Talen’s Campaign HQ, taken by Lilian Chan
In orange and cyan paint, two feet tall, above the door frame reads “Vote Rev Billy” and a sign to the side reads “Vote Rev Billy Talen for Mayor of NYC”.
The self-ordained Reverend Billy Talen is the Green candidate running for mayor of New York City this year. Bill Talen established his campaign headquarter mid-April, at 250 Lafayette Street, in a spacey white-wall ground level studio, located on the border of Soho and Nolita. At the entrance, a sign reads “Mayor-alujah!” and a three feet long white megaphone stands next to a white podium. On it, curious pedestrians can fill out their contact information to be on Talen’s mailing list. Some passersby, earphones plugged into their heads or speaking on a cell phone, walking their dogs or walking their babies, may glance up at the colorful words that contrast the white surroundings, but most walk past the office without giving the location any attention.
“It’s a new workout place!” remarked Chris Fields, a fireman outside Ladder 20. “Yoga?” Mr. Fields asked, as he stood observing Bill Talen’s colorful campaign headquarter from across the street.
The Indypendent listed Talen’s campaign headquarter, in the April edition, as a “Radical Space” and a “progressive public and community space.”
Mr. Osmer said the campaign chose their Lafayette Street location because they were able to get a short term lease, and because they were close to many subway lines.
“It’s the class of people, a yuppie area, it’s the younger people,” Mr. Fields said.
“He’s a performing artist,” Emily Schuch said. A graduate from the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Ms. Schuch is a volunteer graphic artist for Talen’s campaign. “He’s a self-ordained Reverend,” she explained confidently, “And he started his own church.”
Currently,the top three results for “Billy Talen” returned on a popular online search engine are the Reverend and the Choir of After Shopping’s website, the Wikipedia entry for “Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping”, and the Reverend’s campaign website, in that order.
Talen needs 7,500 signatures to get on the ballot to run for Mayor in the November elections. Ms. Schuch confidently said “I think we’ll definitely get enough signatures to get on the ballot.”
Reverend Billy Talen with megaphone, image borrowed from tucsoncitizen (dot) com