Curtis Sliwa

Curtis Sliwa, born on March twenty-six, nineteen fifty-four, is a prominent American radio personality, activist, and politician. He is best known as the founder and chief executive officer of the Guardian Angels, a nonprofit organization dedicated to crime prevention, which has its roots in New York City. Sliwa's journey in public service has seen him run for Mayor of New York twice as a Republican nominee, facing off against Democratic candidates Eric Adams in twenty twenty-one and Zohran Mamdani in twenty twenty-five.

In nineteen seventy-seven, Sliwa initiated a safety group called 'The Magnificent 13' to patrol the Bronx and the New York City Subway during the night. As crime surged across the city, the group quickly gained traction, attracting hundreds of recruits. By nineteen seventy-nine, it evolved into the Guardian Angels, which has since expanded its reach to fourteen countries and over one hundred thirty cities, focusing on crime prevention, self-defense training, youth mentoring, and outreach to the homeless.

With a radio career spanning over three decades, Sliwa has hosted various talk shows on prominent New York stations, including WABC and WNYC. He began his radio journey in nineteen ninety and remained with WABC until the twenty twenty-five mayoral election, where he made headlines by quitting during a live interview. His shows, such as 'Curtis Sliwa Live' and 'Curtis & Kuby in the Morning,' often tackle current affairs from a conservative viewpoint, infused with a touch of shock jock humor.

Beyond his work with the Guardian Angels, Sliwa has been an active participant in protests and civil disobedience, particularly concerning crime and immigration issues, leading to his arrest at least seventy-five times. He identifies as a populist and an outsider, concentrating on right-wing politics in New York. Over the years, he has garnered support from notable politicians, including George Pataki and Nicole Malliotakis, and often draws parallels between himself and former mayor Rudy Giuliani, citing Pataki as a mentor. His political campaigns emphasize law and order, public safety, and tax cuts, alongside a strong commitment to animal welfare.