Occupy Wall Street Candidate Will Run for State Assembly Seat

Congressional candidate George Martinez, an Occupy Wall Street hip hop artist who came in fourth in last week's congressional primary won by Rep. Nydia Velazquez, [writes in "The](http://occupiedmedia.us/2012/06/a-letter-from-george-martinez/) Occupied Wall Street Journal" that another Occupy candidate is now seeking elected office in Brooklyn. In a post yesterday, Martinez writes that Jelani Mashariki, co-founder of the Global Block Foundation, will run for Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries' seat, which is set to be vacant after Jeffries convincingly [won his own](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/27/hakeem-jeffries-beats-charles-barron-democratic-primary-8th-congressional-district_n_1630372.html) congressional primary last Tuesday. Martinez is [himself is the other co-founder ](http://www.globalblock.org/about-us.html)of the Global Block Foundation. According to its website, the group "harnesses the spirit of innovation, creativity and activism at the core of the Hip-Hop movement to empower youth and transform communities across the globe." Masharik will run under the banner of an Occupy-inspired electoral politics group called "Bum Rush The Vote," according to Martinez. He also just registered a campaign committee to raise money for a run. Also in the race for Jeffries' open Assembly seat are district leader Walter Mosley - who is expected to get the backing of Jeffries - and fellow district leader Olanike Alabi. The primary is in September. Martinez only got three percent of the vote in his congressional race against Rep. Nydia Velazquez, but was the subject of a front-page Village Voice story [about his candidacy](http://www.villagevoice.com/2012-06-13/news/George-Martinez-occupy-wall-street-candidate/). Update: There's [another candidate for](http://politicker.com/2012/03/former-chief-mom-files-for-hakeem-jeffries-assembly-seat/) the Assembly seat I neglected to mention: Martine Guerrier, the former"Chief Family Engagement Officer" for the Department of Education. To read more from City & State [click here. ](http://www.cityandstateny.com)