By Brandon Fey
Northeast Times
Among the political races to be decided in the highly anticipated November election is in the 5th Senatorial District, consisting of most of Northeast Philadelphia. One of the candidates, Joseph Picozzi, has begun a door-knocking initiative to spread the word about his campaign and interact with community members.
On Sunday, June 2, Picozzi and a group of volunteers gathered at the Four Seasons Diner on Cottman Avenue to convene before visiting nearby residences in Mayfair. The team split into groups, where they went door to door distributing literature and engaging with residents about local issues of concern. Among the distributed items was a letter from Picozzi addressed to the community and some biographical and contact information of the candidate.
One volunteer named Anya saw her involvement as a way to positively engage with her interest in politics.
“I think that this is a very great way to promote positive change and work for something that you believe in by going to the community first,” she said.
Volunteers included students from local universities, many of whom have sought involvement with the Picozzi campaign after having learned about it via social media or from previous community events. Of the 12 total volunteers, the median age was about 20, reflecting the youthful dynamism that Picozzi hopes to bring to local politics.
According to Picozzi, who himself is 29 years old, “Young people in the Northeast are hungry for change. This campaign is for young people to get them to believe that they can make a difference. We are realizing that no one is coming to save us.”
Some volunteers felt motivated by the youthful appeal of Picozzi’s campaign. Thomas Vaughan, for example, shared how he thinks his involvement as a volunteer for Picozzi aligns with his views on political representation. He said, “I’m working on behalf of this campaign to get more millennial and Gen Z voices into positions of power because our voice needs to be better represented in government.”
In his letter, Picozzi referenced the “Northeast Philly Dream” as a fading ideal in which families in this part of the city ought to be able to enjoy a clean and safe environment to raise their children happily as they had once been able to do. The letter read, “Your kids should be able to play outside without you having to worry about their safety.”
Public safety was one of the concerns most frequently expressed by residents, who are wary of a rise in violent crime in their community. Picozzi has made public safety a key focus of his campaign, taking a tough stance on crime.
The teams of door-knockers visited over 300 households by the end of the day.
Picozzi is challenging Democratic Sen. Jimmy Dillon. ••
