Why Christina Coleman Shifted From Journalism To Politics

"These skills are very transferable," Christina Coleman told WNYC's cultural critic Rebecca Carroll about her new role with Cory 2020, the presidential campaign of New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. "People ask me all the time: was it hard making that transition? It really wasn't, because when you look at it, these are both jobs for the people." Coleman, a career journalist who has worked at NewsOne and Essence and Glamour, joined Booker's campaign with the title of "Millennial and Influencer Engagement Director." Her position, she explained, is about gauging where his constituency and potential voters are, and finding ways to connect across various platforms, including social media, in new and dynamic ways. 

Coleman says even as Booker was one of the first political figures to use Twitter in a way that directly engaged with his online followers, it's now more important than ever to consider new ways to connect while remaining culturally relevant. "When you're looking at who's popular online," she said, "what I'm finding is that there are these very micro-groups for people who have influence within their circles. And so it's important that we aren't alienating people by some social currency, but that we're looking at their actual influence in their communities. Grassroots leaders, for example, and how they are uplifting their constituency."   

Asked about whether she felt any particular mantle of responsibility in her new role, especially given the overall expectations of black women — not just in the 2020 election, but in local elections across the country — Coleman said it didn't feel like a burden to represent black women, or all black people, but rather it's something she's become accustomed to and made peace with. "As a black woman in this position, in any career, it's not really a choice," she said. "I don't find it to be a burden to be representative of black women, or to stand up for them, advocate for them — because it is my lived narrative and my lived experience."

As for Booker's continued Twitter use as a campaign tool? "Yes, we talk about policy on Twitter, but he also talks about Star Wars." 

Correction: an earlier version of the audio refers to Cynthia Nixon as a former mayoral candidate. She ran for governor of New York. We regret the error.