Brandon Washington, 25, New York City
President, Brooklyn Young Republican Club
With only 4 to 6 percent of African Americans voting for the Republican Party in the most recent presidential election, Brandon Washington is certainly pushing to be a millennial role model of color for the party.
Though raised in a solidly Democratic family in the projects of East New York, this Army Reservist switched sides years ago. He is now the newest president - and the first Black president - of the nation’s reportedly oldest Republican Club.
Check out the full list of the #NBCBLK28 here
Brandon joined the club in 2013 and it only took two years for him to ascend to the top job there. His mission is to conduct more millennial outreach and establish more contact with people of color. But it’s been an uphill battle: “As a Black Republican,” he told Futuro Media Group's Maria Hinojosa, “People assume I’m a sell-out.”
When he isn’t out canvassing on behalf of Republican candidates, Brandon is a political science major at Wagner College on Staten Island. He served two years in the U.S. Army Reserves, and also founded an online newspaper called Global Community News. He’s gearing up for a life of public service and he plans to become a politician.
His Democrat mother says she might even vote for him.
MY LIFE IN THREE HASHTAGS: #proudblackRepublican #promotingopportunity #engagingminorities
LATE NIGHTS OR EARLY MORNINGS? I'm more of a night person since it allows me to get my work done with little to no distraction
MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT I actually like giving relationship and dating advice to friends and random people, but I'm almost completely anti-monogamy in my own personal life
