Warren Rolling, 37, CUNY Explorers Coordinator, Queens, NY.
By: RASHIDAH FOWLER
People are at a crossroads on Election Day in the United States and here in Queens. We talked to people here at York College about the race for the White House. As concerns sprout left and right over presidential candidates and election fraud, people have mixed feelings.
In the weeks leading up to the election, Queens locals have watched the rallies of America’s presidential candidates, but not everyone is convinced that this election is even worth participating in.
Warren Rolling, 37, CUNY Explorer Coordinator, working with tours here at York College. He says he is not voting and admits he has not been following the election because it feels like a show.
“I always think that Trump is just a comedy show…and I felt like Kamala Harris was just kind of like showing how he’s a comedy show, and it just didn’t feel like it was a real presidency.” Both candidates have been less than impressive, and are not considered genuine leaders, in Rolling’s opinion. “It’s like they just want to win, nobody’s really saying what they’re going to do.” Rolling’s perspective while witnessing the two presidential candidates is that it does not feel like the people’s choice.”
As an African American, male voter, Rolling says he does not feel that Kamala is truly connected to the Black community. When questioning her choice of a celebrity appearance at a campaign rally, he stated that he believes Harris’ choice for Megan the Stallion felt like a marketing scheme.
“I just thought Megan the Stallion was over the top. It was like a real, ‘I’m trying to get to the younger demographic’ and now I feel like also it is a marketing thing with everybody now.”
Rolling participated in his first election at 19-years-old and although there is a Black woman, now, running for the position of Commander in Chief, he says that the election of Barack Obama in 2008 felt vastly different from this. “That was the first time I got to vote. And I just felt like he was like one of us. For real.”
(Left: Seon Perry, 20, Majoring in Aviation Management, from Queens, NY. Right: Alanna-Cai Robertson, Accounting Major, from Jamaica.)
In addition to the concerns about who will hold the highest political position in the country, Americans are concerned with safety protocols leading up to it, particularly at the polls.
Seon Perry, 20, Aviation Management Major at York College, says “I mean, if they’re storming the capital, they’ll burn the boxes too…because if you storm the capital and get away with it, what’s to stop you from burning a ballot box?”
The Queens are under the eye of the Federal government. The Justice Department says it is monitoring our borough to make sure it is following federal voting rights laws in 86 jurisdictions across 27 states on November 5, during the general election. Queens is the only county in NYC on this list. This effort is aimed at ensuring that all eligible citizens can access the ballot and exercise their voting rights smoothly.
As reported by ABC News, a civil rights expert says the Department of Justice’s long-standing commitment to addressing issues on Election Day to protect voting rights for Black citizens and other communities of color.
Here’s what other members of the York College community said about the 2024 Presidential Election:
“My honest opinion on the opening election is that I really hope that Kamala Harris wins, not just for women, but with a betterment of the country because Donald, like, honestly, he doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s wants to become a dictator and that is not aligned with American values. I mean, like I hate America sometimes, but we really need this, especially for women. Because women are like, the most aggressed upon.” – Alana-Cay Robertson, 20, Accounting Major
“That’s my most main concern: reproduction rights. It’s just a really tight competition, kind of nervous, you can’t really tell at the moment what’s going to happen after. I’m going to vote” – Emam Jilliana, 19, Health Science Major
“A lot of mixed emotions between both candidates… He says he’s gonna make America great again but is it really true?” -Emily Gunnes, 20, Nursing Major
Midori Hills, Supervising Attorney at the Immigration Center at York College, NY (wants to be clear she is not speaking on behalf of the organization of York College)
“I’ve been pretty anxious, over eating and don’t think we are going to know whose president by tonight.” – Midori Hills, Supervising Attorney at York’s Immigration Center
(Left: Donte Chars, 18, Biology major, from Crown Heights. ,Right: Nathaniel Comry, 18, Biology major, from Jamaica, Queens. )
Nathaniel Comry, 18, biology major:
“I just feel like the election is kind of at like a standpoint where it’s just like depending on who wins it is kind of like a huge loss economically for the U.S.”
“I’m a democrat and I just voted this morning for Kamala Harris. I did choose for Kamala, but I also feel like it’s still going to be kind of a loss.”
Donte Chars, 18 years old, major in biology, crown heights:
“I think its a very important election, especially as a minority, being myself.”
“I voted earlier, because my dad made me and I wanted to. How I feel about it is it just felt like me picking the lesser evil in a way.”
“Trump was the worse option for me as a person to choose.”
Justin Jacome, 19, Business Administration major.
“It’s a lot to take in reality because it’s going to shape how we move these next few years and it’s going to affect many people” and “I would like someone new with new views but at the end of the day neither candidate could be the best answer.” – Justin Jacome, 19, Business Major
York’s Students Final Thoughts on the 2024 Election
