Darius Liddell and Jon Zaid originally enjoyed 34justice content as members of Ben Spielberg’s political email list. The three of them decided their joint passions for critical analysis of political and cultural issues could be better served by starting this blog.
Ben Spielberg won his school’s Mock Primary Election in a landslide for Dennis Kucinich in 2004 and ran Marc Elrich‘s winning, publicly funded Democratic primary campaign for Montgomery County Executive in 2018 against a former pharma exec who spent millions of dollars on advertising, so he knows progressive political candidates can win elections if they message effectively. His passion for social justice stems from the values his parents and grandparents instilled in him since early childhood and his sister Hannah is his moral role model.
Ben is currently the Manager of Strategic Projects for San José Unified School District (all views expressed on 34justice are his own), where he was formerly a middle school math and science teacher and math instructional coach (he was a 2010 Teach For America corps member and served on the Executive Board of the San José Teachers Association from 2012 to 2014). He is also an Assembly District Delegate to the California Democratic Party. In addition to running the 2018 Elrich primary campaign, he spent three years researching, writing about, and advocating for economic and fiscal justice with Jared Bernstein at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, DC, where he co-led the staff’s successful unionization effort. Ben worked in LGBTQ rights for Equality Forum in Philadelphia in high school and college as well and holds a B.S. in Mathematical and Computational Sciences from Stanford University.
Darius Liddell is a free spirit. He frequently follows his thoughts to their logical conclusions – even when they offend his own beliefs and convictions, as they are generally wont to do. He laughs at himself, even when he is crying inside. The most honest skepticism – the kind that cherishes courage, patience, and verve – helps to keep the mind nimble, brisk, and cheerful. Curiosity is the greater part of intelligence. He believes that the human being is a thousand times more excellent and beautiful than he allows himself to be. He enjoys subtlety, nuts, fruit, and the conversation(s) nobody wants to have but everyone knows is necessary. He begs you to be patient with him, because he dances near abysses far too often. He thinks the most profound question you can ask someone is “Do you actually believe what you are saying, and why?” In brief, he is an artist in love.
Jon Zaid has many varied interests and would consider himself more well-read if he finished all the books he began. Often the guy at the bar that will initiate a conversation about religion and politics, he fancies himself as someone who knows just enough about a lot. As someone who has worked in numerous medical research laboratories in Philadelphia and Washington, DC he understands the value of sound logic, reflection, and the desire to know the unknown. He believes many (if not all) aspects of human nature are quantifiable, and that humans at the end of the day can use data and reasoning to make the world a better place for all.
Jon is a current medical resident living in Philadelphia. Before moving back east, he lived in Berkeley, CA since 2010, where he worked and volunteered at hospitals in some of the most economically depressed areas in the East Bay. He hopes to play a role on the ground level for community advocacy groups for homelessness and education. People often ask him where he lies on the political spectrum and he’ll usually reply snarkily, “I’m just a thinker.” He would be a much more boring person if he didn’t love playing devil’s advocate so much.
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