RIP Eddie Kay: Farewell To a Great Organizer

Late last year, Eddie Kay called me to ask how I was doing, inform me he had been dealing with some health issues, and mention that he was supporting Jumaane Williams for Governor, just as he had for Lieutenant Governor in 2018 and, the following year, in a special election for Public Advocate to fill a post that became vacant when Tish James was elected State Attorney General.

What made the call a bit unusual was that he didn't mention any organizing battle, some new outrage being perpetrated by the bosses or a union leader not acting in the best interests of his members, and his desire to bring a few people to my office to talk about it. A few, in Eddie's lexicon, sometimes meant eight or 10, and it didn't matter that my office had three chairs for visitors and room for maybe two more to be carried in; those who had to stand for an hour or more would serve as a testament to the seriousness of the cause even if they never spoke.