A few weeks ago I received a private message on Twitter from a Congressional candidate that I was following; Javahn Walker. A few weeks prior to his private message, Javahn noticed that I live in Prague, Czech Republic. It turns out that he also used to live in Prague, that he was going to visit soon and wondered if I was interested in getting together. I’m always down for an adventure, especially if it includes meeting interesting people.
While attending Rutgers University, Javahn attended a study abroad program in Prague to take a Jewish studies course with a Rabbi professor. While studying, he visited the Terezín concentration camp and saw the chilling remnants of the Holocaust. While visiting Prague for vacation in 2016, he followed-up with a personal trip to Poland to visit Auschwitz — another reminder of what humans are capable of.
A little background on Javahn. He’s a 28 year old millennial candidate in New Jersey’s 6th congressional district challenging the 30 year U.S. congressional incumbent, Frank Pallone. This is Javahn’s second time challenging Pallone, the first being in the 2018 midterm elections.
Javahn texted me soon after he arrived in Prague. He suggested that we go to an Asian restaurant that he used to frequent when he was going to school in Prague. It’s a restaurant near Karlovo náměstí. Karlovo náměstí is a park — a green space that people often visit to spend time their friends, families, read, play with their dogs, and enjoy life. He arrived early and texted me that the Asian place was now closed. These things happen. I suggested that we go to a Korean restaurant near the I.P. Pavlova tram stop. He agreed, we met, and off we went.
Javan and I hopped on the number 10 tram and took it up towards the Vinohrady district to the I.P. Pavlova tram stop. A short 5 minute walk later and we were at the restaurant. I ordered the Soft Tofu Stew and a Pilsner Urquell. Javahn ordered the Beef Bulgogi and an orange Fanta. Our waitress correctly guessed that we were both from America.
For those who are wondering, “Why would someone in Prague go to a Korean restaurant instead of a Czech restaurant?” Here’s why. I currently live in Prague, and Javahn used to live in Prague. Every day isn’t a 24/7 Czech cuisine fest for people living here. Don’t get me wrong, Czech food is great cuisine, but even Czechs like to change things up. Just like any major city, there are tons of options to eat cuisine from all over the world. Both citizens and residents like myself enjoy partaking in a bit of variety. Congressional candidates too.
What are your reasons for running for Congress?
I’m running for congress because I want more equity within our environment, and want more equity within our congressional districts. I think that the 6th congressional district in New Jersey has been represented by an incumbent that has forgotten the people, and I know that people come first. That’s why I’m running. I want to make a difference for the people and make sure that they have a better future as well as better present.
What What makes you stand out from Frank Pallone?
Well, I’m a person that really wants change. I’ve heard my opponent say in an interview about a month ago that he’s not for change, and he’s not with change. So if a representative that’s been in office for three decades is not interested in change, or interested in bettering of his community, then it’s time that I stand up. The fact that I want to enact change within this congressional district is how I stand out. I’ve previously run for office, I knew that he was a representative that does not need to be the incumbent anymore, and I was the first person in 24 years to primary and challenge him. So that’s how I stand out. Other candidates, they they came after I decided to run for office. It’s a big thing to just decide to run for office and to try to topple an incumbent, and do it the first time.
Are there any issues that are particularly important to aside from some of the more well known issues that progressive support?
I would say that health care is definitely the biggest. All progressives as well will say a Medicare for All system.
When it comes to climate emergency I’ll definitely be doing the best that I can to try to cut fossil fuel usage by 2030.
But there are a lot more problems that come from this incumbent, such as the fact that he gets a lot of his money from pharmaceutical and healthcare donations. Healthcare, like I said, is a very well known topic. Pharmaceutical drugs, and the fact that they are very costly is a problem. They’re much more expensive than in other Western nations. But also the fact that you can’t import drugs and be able to make them cheaper for yourself.
Also, the fact that a lot of people are on opioids. Now a lot of people look to find heroin as a result. Because of the opioid crisis, a lot of people get hooked on morphine, they try to find cheaper opiates, and then to try to find heroin to use. It just becomes a serious public epidemic, like it is now. As well as his [Pallone’s] participation in the war on drugs, such as the 1994 crime bill which he voted yes for. There are a lot of negative consequences that have come in the past 25 years from that one bill where people are constantly being locked up for marijuana. Marijuana continues to be an outlawed drug. People could use marijuana in place of opioids when it comes to being able to get off of their addiction, being able help their body, and be able to heal their body.
Those two right there. The high cost of pharmaceutical drugs, and the war on drugs. His [Pallone’s] views on pharmaceutical drug costs and marijuana make it really inaccessible for people to be able to have a better life.
What will your immediate priorities be in Congress if you’re elected?
Health care and transparency within government. Those are the best things I can promise. I said on the first day I will co sponsor any type of Medicare for All system. There was H.R.676, which was the representative Conyers Medicare for All bill, and now Pramila Jayapal‘s’ H.R.1384. It’s an updated Medicare for All bill, but either one of those Medicare for All bills I’d co-sponsor.
And with transparency within government—people know who I am. I don’t accept money from any kind of companies or private corporations so they know that this is a people-funded campaign — it’s just nothing but people helping out, canvassing and home banking, volunteering, donating to a people funded campaign, and that’s best transparency I can offer.
Why did you order the dish that you ordered?
(Laughing) Well, I was suggested a Korean place career restaurant in Prague by a good friend, and I really like Beef Bulgogi. With the 6th Congressional District containing so many great Korean restaurants I’ve gone to Korean BBQ enough times to know that Beef Bulgogi is a pretty safe option. Very tenderized meat, very great marinade, and I really enjoy the food.
Is there is there anything about Czech life that Americans can learn from?
(Laughing) A lot! I would always say this in interviews whenever I would go for a job. I would say one big difference that I noticed between the Czech people and Americans is that whenever you see Czechs with their dogs, the dogs usually are not on a leash. It’s it’s a stark contrast between the controlling environment that we have in America and the non controlling environment that they have in the Czech Republic. Czech people are way more laid back, they’re not so serious about work, they know that there’s a life outside of work which you need to enjoy. Back in the states is work work work, and then you grind yourself to the ground for the for the sake of the CEOs making a lot of money, and for the share prices to continually go up so that the shareholders are happy. It’s it’s completely different when you’re in Europe. And definitely in the Czech Republic you learn to enjoy life.
If you go to restaurants and malls here, you see dogs walking around with their owners, and inside businesses. People bring them bring them to work. It’s different here.
Yeah, it’s beautiful.
Lately we’ve seen a lot of Democrats holding other Democrats accountable for their past voting records, past policies, and moderate viewpoints. Obama calls this a “circular firing squad.” Do you see this as a positive thing for Democrats, or could perhaps more unity be better?
Honestly, I think that you need you need to hold people accountable. If you don’t hold people accountable then that results in the chaos that we have now in Congress. You look at the stats where congressional candidates run and 95% of the time incumbents win again. And if you don’t hold people accountable, if you don’t have any primary challenges — like they say the only thing that’s worse than a no party system is a one party system, right? Where the person continually gets elected because they’re the only person in charge. I think that it’s a good thing there are more challengers to primary Democratic incumbents, and if we don’t hold those people accountable, we’re just going to have the same system that we’ve had since before Bernie Sanders.
What presidential candidate are you most excited about?
I’m most excited about Senator Sanders. I would say a backup would be Warren, or Gabbard. I do like Williamson for her speaking ability. And I think Andrew Yang is all right. He’s not bad. But I would definitely say Senator Sanders is my top favorite.
What song would make a good theme song for your candidacy?
(Laughing) I’ll pick two. Cult of Personality by Living Colour, or My Hero by Foo Fighters (more laughing).
Do you envision yourself being an activist Congress member like some of the newly elected Representatives?
Totally. Absolutely. I think that the the way that the system is now, Congress members, especially within 6th congressional district, the congressman is active. He shows up at parades and sometimes rallies, but I know I can do better than that. It’s more than just being at rallies and looking for photo ops with the local media. You have to be able to gather people together and have a common goal. One example of mine was — this is activism at its finest — I said that if I’m elected into Congress, every quarter or semi annually, I will have a mobile town hall where we go from the congressional district into Canada to buy prescription drugs for the people that desperately need them. Not like the photo ops that the representative takes part in. Where you don’t go anywhere, you just stand in front of the people, and tell them what you’re not going to do. That’s the way the system is around congressional districts everywhere. But you need to have a candidate that will not just be active where they’re at, but be able to be a leader and take the problem and be able to make the solution whether it’s in the district or outside of the district. And my idea is definitely one that I can do.
How can people find you online?
So they can go to any social media. They can search for us on Facebook by “Javahn Walker for Congress,” Twitter the same thing and Instagram, as well as javahnwalkerforcongress.com
Do you have any closing thoughts?
I would say that it’s really cool that I was able to travel thousands of miles away — I’m on vacation—but it’s really cool that I was able to find cool people on Twitter that I could just have a great conversation with at a Korean restaurant that was suggested by him. It’s really humbling to be able to see like minded individuals around the globe where we can just sit, have a political chat, not argue, just enjoy each other’s presence, enjoy the food and enjoy the city that we both love.
I really appreciate the opportunity.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
It’s great talking to you.
Absolutely.
