BROOKLYN — Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders should hold their Brooklyn debate in Brownsville, Brooklyn's Borough President said.
Eric Adams is calling for the April 14 Democratic debate slated for Kings County to take place at a recreational center in Brownsville in the neighborhood, instead of at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where it's currently scheduled to take place.
"We are all very proud of Brooklyn Navy Yard, which has been an extraordinary success, and at another time in our history it would be a great host for this dialogue," Adams said in a statement.
"However, at this vital juncture, we must push to bring communities that have historically been ignored and left in the dark into the spotlight of this campaign season."
The event is scheduled to air on NY1 and CNN, which will host the debate.
The push for a Brownsville venue was first reported by Yahoo! News.
An official for one of the campaigns said that CNN selected the venue.
Moving it from the Duggal Greenhouse to the Brownsville Recreation Center would raise awareness of the community’s issues, Adams said, adding that Brownsville is a community "in crisis."
"Just as leaders in Michigan rightly directed the conversation to Flint in their hour of need, I am urging that we pivot the physical venue to a site like the Brownsville Recreation Center and subsequently focus the discussion matter to solutions for issues impacting historically disenfranchised communities of color," Adams said.
"We must leave our comfort zones and speak plainly about the challenges facing urban America with the residents of urban America. There will be nothing meaningful gained from speaking past each other in platitudes among political insiders, all within a sterilized environment."
A Clinton spokesman said the candidate would be visiting different parts of the city and state during the campaign, including a Tuesday event at Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights.
"We are excited to be debating in Brooklyn on April 14, but that is far from the only campaigning Hillary Clinton is doing there," spokesman Harrell Kirstein told DNAinfo New York.
Representatives for Sanders' campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Whether or not the location is changed, the Borough President, who was born in Brownsville, said he would watch the debate with Brownsville locals and take a straw poll.
"They represent the hopes and fears, the endless struggles and undying potential, which live in overlooked communities across our borough, city, state and nation," Adams said of Brownsville residents. "Let us not waste this chance to make an impact for them.”
