Brooklyn Unscripted is a monthly series where Brooklynites unpack the serious \u2014 and not so serious \u2014 issues shaping the borough. This month we shine the spotlight on actress and comedian Ilana Glazer. <\/p>\n
Actress and comedian Ilana Glazer<\/a> says she\u2019s always been political. But as she gets older, the way she chooses to express those views as a 39-year-old has evolved.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I first started in comedy, I was getting feedback that it was political and honestly, I had no idea,\u201d she told BK Reader. \u201cBut this is my new era of community organizing.\u201d<\/p>\n She may be best known for her breakout role as Illana Wexler on the TV show\u00a0Broad City that made her a Millennial icon as a confident and free-spirited young woman navigating the perils of New York City, but Glazer understands she now has a captive national audience and, yes, a brand.<\/p>\n The Brooklyn resident is now elevating independent voices through her podcast It\u2019s Open With Ilana Glazer<\/a> and formed Moms & Neighbors,<\/a> a grassroots group that, in the long-term, is supporting a global standard of basic human rights, but this year is asking every mother in the country to vote in the midterm elections.<\/p>\n Glazer, who is currently on tour<\/a>, said she is non-partisan in this quest: she is not telling people who to vote for, only that they can vote safely and fairly.<\/p>\n \u201cAs an individual, what I am hoping for is every single American getting to vote safely and to have their vote counted fairly without the mishegoss of having to wait in line for 10 hours,\u201d she said, using the Yiddish term for \u2019foolishness.\u2019 \u201cI don’t want people getting hungry or miss\u00a0work.\u201d<\/p>\n Glazer said she found inspiration from the neighborhood groups in Minnesota that quickly organized to keep their immigrant neighbors safe when federal immigration officials raided their towns; by Reshma Saujani, an American lawyer and activist, best known as the founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First<\/a>; and Brittany Packnett Cunningham, an activist and the co-founder of Campaign Zero<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cYou look at all of them and say, \u2018Hey, these leaders, they\u2019re all moms,\u2019\u201d said Glazer, whose daughter is almost 5-years-old.<\/p>\n On Mother\u2019s Day, May 10, Glazer will be officially kicking off Moms & Neighbors at Fort Greene Park<\/a> from 2:00pm \u2013 4:00pm. The event will include a clothing swap, a children\u2019s concert and will also collect supplies (back packs, water bottles, socks, lunch boxes, diapers, gently-used mom and newborn clothes) for P.S.20, The Clinton Hill School<\/a>\u00a0and Kid Zone Distro NYC<\/a>, a mutual aid organization that distributes essential items to asylum-seeking children and their families.<\/p>\n This interview\u00a0has been edited for clarity:<\/p>\n Q: What makes a Brooklynite?<\/p>\n What makes a Brooklynite is someone who lives in Brooklyn and thinks their neighborhood is the best one.<\/p>\n Q: Do you have a favorite neighborhood to stroll around in?<\/p>\n With my little one, going to DUMBO, because I love being on the water, and my kiddo loves all the climbing gyms.<\/p>\n Q: Do you have a favorite deli or bodega, and what’s your order?<\/p>\n I love a bodega bacon, egg and\u00a0cheese! That’s my favorite order. My second favorite is a turkey club. For both, I ask for a pickle on the side.<\/p>\n Q: What is your favorite nightlife joint in Brooklyn?<\/p>\n