Newark, N.J. Mayor Speaks to HLS Grads

Mayor Cory A. Booker of Newark, N.J. addressed graduates of Harvard Law School at their Class Day ceremony yesterday.

The 39-year old Yale Law School graduate has staked his reputation on battling crime, corruption, and unemployment in Newark.

Two years into his term, Booker spoke to Law School students in the historic Ames Courtroom about the importance of taking risks for one’s community.

“America was built by people who have a vision that is greater than what we could ever see or imagine today,” he said.

Since entering Newark politics a year out of law school, he has become infamous for using unconventional tactics to draw attention to many of Newark’s problems—including living for eight years in public housing and going on a 10-day hunger strike.

The Mayor sat down for an interview with The Crimson yesterday to talk about the merging of law and politics in his career.

The Harvard Crimson: Did you think when you were at Stanford and then at Yale Law School that you were going to be a politician?

Cory A. Booker: No, I really wanted to be a community activist. And I had some specific heroes at that time. People like Geoffrey Canada who is the head of the Harlem Children’s Zone—somebody who I really revered. He was able to create a great comprehensive community initiative. And people like Marian Wright Edelman were creating an entire movement around children. So I didn’t necessarily think that the best way to make change was through politics until I got on the ground in Newark.

THC: One of your former supervisors at The Urban Justice Center said that they all knew that you would be a politician because you were such a charismatic leader—you already had that air about you.

CB: A lot of people would often say that. You know I was drawn to people like Doug Lasdon who has changed tens of thousands of people’s lives through the strategic use of legal action, and that really inspired me. And I have to say, I had problems with politics and suspicions about politics in general. If you help someone across the road when you’re a do-good lawyer you’re a good guy. If you help someone across the road when you’re in politics often the cynicism of our age makes people say, ‘Oh well he’s just trying to get their vote.’

THC: And this happened to you when you were in Newark, living in the Projects.

CB: People look very suspiciously on anything that you do [as a politician] and we all do it, I think. We all for some reason put public servants who are in the political world through a different type of scrutiny. The reality that I’m learning in my life, and trying to reaffirm in my life, is that you can’t get caught up in what people think or you’re never going to do what you’re called to do.

THC: You seem to draw inspiration from a number of sources. For example you quoted from the Judeo-Christian tradition and you mentioned Mahatma Ghandi in your speech this afternoon. Who and what inspires you?

CB: The power in life is to recognize that there are no mistakes. Nothing happens by accident. If you realize that every moment is profoundly filled with purpose then you don’t miss as many miracles. You don’t miss as many messages or you don’t lose as many lessons.

THC: And you’ve become mayor of Newark. That’s a big challenge that you took on, and you didn’t have to do it. So why Newark? Why become the mayor?

CB: Here I was in a phenomenal city with phenomenal people who have taught me so much. I say I got my B.A. from Stanford and my Ph.D. in the streets of Newark. And the reality was that it was the right thing to do. As friends of mine were convincing me to get into politics, they were saying that this is an opportunity. It may not be the most easy route and it may be punishing in many ways but you have an opportunity nobody else does. You should seize this opportunity and try to make a difference.

THC: Over the last two years in Newark there have been many challenges and some progress. Can you talk a little bit about both?

CB: We inherited a city that was in financial free fall. A horrible financial disaster. Crime was escalating and there had been really no investments made in the police department in terms of personnel and more feet on the streets. In terms of technology we were in the dark ages when it came to that. In many ways, Newark was presumed to be a closed shop by many investors and people who might move their businesses back.

So we’ve had a lot of success in reforming our police department and bringing more technology to bear on the challenges, increasing the number of police officers in the streets, and driving down crime. We’re one of the top cities in American now on drops in murders and shootings in our city...There’s just a big push on every level, but the good thing is that we are hitting a lot of singles and doubles for our city. Even a few home runs.

THC: And what has been your biggest challenge in taking over a very intrenched system of corruption, trying to reform it, and trying to move forward as well?

CB: It isn’t one single thing. It was just difficult on all fronts. You have to try to inject a new culture in the institution. You have to get the right people on board. You have to get the wrong people off board. You have to find the resources to start there. You have to think creatively about how to better manage an organization so that it doesn’t waste as much money as it used to waste. All the while you’re dealing with a drumbeat of problems, from shootings and crime to children who urgently need opportunity. Its a big challenge, but the good thing is that there is so much space for innovation so much space for improvement, and that gave us lots of opportunities to make an impact.