Michel Faulkner facts for kids

Michel J. Faulkner (born May 21, 1957) is a former New York Jets football player. He is also a pastor at New Horizon Church in New York City. Michel Faulkner was a candidate for the Republican Party. He ran for U.S. Representative in 2010 and for New York City Comptroller in 2017.

Michel Faulkner's Early Life and Education

Michel Faulkner was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His mother, Queenita Hairston, was a beautician. His father, Steve Faulkner, was a Washington, D.C. police officer. Michel lived in Anacostia, Washington, D.C., and went to elementary school there.

Later, his family moved to Prince George's County, Maryland. Michel attended junior high and graduated from Bishop McNamara High School in 1975. He was very good at football.

College Football and Studies

Michel received a football scholarship to Virginia Tech. He played football for four years and was named a freshman All-American. In 1980, he earned two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in communications and sociology. While at Virginia Tech, he also developed his public speaking skills through drama and spoken word performances.

Michel Faulkner's Football Career

After college, Michel Faulkner joined the National Football League. He tried out for the Oakland Raiders and the Washington Redskins. In 1981, he went to training camp with the New York Jets.

He played for the Jets as a defensive lineman during the 1981–1982 season. Sadly, a leg injury in 1982 ended his time with the team.

Life After Professional Football

After leaving the Jets in June 1982, Michel returned to Washington, D.C. He went to graduate school at CBN (now Regent University) in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He then moved to Blacksburg, Virginia to finish his Master's Degree in education and career counseling at Virginia Tech. He completed this degree in 1985.

After getting his Master's Degree, Michel Faulkner met Rev. Jerry Falwell. He joined Liberty University as the Assistant Dean of Students. In 1987, he was promoted to Vice President for Urban Ministry. In 1988, he moved to Manhattan, New York, near Times Square.

Michel Faulkner's Ministry Work

In 1988, Michel Faulkner became an assistant pastor at Lamb's Church in Times Square. He also worked at King’s College from 1988 to 1992, helping with community and government relations. In 1989, he joined Calvary Baptist Church in Midtown Manhattan as a youth pastor. He was officially ordained as a pastor in December 1991. In 1993, he became the senior pastor of Central Baptist Church in Manhattan.

From 2002 to 2004, Michel worked as the Director of U.S. Programs for World Vision. He helped give out over $1 million in grants to churches in New York City. These grants supported faith-based community and youth development programs.

In June 2006, Michel Faulkner started the New Horizon Church of New York in Harlem. He describes New Horizon as a church focused on "bringing light to the darkness" and sharing the Gospel in Harlem.

Community and Civic Involvement

Michel Faulkner has been involved in many community projects. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani asked him to join the Task Force on Police Community Relations. This was after Michel helped with Giuliani's election campaign.

Michel also served as a Commissioner for the City Charter Review. He was a co-chairman for the New York City Board of Education’s HIV/AIDS Task Force. From 2005 to 2006, he was the Regional Chaplain for the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. He is also a leader for the Christ Covenant Coalition (a group of clergy). He often speaks on national and local radio and TV shows, including ABC and "Live with Regis and Kelly".

Institute for Leadership

In 2005, Michel Faulkner founded the Institute for Leadership (IFL). This is a non-profit organization that helps develop leaders. The institute teaches leadership skills to people in many different jobs. This includes teachers, business leaders, government officials, public servants, sports coaches, and ministers. Michel Faulkner is the President of the IFL. In 2009, the IFL received a grant to run a statewide diabetes awareness campaign for faith-based communities.

Michel Faulkner's Political Career

In February 2010, Michel Faulkner announced he would run for office. He ran as a Republican and Conservative candidate. He challenged the current U.S. Representative, Charlie Rangel, for New York's 15th congressional district. Michel was inspired to run after seeing Scott Brown win a Senate seat. Michel believes that "greed and corruption" are harming the government. He wants the government to help people who are "powerless" and "voiceless."

Michel Faulkner received support from Sean Hannity, the New York State Right to Life Party, and Congressman John Carter. He campaigned with Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele in Harlem in October 2010. Steele said Michel was a strong example of the "new" Republican Party.

In the election on November 2, 2010, Michel Faulkner received 9,235 votes. This was about 10% of the total votes. Charlie Rangel won the election with 80% of the votes.

Running for New York City Offices

On September 21, 2015, Michel Faulkner announced he would run for Mayor of New York City in 2017. He was the first person to announce a challenge to the current mayor, Bill de Blasio.

In early 2017, Michel decided to run for New York City Comptroller instead of Mayor. He then supported Paul Massey for Mayor. On November 7, 2017, Michel Faulkner lost to the current Democratic Comptroller, Scott Stringer. Scott Stringer received 76.72% of the votes, while Michel Faulkner received 19.50%.

Views on Important Issues

Michel Faulkner has shared his thoughts on several important topics.

• Healthcare: He has criticized the healthcare law, saying it was passed too quickly. He believes it increases government control over healthcare and leads to higher costs.
• Foreign Policy: He has also spoken about foreign policy, especially regarding Israel. He believes that the safety of the United States is connected to Israel's safety. He thinks the U.S. must make sure Israel is secure. He sees groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and other groups linked to Iran as the real threat to peace in the Middle East.
• Government Spending: Michel believes that government spending is a very important issue. He has said that the growing size of the federal government and the national debt are big problems.

During his 2010 campaign, Michel Faulkner appeared on several radio and TV shows. These included Imus In The Morning on Fox Business and WABC, the John Batchelor Show on WABC, the Hannity show on Fox News Channel, and Soul Matters with Rabbi Shimshon Nadel.

Michel Faulkner's Personal Life

Michel Faulkner was married to his first wife, Virginia, for 31 years. She passed away in 2014. They had three children together. Michel is now married to Sarai Padilla, who is a psychologist.

Books Written by Michel Faulkner

• Restoring The American Dream, Camden House Books, (2010) ISBN: 1-936314-30-4.