WHY NATE KLEINMAN?

A LIFELONG DEVOTION TO PEACE, JUSTICE, & SERVICE

I'm not a typical Congressional candidate. I'm a farmer. I only wear a suit and tie these days for weddings or funerals. I'm a reluctant candidate, with an important professional mission (revolutionizing agriculture to help fight climate change), ongoing activist work, and little free time for anything else. But this is not a moment for sitting on the sidelines. The stakes in this election are far too high, for the country and the entire world.

I pledge to run a clean campaign. I will not accept corporate money, nor any other money with strings attached. I will not waste a minute of my time — as a candidate or a Congressman — calling rich people to ask for money. We need to move beyond those days. We need more candidates who are beholden to the people, not powerful interests.

I'm putting myself forward because I know I have the skills and experience to make a great Congressman to represent the 2nd District. I hope voters of South Jersey will rally around my platform for real change.

- Nate Kleinman

[Scroll down for more details, and click on photos below to expand and read captions.]

S17 OWS Arrest

NYPD illegally arresting Nate for protesting outside a Bank of America branch (September 17, 2012). (New York, NY)

2006 Sudan Freedom Walk rally

Nate with Manute Bol at Sudan Freedom Walk rally in 2006. (Philadelphia, PA)

Nate with Joe Sestak

Nate campaigning with former Admiral and Congressman Joe Sestak, 2010. (Cheltenham, PA)

Camp Sandygate protest

Nate & Retired Philadelphia Police Captai Ray Lewis at Chris Christie's 2nd Inauguration

Nate w/ Kale Plant

Nate with a young kale plant

Nate giving a tour of historic Jewish farmland at the Alliance Community Reboot. (Pittsgrove Township, NJ)

About Nate Kleinman: Bio

BACKGROUND

AN UNCONVENTIONAL CANDIDATE FOR AN UNCONVENTIONAL TIME.

WHO I AM

I'm an activist, organizer, hurricane recovery coordinator, hunger striker, and — in my fifth year now — a farmer. I'm also a devoted son, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, and friend.

Who is Nate Kleinman?

EARLY ACTIVISM & ORGANIZING

I've been an activist since childhood. I've undertaken two hunger strikes and countless protests. I've worked on a dozen political campaigns, been arrested three times for civil disobedience, and once yelled at Chris Christie over misuse of Sandy funds. The late great Manute Bol (whom I met through Sudan activism) used to call me "Rabbi."

OCCUPY MOVEMENT

The Occupy Movement reframed the debate about inequality in America and throughout the world. I was proud to be an active participant in Occupy Philly, Occupy Wall Street, InterOccupy, and Occupy Sandy. Our work, especially organizing hurricane relief, changed countless lives for the better, including my own. It set me on the path to becoming a farmer.

FARMING FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

Since 2013, I've been co-directing the Experimental Farm Network, a sustainable agriculture research cooperative. Our aim is to fast-track the development of carbon sequestering perennial staple crops and other innovations through the power of citizen science. I'm also growing seeds for sale and breeding plants for future use.