The Working Families Party honored actress Cynthia Nixon with its education activism award for using her celebrity to help Mayor de Blasio win state funding for the city’s new full-day, universal pre-k program.
About 800 people – including a who’s who of New York politicians and labor leaders – attended the WFP’s 16th annual gala at MOMA/PS1 in Long Island City. The huge turnout was proof of the WFP’s new muscle in city and state politics.
WFP activists were instrumental with helping elect de Blasio mayor, Letitia James as public advocate and Scott Stringer as city comptroller, as well as numerous city council members.
State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, backed by the WFP, were among the attendees.
But it was Nixon’s night.
WFP co-founder Bob Master paid tribute to the “Sex and the City” star.
“There were a few advocates who fought tirelessly for universal pre-k, spending most of this year passing out flyers, making phone calls, attending press conferences, talking to our friends and converting friends and supporters – demonstrating the sort of grassroots activism that proves too powerful for politicians to ignore. One of these unyielding advocates is with us tonight, and her leadership in pushing UPK helped make this aspiration and dream for New York City’s children a reality,” Master said in introducing Nixon.
Attendee Mychal Dezel Smith tweeted, “Hey guys, it’s Miranda.”
Nixon, in turn, praised the WFP for playing a “critical role” in making universal pre-k program a state law.
There was some chatter that Nixon should run for governor on the Working Families Party line. “She truly has a public presence ,” gushed one attendee.