By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

Michael Blake isn’t just running for mayor—he’s running on a lifetime of service, shaped by the streets of the Bronx and sharpened in the halls of the White House. Now a Democratic contender in the crowded 2025 mayoral race, he offers a rare combination of national experience and hometown heart—with a vision of a New York City where opportunity isn’t a privilege, but a promise. A son of Jamaican immigrants, Blake’s journey has been shaped by his family’s hard work, faith, and dedication to public service.

Blake, now 42, began his path to the mayoral race with a commitment to creating opportunities for all. As a White House aide during the Obama administration, he was part of the team that helped defeat Donald Trump in 2016. Blake, who helped launch the Urban Entrepreneurship Summit, worked tirelessly to create jobs across the country. Later, during his six years as a member of the New York State Assembly, Blake spearheaded efforts such as the My Brother’s Keeper initiative, aimed at supporting Black and Brown boys in education and career pathways.

“My goal has always been to help people achieve their dreams in a very practical way, helping people who didn’t get a chance before now have a chance,” Blake said during a recent roundtable with the Queens Ledger.

Blake is no stranger to the struggles New Yorkers face. Growing up in the Bronx, he learned from a young age the importance of community and hard work. His mother worked at a manufacturing plant for 40 years, commuting two buses a day across the bridge to Jersey, while his late father worked as a janitor in a Bronx union.

Named after two of Jamaica’s most iconic leaders—Michael Manley and Alexander Bustamante—Michael Alexander Blake carries not just a name, but a legacy of bold leadership and a commitment to politics woven into his very identity.

“When your parents name you after Jamaican prime ministers your parents definitely cared about politics.”

Blake’s candidacy is built on a legacy of public service. From expanding the My Brother’s Keeper program to helping implement the first statewide initiative for boys and young men of color in New York, Blake has always fought for policies that uplift marginalized communities. Through his work in the Assembly, Blake helped secure initial funding for My Brother’s Keeper—”$25 million to $18 million state funding to help school districts across state with their college and career community engaging programs to help more Black and Brown boys graduate school and was successful and still goes on till today,” Blake said. 

But it’s his vision for New York City that sets him apart. Blake is not just focused on policies that serve the city’s immediate needs, but on creating long-term solutions for affordable housing, economic equity, and public safety.

On the housing crisis, Blake advocates for building on every available plot of land to meet the city’s growing demand for housing. “If we’re serious about this, let’s find every plot of land that’s available and figure out how to build on that and increase the opportunity for more people to get in the game.” Regarding the City of Yes proposal, he added, “On the city of yes it should have went further; it didn’t address affordability just building more units. ‘Affordable to who?’” 

His vision for “true economic fairness” extends to addressing New York City’s budget challenges. Blake supports reforming how income and creditworthiness are assessed in housing.

“End credit scores for home ownership applications, change local median income.” He also distinguishes between policy approaches: “Guaranteed income is different than universal income, creating the floor with everybody, assessing who actually has a gap and helping them is a more equitable approach.”

On the topic of the ever emerging notion of city casinos, Blake sees opportunity where others criticize. “I Believe it will help create jobs and wages and create a full dynamic opportunity that the community benefits from,” and added, “At the end of the day it’s a person’s choice what they’re doing with their funds.”

Blake also reflects on his unique approach to working with the federal government, informed by both personal and professional experience. “It is impossible to lead New York City if you don’t have an understanding of DC, if you’re laying out a plan you should be able to articulate how exactly you’re paying for it,” Blake said. 

During the COVID-19 crisis, Blake took swift action to support New Yorkers. “We brought World Central Kitchen to New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic and worked with restaurants, Small Businesses and nonprofits to feed and provide P.P.E. to New Yorkers.”

He also led efforts on Capitol Hill. “I led an effort to work with US Senate members on how to get funding for small businesses faster and better because the PPP did not work and they could not access the funds. I helped change that in a significant way.”

Blake’s approach to the economy includes cracking down on empty storefronts and rentals. “Vacant apartment tax, vacant storefront tax, landlord is making a conscious decision to weigh out this small business for a bigger market rate, for Blake behavior like that hurts everybody, look into rescinding licenses.”

His extensive leadership experience, he says, is central to why he’s running. “I fundamentally believe that we are in a moment in time right now where there’s a lot of people who are talking about different ideas that are not realistic given the environment that we’re in.”

Blake also hasn’t shied away from sharp critiques of former Governor Andrew Cuomo, questioning the circumstances around his resignation and the nursing home scandal. “He still hasn’t said if he didn’t do it, why did he resign then?” and “the nursing home issue during COVID and people died because of a book deal.”

As a reverend licensed since 1995, Blake’s faith is a constant thread through both his personal and political journey. “Born with a heart murmur in Bronx hospital on Christmas night 1982, it’s the reason I still have a portrait of the Last Supper in my living room,” he shared, reflecting on the role faith has played in his life. He recounted a near-death experience in 2001, when he fell asleep at the wheel and miraculously survived—an event so pivotal that the words he wrote afterward still hang on his mother’s fridge. And while his career has taken him to the national stage, Blake remains deeply rooted in his Bronx upbringing: “From a local dynamic I’m still that kid who would get pizza from Vinny’s hanging at Van Cortland Park.”

He’s also the CEO of KAIROS Democracy, which works on “positive storytelling of the impact of democracy, people think democracy is not working for them and show them when it is done correctly how it impacts them,” and he’s a partner at the Atlas Strategy Group, focused on applying “consciousness to capitalism.”

For Michael Blake, it’s not about lofty promises—it’s about showing how his leadership can help people “keep the lights on.” He summed up his candidacy by pointing to the connection between his life, his service, and the city: “People are genuinely wanting to understand how my policies are helping them keep the lights on.”

Blake’s campaign is not just about politics. It’s about service—a lifelong dedication to his community, his city, and his faith. As mayor, Blake wants to leave behind a legacy that empowers New Yorkers to keep money in their pockets, build their dreams, and create a more equitable city for future generations.

By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

On an unassuming block in Astoria, inside a gym called HardKnox, Bonafide Warhawk is building more than athletes—he’s building resilience. A lifelong martial artist and co-founder of the gym, Warhawk has transformed a personal history marked by violence and hardship into a mission focused on discipline, empowerment, and care.

Warhawk, who was born and raised in Astoria, grew up in instability. After a fire left his family homeless, he and his mother spent time in shelters before he was enrolled at the Milton Hershey School in Pennsylvania, a boarding school for children from under-resourced backgrounds.

“That school was filled with kids who had been through a lot,” Warhawk said. “That shaped the way we grew up. Fighting was just part of the environment.”

Eventually expelled and sent back to New York, Warhawk found himself living with a father whose erratic behavior led him to the streets. At age 12, while defending a friend during an altercation, he was stabbed in the eye in Jackson Heights. 

“I thought I could fight him—knife to bare hand—and when I went to hit him, he dug the knife right into my eye, came out the back of my head,” he said.

The injury left him legally blind in one eye and marked a turning point in his life.

“I was supposed to die, but I didn’t,” Warhawk  said. “I couldn’t see anything for like a month. It was a whole learn how to walk again, learn how to touch things again process. It impacted me greatly, because now I have to learn how to function again. I’m in between two worlds. I don’t function like a blind person… and I can’t do the things that regular people do.”

After recovering, Warhawk began studying a range of disciplines—from Taekwondo and Muay Thai to knife and stick fighting. He adapted his training methods to compensate for his limited vision and ultimately became a certified personal trainer with support from the Commission for the Blind.

Over the next decade, he built experience at fitness clubs across New York City, including Equinox and New York Sports Club, where he learned both technical and customer service skills. He also began training others independently, often in public parks, regardless of weather.

“We were out there in the snow, in the rain, because people wanted to train,” he said. “It wasn’t about money. It was about giving people something they could rely on.”

That same ethos defines HardKnox Astoria, which Warhawk co-founded with partners after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their previous training spaces. The gym emphasizes functional fitness; a curriculum rooted in traditional combat systems adapted for modern self-defense and sport.

Warhawk  co-founded the gym alongside Aman Sadiyan, bringing their shared vision of creating a community-driven space that blends fitness, fighting, and the spirit of New York City.

When  Sadiyan and Warhawk  took over a former Chinese wrestling gym in Astoria, they saw an opportunity to create something special. 

“We really put our heart into the aesthetic,” Sadiyan  said, describing how the space was transformed. The gym now features curated graffiti and vintage New York memorabilia. Each room at HardKnox tells its own story—such as the “mamba room,” a tribute to Kobe Bryant. The entryway showcases a custom-built counter, crafted from old MetroCards sealed in epoxy, which Sadiyan described as “our homage to New York City, the grit of New York mixed with fitness and fighting.” Even the bathrooms reflect the city’s energy, with stickers and graffiti reminiscent of a Lower East Side dive bar.

However, what sets the gym apart is not only its visual elements but also its community. “What makes this place different than other places is the kind of clientele that we serve,” Sadiyan said. The members at HardKnox are not just looking for physical transformation but for personal growth as well. “We all have a common thread of always having a hunger—for more, in the sense of growth.” For Aman, HardKnox isn’t just a fitness studio; it’s about fostering a community where people thrive both inside and outside the gym. “It’s more than a fitness studio—it’s a place to become a better version of yourself,” he said. “Our emphasis is on building and serving a community.”

The facility combines practical martial arts instruction with an atmosphere designed to be welcoming, particularly for those who may feel out of place in conventional gyms. The space features community-centered programming and an aesthetic meant to foster comfort and focus.

The facility also boasts a variety of training spaces, each with its own unique vibe and purpose. There’s the personal training room, which is designed like a “glorified home gym,” where clients receive individualized training sessions. The main floor is dedicated to functional fitness, with no shoes or socks allowed, emphasizing barefoot movement. Additionally, HardKnox features a spin studio, where high-energy classes take place weekly.  Every room in HardKnox is designed to tell its own story. 

“We created an atmosphere where these people have hard lives, and you at least need somewhere to escape, even if it’s for a minute.” Warhawk said.

He said the name reflects the nature of the training and the community it serves.

“We created the name HardKnox because life is hard, and sometimes you need to escape from it, and that’s what we chose to be—escape,” Warhawk said.

What sets HardKnox apart, Warhawk said, is its commitment to care.

“People can go anywhere to train,” he said. “What we offer is attention to detail, respect for every person who walks through the door, it’s something a lot of places have forgotten—just care for the people. It’s not about you.”

Those interested in visiting Hardknox Gym can find it at 37-20 Astoria Blvd S, Astoria, or contact them at (718) 210-1465 for more information.

Jack Delaney

JDelaney@Queensledger.com

Ronen Nahom, a longtime West Village resident with a varied career spanning entertainment, finance, and construction, has launched his bid to become New York City’s next mayor, espousing a vision for the city that includes beefing up policing, cracking down on protests, and repealing congestion pricing. 

Nahom, XX, is helming a largely grassroots campaign to challenge Curtis Sliwa, a Republican mainstay, in the GOP’s mayoral primary in June.

What inspired the Manhattanite to run for mayor? “It’s years in the making,” said Nahom at a recent roundtable. “It’s a puzzle of a lot of things that I did in my life, that I went through.”

Nahom, who was born in Israel, moved to NYC in 1992 after fulfilling his mandatory military service. He only intended to visit briefly, but life had other plans: “After the army, I came to New York,” he recalled. “I was supposed to go travel, but my brother was here. So I came here [thinking I’d] work for a little bit, then go on the trip.” He laughed. “And I’m still here.”

In those first few years, Nahom drove a tow truck to pay the bills. After returning from a trip to Israel, he switched to driving limousines — and started to pursue his passion for acting. He worked as an extra, landing cameos in both “Sex and the City” and a skit for “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” and joined the Screen Actors Guild. From there, he dipped his toes into the production side, forming his own outfit before shifting gears again: this time, as a home remodeler. Nahom also traded options with his brother on the side, until the dotcom bubble burst in the early aughts. Since then, he has focused on growing his construction business.

Though Nahom’s platform includes undoing DEI programs and addressing antisemitism, his campaign emphasizes policing and public safety as its top priority. “I’ve been doing martial arts since I was 14,” shared Nahom, and that practice informs his proposed solutions for the city’s problems. 

At the heart of Nahom’s pitch to voters is the argument that the city must take a harsher approach to law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Specifically, he advocated — in a callback to former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s “broken windows” strategy — for levying heavy fines against fare evaders, while also restoring qualified immunity for police officers and seeking the maximum penalty for repeat offenders. 

Furthermore, Nahom promised to crack down on protesters, which will likely be a hot-button issue in the race given the detainment last month of the Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil. As mayor, Nahom would “deploy specialized riot police to swiftly arrest and detain individuals participating in illegal demonstrations,” per his campaign site. “Peaceful assembly is a right but lawlessness and public disruption will be met with strict enforcement and zero tolerance. Our streets must remain open, safe, and functional for all law-abiding citizens.”

At the roundtable, Nahom expressed frustration with the slow pace of bureaucracy. While not a politician by trade, he pointed to his experience on the board of his housing cooperative in 2012 as evidence that he would be able to wrangle NYC’s many agencies: “I became loved by many, and hated by others,” he said. “I cleaned up everything. I made a lot of changes, and obviously other people don’t like it.”

In contrast to his own track record in that position, Nahom criticized current Mayor Eric Adams, characterizing him as ineffective. “How hard is it to go out there, take some action, and get some guts to do what it takes? If I was there in his shoes, I wouldn’t care who’s fighting what, and what the politics are like,” he said of Adams. “If I have to fight to the end and even lose the job, but try to actually get things done, I will.” 

If needed, he continued, he would consider taking action against judges who he said were too lenient in their sentencing, to hold them to account: “How about every time these guys let these criminals out for the 150th time, you say, okay, this judge, put something out there and make them look bad — make them retract and change their mind.”

Nahom said one impetus for running was the experience of bringing his children on the subway, and having to tell them that it was not safe. He moved his family to Florida when the pandemic hit and mandates for both masks and vaccinations were floated, and said he was dismayed at what he perceived as the city’s decline since then.

Though his campaign faces long odds, having only raised approximately $20,000 to date, Nahom is confident that he will be able to unseat Sliwa. When Nahom started considering a run late last year, for example, he was initially cowed. “I started watching videos and debates. At first, it looked like this is a big thing — what am I thinking?” But after listening to the other candidates, he had an epiphany. “I was like, wait a minute, I can do a better job.”