About this Event
There is a political revolution happening in America, as the working class are rising up to elect progressive champions at every level of government. Jamaal Bowman has been in the middle of all of it. From winning his historic election as a middle school principal in 2020 to losing the most expensive primary in U.S. history in 2024, Jamaal has experienced both the triumph and trauma of American politics. Feeling broken and depressed after his loss, he was reinvigorated by endorsing and stumping for Zohran Mamdani in his successful 2025 mayoral primary, meeting everyday people who saw themselves in a political movement for the first time ever. Since then, Jamaal has advised progressive campaigns across the country, helping drive unprecedented and historic success for grassroots movements nationwide.
UNpolishED is the raw, unfiltered, behind-the-scenes story of what Jamaal has seen and experienced in American politics, and the upbringing that got him here. From the streets of New York to the classrooms of the Bronx, to the halls of Congress, we learn what shaped, influenced, and continues to inspire him to keep fighting. Jamaal takes us behind the scenes of what happened on that Friday before the 2021 infrastructure vote, his subsequent trip to Palestine, and his constant fights against AIPAC. In UNpolishED, Jamaal connects the impact of America’s foreign and domestic policy from his childhood to today’s ongoing battles for healthcare, housing, childcare, workers’ rights, and a free Palestine.
From being the first in his family to attend college, to founding and leading an award-winning middle school in the Bronx, education became Jamaal’s pathway to empowering the children and families America has forgotten. Hip Hop, particularly thought leaders like Chuck D, KRS-One, and Rakim, helped shape Jamaal’s ideological and pedagogical approach to challenging systems of continued oppression that maintain caste and destroy democracy. To paraphrase the renowned poet Rakim Allah, with knowledge of ourselves, there is nothing we (as a nation) cannot solve.
What is the Black man’s place in American politics? Is the DSA racist? Is this the end of AIPAC’s power? Can Hip Hop be used as a revolutionary political weapon? How should we cure ourselves of the diseases of patriarchy, oligarchy, and white supremacy? Jamaal explores these questions and many more as he shares his story of loss, leadership, and liberation. His story is our story. Our collective story will build a new America. In 2028 and beyond.[1:47 PM]Dr.
Author bio:
Jamaal Bowman is a father, school leader, former member of Congress, and justice advocate. His work has centered the lives of young people, families, and communities too often pushed to the margins. In UNpolishED, he reflects on the journey that shaped his voice and his vision, from the classrooms of the Bronx to the halls of Congress, and the unwavering belief that a more just, equitable, and compassionate world is possible.[3:44 PM]Two Headliners.png
Event venue & nearby stays
Busboys and Poets 14th & V, 2021 14th St NW, Washington, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.