguing.
SPEAKER_02They are about to come for you, honey. Exactly.
SPEAKER_07Like, don't be don't be trying to shade us, but anyway. Um, she was challenging the company. So her and I have always been like uh really close, you know, and I've I've always tried to big her up because a lot of see what people don't know is that I live in New Jersey's 12th congressional district, but my business locations are in New Jersey's 6th congressional district. So I have a base already there. So I've already like convinced like a lot of my clients and everything to vote for her, you know. Um, so her and I have kind of like been on the same page, but I don't know, I don't communicate with other people out there.
SPEAKER_04And here's and here's the reason why I was asking this, because their district can only vote for their district. And I'm obviously I'm I I'm asking obvious questions, but you never know. There might be a listener who doesn't know. So they're you they can only vote for their district. Um teamwork makes dream work, and I do believe that as we usher out these old motherfuckers out first motherfucker of the show, um, and we start bringing in this new help, like this, like younger ideas, fresher ideas, black faces, you know, white faces, Asian faces, all the faces instead of just always white faces, old, white, white-haired, dusty, just let me stop.
SPEAKER_06Let me stop. Please stop. Please. I've done very well for it.
SPEAKER_04But like I I I I urge people who are out there to who are ready to vote, and not just the people, but the young people. How are you getting young people involved? Because the younger people are the ones who are they're the ones talk to the young people.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, talk to the young people all the time. You know, the young people to you. He's talking about me, of course. No, actually, I'm talking about all of us because I'm talking about anybody ages 18 to 50, you know, um because we know we know in these primary elections is usually like the older generations that get out there and vote the most. Correct. You know, we need people um the primaries out there. They don't know. Younger people don't know about yeah. And that's another thing. Like I've always tried to educate people. Like something you said, um, only people in my district can vote for me. However, Congress, I'm voting on national issues. So issues that I would be voting on affect the entire country. Um, now I'm supposed to vote on those issues based on how my district wants me to vote. You know, this is literally House of Representatives. So you're supposed to be representing New Jersey's 12th congressional district. Um, so that way, if I'm not representing my district in the and not voting in the ways that they that they are in favor of, then they have that obligation to vote me out now as a congressman. But I am voting on national issues that affect the entire country.
SPEAKER_02Just like um, and obviously there's two possible outcomes. You know, you're elected or you're not elected. Walk us through both scenarios. Like, what is the next step in both scenarios? Like, if you get elected, what are the first couple things you want to do? If you don't get elected, what is what does your life look like after that?
SPEAKER_07Well, if I'm elected next week, um, just to work June 2nd, yep. June 2nd, there's still work to be done because I then have to, I'm now I'm then the Democratic nominee, right? I still have another election um in November, the general election. Um, but I am pretty much like 95%. If I get elected next week, I will be the next congressman because my district is a very
Being Openly Gay In Public Office
SPEAKER_07democratic district, uh, very heavily democratic. So um, but then if I don't get elected, it's still a lot of work to do. Um, you know, I'm still going to be, I'm still going to be in it for the fight. You know, now I have built name recognition. I have put myself out there as uh a leader in the state of New Jersey and and an advocate for marginalized communities. So I'm still going to be, and this is the thing is Jules C, that's just the beginning of the Prime month. So you know I'm about to be all over this state uh for every Pride event.
SPEAKER_02Um so are the aspirations still political? And like how would you how would you act that out?
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I want to I want to run again. I want to run again um for the same seat. You know, I I don't want I I went around again for the same seat because, you know, I I don't know if I I'm correct by feeling this way, but I feel like every one of my opponents stepped on my toes. Uh, you know, again, I feel like they stepped on my toes, really, you know, like once they entered the race after the incumbent. So I I mean, again, I don't know if that's the correct way of feeling. That's just the way I feel. So um, the way I see it, it was like the incumbent retired, she didn't want to seek re-election, they all jumped into the race what I was already in. Um, you know, there, you know, there are a lot of powerful people, a lot of powerful people. I had I I'm running against two mayors now. I'm running against an assemblywoman, uh a county commissioner. So like these are all established politicians, um, or people who have like some type of well, uh it's people who have a lot of money, expendable money to put away um to be able to run and really, really run a good race. Um so I felt I felt like you know, I was running for this for the right reasons. And if I lose, I have no problem then challenging that incumbent, a first-term incumbent, who I already was running against once before. So there's still gonna be a lot of work to do um these next two years. And again, it's only two years away. So if I lose now, I'm running again in 2028. I'll put that on the record now, I'm running again in 2028.
SPEAKER_06Okay.
SPEAKER_04We don't do them if okay, because listen, what we got about reality is what reality is, okay. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02And I feel like that's important for it is for the audience to know. It's like a lot of times, like people think that, oh, you get to the day, and then like, okay, things are over after that. But no, there's still life still has to go on, things still have to happen. So just kind of I wanted to give them an insight as to like what your mindset is come when loser draw. So that way they really can get to understand like where your focus is, you know.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, yeah, yeah. Definitely, you know. Uh, and and I mean, even just in my personal life, I have a lot of things coming up.
SPEAKER_06I have like a lot of things.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, what'd you tell us your business? Well, my husband's turning 40. Well, I'm trying to keep it quiet. My husband's turning 40. Oh, child.
SPEAKER_01Um to the party.
SPEAKER_07It's about time. So um, yeah, my sister's getting married um in a few months. So I'm like, Yeah, thank you. Thank you. So it's a lot of it's a lot of things going on. My uncle um just had literally about a few days ago, just had a heart transplant. Oh my god. Yeah, so like, yeah, so my family has, well, my mom's side of the family has not even been available to really support me in these last few weeks leading up to the election. Um, and you and that that's always been different for me because usually they are very, very involved in everything that I do, you know. Um, but I haven't been able to have, and and I I didn't even want to ask at this at a time like this for their support. You know, I didn't want to add feel like I was bothering them for anything. So I wanted to almost keep my campaign totally like totally separate from that. That's honorable. That's honorable.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that's yeah, really dope. Um last question I want to ask you. Okay, that I want to ask you.
SPEAKER_07Okay, okay, okay. Um, don't let it be nothing off the wall.
SPEAKER_04All right, so Chris, you have a question? What do you think about Beyonce? No.
SPEAKER_03There she is. I was about to say she made her way into the room again.
SPEAKER_04No. Um and this is not really a question. This is a statement for you. Okay. If if by chance someone is hearing this and hearing about you for the first time, right? Um give a quick quick or long, however you want to take. We got time, we could stay here till tomorrow. Um, no, we can't.
SPEAKER_03I was about to say, what?
SPEAKER_04Who where? Who said that? Uh give a give a give give them a quick um what would a con uh a seat. Um what would Congressman Little? I'm sorry, I'll be laughing. I'm gonna cut it that out. Don't worry about it.
SPEAKER_01I'm screaming like that.
SPEAKER_02He said 10 minutes later, PJ finally got the question out.
SPEAKER_04Right? This is this is what they all deal with me with. What would Congressman Little do for me that those other people wouldn't do?
SPEAKER_07Everything. Um, no, I would go ahead. No, I'm going to be, listen, I'm going to be, y'all know how I get down. Like, I like to not only legislate, go to DC and legislate, but I'm gonna come back here and be in my community. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm going to be teaching you who's on the ground. I'm going to be, you know, um, throwing y'all a fish fry
Primaries, Youth Turnout, How Voting Works
SPEAKER_07or something like that, or throwing y'all, maybe even hey, I'm a fitness professional. I've done body, throwing y'all a bodybuilder show if y'all want to see that, you know, um, doing like community type events that people actually enjoy. And that's something that you really have not seen your congressmen do. Like, like where like when have you had a have had heard of your congressmen coming back to your community and throwing throwing a barbecue or something like that? You know, it was another, I just had an interview earlier today, and I said, you know, New Jersey's 12th congressional district is one of the most diverse districts in the country. I would want to have like in my first year of Congress, throw like a big cultural festival like in my district somewhere where we're celebrating everybody's cultures, you know.
SPEAKER_04Um just not a potluck, just not a potluck.
SPEAKER_07Oh no, no, no, ain't gonna be no potluck. Uh-uh. We don't we don't do those. We we don't do those, you know. I'm still black. I'm still black. Like, uh-uh, uh-uh.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, the key word.
SPEAKER_02I'm black, and that's another I just need to know who brought the potato salad.
SPEAKER_07We don't do pot. I don't do potluck. So, you know, I'm not only black, but I'm a germophobe too. So that's another fun fact about me. I'm a germophobe. I don't play that.
SPEAKER_02Them raisins? Yes, to go.
SPEAKER_04See, it's not just me.
SPEAKER_02So tell people what they need to do in order to one get out to to be registered and eligible to vote, but then walk people through the process on what they need to do on June 2nd.
SPEAKER_07On June 2nd, they need to go vote um in the primary elections. And the reason that you hear a lot of people say, well, we only got two choices. We can only vote Democrat or vote Republican. The primary is the time where you vote for the best Democrat or the best Republican, you know, um, the people who align with your values the most. That's the main time that you really need to get out there and vote. And don't just vote for somebody because they're an incumbent and you know their name. Does that incumbent need to go? How long have they been in Congress? You know, um, are they are they actually voting on things that are actually beneficial to you and to your community? Um, so people need to get out there and vote in all of these elections. Um, we we know that midterm elections turnout is always lower. We always get the highest turnout during the presidential election. But we need to get out and vote. And people need to also vote in their local elections. You know, like vote for your school board, vote for your, you know, your city council, all of these things, like these people affect your everyday life more than even, you know, your your either people on a congressional level or uh order president.
SPEAKER_03I agree, and I'm so glad that you mentioned that because so many people don't, they just think it's all about you know the presidential election, and that's it. Something that really that really stood out to me is your slogan, um, which is well, I should say a slogan. It might be your slogan, but it's something that you had mentioned on your on your website. This campaign has always been about people, community and service, not personal game. Giving back isn't a slogan for me, it's a responsibility.
SPEAKER_07Absolutely, absolutely. That's amazing. And Philip, you about to cut us off?
SPEAKER_04I was about to say you better build a tradition and not rest upon one.
SPEAKER_06That's what you already know.
SPEAKER_07Okay, you already know, but like, no, seriously, like I even have on my, I think if you looked at my website, you would know I also said that if elected to Congress, I'm going to donate $500 of my own money to a local New Jersey charity. And that would be a different charity each month that I'm donating money to. Um, because I feel like that's just something that that's an obligation. There's something that we need to do. Um, people just don't need to be in Congress holding on to all of this power, holding on to all these perks and everything else, and not ever doing anything, you know, giving back to their community, giving back to the people that actually voted them in in the first place.
SPEAKER_04Remember that, Eric? Sorry.
SPEAKER_07Lord have mercy.
SPEAKER_04He's gone. And so we got somebody new and younger. Um, and he's making moves.
SPEAKER_02Who's making moves? It's looking good so far. It's looking good. Things are looking up for New York. The Nixon won. We got a we got a mayor who's making moves. Okay, let's let's see if we can get some of that swag over to Jersey with Kyle Little for Congress. Absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_07Oh, so on a la on a I guess on my last note, sure. What I want to tell people is donations are greatly, greatly appreciated. All right. I have two ads, I have, whoa, whoa, child. I have about three ads out right now that I am currently putting my own money into. So I would like to get some type of money, uh, campaign money to be able to fund these ads and reach more voters. That's for sure.
SPEAKER_04Actually, I'm I'm I'm really glad you said that. And I'm sorry. I don't I I lied. I always one question. So why are you always lying? But there are there's a conversation about like when people get all this money and they do all these campaigning, and like, where does the money go? You have that shown exactly where your money is gonna go, what your money is doing. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_07Absolutely, yeah. Like this, I mean, I've
Win Or Lose, What Comes Next
SPEAKER_07constantly said, even when I've talked about this on social media, everything, I am a grassroots candidate and I need I need money. You know what I mean? Like now, other uh other other um candidates, again, they just get all this money, they waste them on nonsense, you know. Um, but I really need this money to make my campaign work. Like there now, the the the sad thing about politics is that they qualify a candidate based on how much money they raised. So what happened in my race was they didn't, even though I'm on the ballot, there's 12 of us that are on the ballot, three of us they didn't let debate. They didn't let us go to the debate because we didn't raise $250,000.
SPEAKER_04And I think that that's something that needs to change with this country. I understand this the America is in a corporation, but everything is about money. How much money can you bring in? And that's that's why we don't get nowhere.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, we don't get anywhere. And then, you know, and it has nothing to do with who's qualified or not. It has nothing to do with me not being like, you know, they're yeah, like they're overlooking the fact that I'm a small business owner, a black business owner, um, in this country. But um, yeah, like overlooking the fact that, you know, I'm an educator and uh agile professor, you know. How come because I didn't raise $250,000, but yet two I and I'll give you all the insights. Two of my opponents, one of them put $180,000 of his own money into his campaign to qualify him for the debate. Another one put $110,000 of his own money into his campaign to qualify him to do that. Oh, you can put as much of your own money in as you want to, but I always say, how relatable is that? Does anybody else have a thousand uh $100,000 that or more that they could just put into their own campaign just to qualify them? You know, it's like how relatable is that to the average person, right? You know, and and what message is that sending to somebody who wants to be a future politician? What if there's that, you know, that young kid or that 18, 19, 20 year old who wants to run for Congress one day?
SPEAKER_03And it's interesting that you're I'm glad that you're mentioning that because I guarantee you that a lot of people actually don't know that. They just think that they just see them pop up and oh, they're having a debate, and yeah, no, Candidate Linair is the best.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, exactly, exactly. And I and I'm mind you, I was the first one in before all of these other people. Not even by a little bit. I was like the first one in by seven months. And they told me I couldn't debate because I didn't, but I'm like, the rest of the how am I supposed to compete with a mayor who already has, you know, and there's two mayors in this race who already have towns of people behind them, full towns where they could easily they already have campaigns that they already had the fundraise for. You know, so when you're trying to to you know, just get the normal person like like any one of us, again, you know, we don't stand a chance. And that's literally how they how the political establishment just tries to block out people. It's trying, you know. If if you guys look at my ad, I even I'll I'll send it to you guys um after this call, but uh I speak on that in my ad.
SPEAKER_02You know, and you know, but before I'm sorry, what's the best way for people to donate to your campaign?
unknownAmen.
SPEAKER_07So my website, www.kyle little for congress dot com. Um I don't know if y'all are able to put this in the um
Community-First Congressman Vision
SPEAKER_07in the thing, but maybe if I text one of y'all the link, I could it'll take you right to my act boot page. But yeah, my website has it right on there. My website once you hit yeah, yeah, okay. Once you um go to my website, you could click right there and and make a donation to my campaign for sure.
SPEAKER_04And like if you if and and if anybody um needs to know again, what's that website?
SPEAKER_07www.kyle little for congress.com.
SPEAKER_04I just want to let everybody know that you know you know how what was it?
SPEAKER_07W. Kyle LittleforCongress.com once again. And every single time you got to do it.
SPEAKER_04And if you're going to repeat it every single time. And he's going to keep saying that WWW because he's old too. So WWW.
SPEAKER_05Oh World Wide Web. Okay.
SPEAKER_04But if you go to that website, you'll see itself. And there's a tab in it that says what he stands for. And what he stands for, women's reproductive justice, common sense, gun safety laws, LG, lickab rights and protection. That's right. Okay. All of us in the community. Okay. Protecting social security and Medicare, student loan debt reform, lowering children, child care costs, housing affordability as a first-time homeowner, Trenton revitalization.
SPEAKER_03Look at all of it. Keep going. You want me to take over? So much. I can take over. Pass the John Lewis voting rights. Invest in education. Reinstate and strengthen diversity. Monthly giving to New Jersey charities. Clean energy climate action. Hold on. I had to take some water. I'm telling you. And supporting small businesses. Period.
SPEAKER_00And that's on what? Period.
SPEAKER_04And that's a woman. Period. Well. Bro. Bro. I want to say this from the bottom of my heart. I'm extremely proud of you. I'm extremely proud of you. Building traditions, okay? Make change. And I support you. We support you here at Highly Millinated. And hopefully our listeners do as well. If anybody wants to do anything for the where how can they find you besides just your website? How can anybody find you? Absolutely. Do not put your number on this thing.
SPEAKER_07Oh no, no, no. Y'all ain't gonna be blowing me up.
SPEAKER_04908.
SPEAKER_07No, I'm sorry. Stop like they already got the first three digits. That's bad enough. Um but no, um, Instagram and TikTok at Kyle Little for Congress. You know, I'm I'm on there every day. Every day, okay. Um come on, branding.
SPEAKER_02Okay, come on, consistent branding across all platforms.
SPEAKER_07Teach us. Absolutely, yeah. And then Facebook, Facebook um at Kyle Little for Congress as well.
SPEAKER_00Period. Have the people keep in touch with you. Surprise, surprise.
SPEAKER_02Thank you so much for for being here and for for speaking to the audience and really just kind of getting people to understand more about you and what you're standing for and what you're you're looking to achieve in in Congress. Thank you. Thank y'all for having me.
SPEAKER_03And I'm very, I'm very excited for you. I I will share PJ's sentiments as well. I am very proud of you. Yes, I'm very, very proud of you. And I'm excited because I think you're gonna do what is right, and I think everybody should give Kyle Little for Congress a chance.
SPEAKER_02Yes, and this is my first time meeting you, but I am proud of you as well. I know that this is not an easy feat that you've taken on, and the fact that you've already committed to doing this, you know, beyond next week is is amazing, and it just shows your dedication and your integrity to the actual cause and not just to the moment. So thank you. Very proud of you.
SPEAKER_04Thank you. I appreciate that. You always have a seat here, welcome um at the Highly Millinated Manor. He's just dropping shit for no apparent reason, apparently. The mic dropped, damn it. Oh, that's what that means.
SPEAKER_06So mic dropped.
SPEAKER_04You always got it, Red.
SPEAKER_02I got it.
SPEAKER_04Yes, because we do need a congressman here uh to, you know, up in our manner. So like you're always welcome, even if you don't win, obviously. But the the goal is to at least get you to the next step.
Debate Paywalls, Donations, Final Vote Push
SPEAKER_04And then from there on, let me know what we can do to support you. Let me know what individually we can do to support you, and we got you. So I appreciate that. Is there anything that you want to tell last thing you want to say to us before before I close this out?
SPEAKER_07Um no, everybody get out there and vote. Um, even those of you in New York, y'all have primaries too coming up. Um, so so yes, get out there and vote. Everybody get out there and vote. That's that's all I'm gonna say. I'm gonna tell you, I'm gonna tell you this.
SPEAKER_04One year, okay, Blair's gonna love this. One year we were getting ready to record, and Blair was like, Did y'all vote?
SPEAKER_02And PJ said no. I said, We're not recording tonight. Go vote.
SPEAKER_04I remember that. We all stared at him. I said, What? We put a five-minute episode out.
SPEAKER_01I said, You done lost your mother loving mind if you don't get your black ass out there and do what our ancestors fought for.
SPEAKER_04That's what we're about.
SPEAKER_01They died.
SPEAKER_04And it wasn't that I didn't, it wasn't that I didn't vote. It was just that, hey, I just hadn't had a chance to get, even though I didn't have a chance because I took that robot.
SPEAKER_02The day was almost done. How would you not go? Oh no.
SPEAKER_04It's I I'm human. And so but we got it done. All right, because it's down the street. We got it done. So like that's the point. There's there is no excuse to vote. Everybody needs to vote in their local elections, okay? So on that note, guys, thank you for taking the time to listen to another episode of Highly Motherfucking Melanated.
SPEAKER_06Motherfucking.
SPEAKER_04The safe space where it is okay to make a commitment to accountability.
SPEAKER_00Period.
SPEAKER_04Amen. All right. You know what you guys gotta do. Get out there and vote. If you are in his district in the 12th conditional conditional.
SPEAKER_00Conditional. Congress.
SPEAKER_04Maybe I'd happen.
SPEAKER_02We were talking about Red not being able to read. I think he was misdirected.
SPEAKER_01I think those efforts are misdirected. Send him the link, Red. Send him the link for the training.
SPEAKER_03You know, like the Scooby-Doo where you pull off the mask. Who is this? You see how they talk to me? See how they talk about? See how they do we?
SPEAKER_01See how they do. Send him the link for the training.
SPEAKER_04Oh, God. Thank you guys for taking the time to listen. Um, on that note, peace, love, and vote.
SPEAKER_00And vote.
SPEAKER_04There we go. Not just vote, but go ahead, vote for Kyle Little. Period. Yes, vote for Kyle Little for Congress.
SPEAKER_07Y'all can't see it, but I keep thrusting my hands into the air. Yes. And you know, I'll also be out there in New York. You know it's only a it's only a train ride over, so I'll also be out there in New York.
SPEAKER_02Hop on the path.
SPEAKER_04Jersey people, Jersey always say that. I'll always be out there in New York. Don't never leave Jersey City. I'll just play.
SPEAKER_01Jersey is coming for you. Jersey's gonna light you up. Okay.
SPEAKER_04I miss them. I do miss Jersey. I'm not even gonna lie.
SPEAKER_02But you're not from there, as he's so bold. I'm not in Jersey.
SPEAKER_04I'm from so here's the problem. I lived half my life in Jersey and half in Brooklyn. I'm born and raised here in Brooklyn. I great Jersey raised me. Brooklyn made me. That's what I said. That's what you said earlier.
SPEAKER_00He was not trying to claim Jersey in any way, state, or form.
SPEAKER_07Like he ain't go to college out here.
Closing Thoughts And Accountability
SPEAKER_07Such a great matter.
SPEAKER_04All right, I'm gonna mute you. Thank you so much for being a guest.
SPEAKER_06All right, uh, that's okay.