Senator Jamaal Bailey and Broadway star Layla Capers held a singing performance, voter registration and
census drive on Friday, Sept. 25. Photo by Jason Cohen
BRONX TIMES R BTR EPORTER,OCTOBER 2-8, 2020 31
BY JASON COHEN
Following the government
extending the census deadline
to the end of October,
Senator Jamaal Bailey and
Broadway star Layla Capers
held a singing performance
in combination with an informational
event on voter registration
and the 2020 Census.
At the height of the pandemic,
11-year-old Capers of
Wakefi eld sang outside every
night at 7 p.m. for essential
workers. Bailey, who grew
up not far from her on Paulding
Avenue, was touched by
her voice as the youth sang
“Hero” by Mariah Carey and
“Good Job” by Alicia Keys.
“I really miss you all a
lot,” Capers said to the crowd
in front of her house at the
Sept. 25 event. “I just want to
say we would not have made
it this far if not for our essential
workers, our doctors
and nurses.”
Capers, who was Nala
in the “Lion King” before
COVID-19 shuttered Broadway,
has performed at the
United Nations and sang the
national anthem at colleges
and high schools throughout
New York City.
Bailey was completely
blown away by her voice and
talent. He commended her
and said on National Daughters
Day her parents should
be so proud.
“You don’t ever want to
come on stage after that,” he
said referring to Capers’ talent.
“She is a gift. We have
a star in our neighborhood.
Layla I’m incredibly proud
of you.”
In addition to the performances,
attendees also
got vital information about
voter registration and fi lling
out the census. While Bailey
was happy the census was extended,
he urged all of the attendees
to not only fi ll it out
but also text 10 people and see
if they did as well.
He explained that the census
will affect everything
from roads to schools for the
next 10 years. He said that
people must also register to
vote and head to the polls
in November.
He compared fi lling out the
census to a basketball game.
“It isn’t just about elections,
it’s about getting
counted in the census,” he
stated. “We’re going into
overtime. This is not political,
this is reality. You can’t
play if you don’t show up to
the game.”
A night of music and
civic engagement
Lawmaker hosts performance,
voter registration, census drive
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3535 East Tremont Avenue
Bronx, New York
718-792-0270
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