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Baltimore Mayoral Candidate Gaining Attention Through Social Media

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- He's been at the forefront of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Now Baltimore native DeRay Mckesson tells Jessica Kartalija he wants to be the next mayor--one post at a time.

Thirty-year-old DeRay Mckesson wants to run Baltimore City. Mckesson calls himself an American civil rights activist and has gained hundreds of thousands of followers by being social media savvy.

Kartalija: "You are targeting this different demographic through social media. Why is that important?"

Mckesson: "The question is and has always been--how do we get in front of as many people as possible? Social media is one way to do it, which is why when I do house meet and greets and forums and events, we Periscope it or we Facebook Live it, so people can be a part of it."

Events like a meet and greet with Notre Dame of Maryland's Black Student Union.

Mckesson has become famous, appearing on "The Late Show" with Stephen Colbert. He got national attention for his involvement in protests in Ferguson and Baltimore, becoming a recognizable face in the Black Lives Matter movement.

"He just talked to me like I was a person, so it was amazing to see that," one student said. "It just means that one of the political candidates really cares."

He's become known for his signature blue vest, and tells WJZ he believes he has a chance in the race.

"I have a concrete plan that we can implement from day one that will be about making the city whole again. It is about crime, safety and education, but it's also about a range of issues. I am the only candidate not beholden to the establishment," Mckesson said.

Mckesson is calling for police reform, expanding access to education and raising the minimum wage.

Last year, Mckesson was on Fortune World's greatest leaders list and is famous on Twitter, with almost 340,000 followers.

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