Endorsement Meeting, July 14 , 2022 - Candidate Responses

If elected, what would be your top legislative priority?

Green New Deal and Build Back Better. I have the experience and track record to take on our country’s most existential long-term threat: climate change. I am a passionate supporter of a Green New Deal and the Build Back Better Act. During my tenure as Mayor, I signed into law the historic Local Law 97, which is now on track to create tens of thousands of jobs while slashing pollution from large buildings. I also set in place 100% renewable energy purchasing for city government, divested the city’s pension funds from fossil fuels, and signed an executive order committing New York City to the principles of the Paris Climate Agreement. I want to work to rein in greenhouse gas emissions nationally and globally while also building a more resilient and sustainable future. There is no time left to waste on climate action: only radical positive change, now, can prevent worldwide catastrophe.

How can Congress work to prohibit or limit states like Texas and Florida from enacting legislation that targets transgender children and their families?

Unfortunately, too many states are denying basic freedoms to transgender children and families. We need explicit federal laws to protect LGBT+ Americans, including transgender children and families. We must ensure every state provides gender affirming medical care and healthcare protections and ensure that health insurance covers needed health services. Gender identity must be a protected class under our Civil Rights laws. Every transgender child must be allowed to play sports, and on a team consistent with his or her gender identity. I will aggressively push to pass the Equality Act and ensure that it includes transgender individuals. I also want to expand the Supreme Court and add term limits. Our Supreme Court Justices must uphold our Constitutional protections, and right now they are failing. States like Texas and Florida, along with every other state in the nation, must guarantee every person the protections that the Constitution provides to us. I will do everything in my power to fight for these protections.

How can Congress work with the administration to ease the burden placed on asylees seeking refuge from LGBTQ persecution abroad?

I was a big proponent of refugee resettlement during my Mayoralty, and I spoke to communities in New York City to remind them that they too were once refugees and immigrants and that they must show compassion to refugees fleeing war, persecution and repression. I am proud that NY is one of the top states for refugee resettlement. Refugee resettlement is not just about being a safe haven for those fleeing violence and persecution, it enriches our economy and enhances our national security. Now that Trump is no longer President, the United States must once again show the world that refugee resettlement represents the best of the values America strives to uphold: equality, human dignity, freedom and justice. I will work closely with my NY colleagues and the Administration to ensure we do not place undue burdens on those seeking refuge in the United States.

Do you support full passage of the Equality Act, and will you oppose any version that eliminates any portion (eg, employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, jury service)?

Yes. And Yes.

Do you support the passage of the Transgender Bill of Rights?

Yes. I support amending the Civil Rights Act to explicitly include protections for gender identity and sex characteristics, expand access to gender-affirming care and ban conversion therapy. During my tenure as Mayor, I doubled the budget of NYC’s Human Rights Commission and tripled the staff. In 2015, I oversaw the NYC Human Rights Commission’s new guidance on gender identity and gender expression to provide explicit examples to employers, landlords, business owners, and the general public on what the City considers discrimination under the law. Violations of this guidance and the law has resulted in fines and injunctions against entities that discriminate against transgender individuals.

Do you support H.R.4286, the Fair and Equal Housing Act?

Yes. As noted above, all persons must be free from discrimination under our federal laws, whether it’s in employment, housing, healthcare or education. Nobody should face discrimination finding or securing a home because of who they are or who they love.

What actions will you take to prevent states from curtailing the right to accessible abortion and pre-natal health services?

I will aggressively advocate for safe abortion access in every state as well as Medicare for All. Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Abortion is healthcare. During my tenure as Mayor, we expanded NYC’s public health insurance option and guaranteed that anyone ineligible for insurance – including undocumented New Yorkers – had direct access to physicians, pharmacies and mental health and substance abuse services through a novel program called NYC Care. I will work to expand these successful programs on a national level while also advocating for Medicare for All. I will also work with groups and municipalities to provide grants and funding to pregnant people who may need to come to NY from out of state in order to obtain an abortion. We know many pregnant people will need to book hotels, arrange childcare, and pay for buses, trains and planes. As a state where abortion is legal and safe, we must do all we can to provide services to these people, especially vulnerable people, who may need our assistance. We must also expand the Supreme Court so that this country once again recognizes that abortion is a fundamental right, and we must codify Roe v. Wade.

What health care reforms or plans do you support?

I strongly support Medicare for All. Health care is a human right. Access to quality and affordable health care is one of the biggest burdens working people face. In 2019, I launched the largest, most comprehensive plan in the nation to guarantee health care for every New Yorker. The plan serves 600,000 New Yorkers without insurance by strengthening NYC’s public health insurance option, MetroPlus, and guaranteeing anyone ineligible for insurance – including undocumented New Yorkers – has direct access to NYC Health + Hospitals’ physicians, pharmacies and mental health and substance abuse services through a new program called NYC Care. The NYC Care card provides the uninsured with a dedicated doctor and 24/7 customer service care line for appointments and questions. I will work to expand this program on a national level while I also advocate for Medicare for All.

What is your position on the building of new oil or gas projects?

Ending new oil and gas infrastructure, in line with science-based targets, was and will remain a top priority for me. As Mayor, the city successfully pushed to stop the Williams NESE pipeline, which would have hooked more New Yorkers for decades to come on fracked gas. I also achieved a historic end to gas in all new construction in 2021, a landmark law that will ensure that the approximately 2,000 new buildings per year built in NYC are built 100% fossil free. I also helped stop the proposed Astoria NRG gas power plant and began NYC’s planning to end dependence on fossil fueled power.

My Administration also achieved the city’s historic Local Law 97, which is now on track to create tens of thousands of jobs this decade by slashing pollution from large buildings. I am a passionate supporter of a Green New Deal. That vision of a massive program to slash pollution, create jobs and build a fairer society is my top priority. There is no time left to waste on climate action: only radical positive change, now, can prevent worldwide catastrophe. Thanks to my administration, New York City is now a global leader among large cities. I will take the same approach at the federal level.

What actions will you take to expand the supply and transmission of renewable energy?

My administration was the major force behind the Champlain Hudson Power Express project, which will transform NYC’s power grid by bringing in renewable energy into our grid. We also set in place 100% renewable energy purchasing for city government and achieved divestment of the city’s pension funds from fossil fuels. And see above.

What actions will you take to protect voting rights?

I will support voting rights legislation. Voting rights are under attack. We need to make voting easily accessible and we need to get money out of politics. For years, I have spoken about the detrimental effects of Citizens United, and have called for legislative changes to fix federal campaign finance laws. In 2018, I made the project of improving democracy in New York City a top priority, and I created a new role: the chief democracy officer. We did a tremendous amount of work on voter outreach campaigns, voter registration campaigns and voter education campaigns. We dramatically increased voter rolls. We also reduced the power of money in politics by increasing public matching funds 8 to 1 in the public financing program in NYC. In NYS, I supported and pushed for same day registration and early voting. On a national level, there is much to do and I would support HR1. I strongly believe in public financing, early voting, same day registration, ranked choice voting, no excuse absentee ballots, and independent redistricting commissions.

What actions will you take to reduce gun violence?

We must break the NRA blockade and pass sensible gun safety legislation. I have spoken strongly in favor of background checks for all gun purchases, bans on automatic and semi-automatic weapons, and divestment from arms manufacturers. We must also do everything we can to prevent criminals and the mentally ill from getting access to guns. I am fully prepared to bring this progressive agenda to Congress.

Do you support reinstating the assault weapons ban?

Absolutely

Do you support background checks for firearm purchases?

Absolutely. Close the loopholes and ensure background checks for all firearm purchases.

What steps would you take to support increasing the supply and production of housing both in general and specifically for affordable housing targeted at low-income households and homeless populations? What steps would you take to protect runaway and homeless youth?

We must find ways to make housing more affordable. I’m proud that the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) policy, passed in 2016, was a game-changer in many ways. MIH requires that all new housing-where a density bonus is awarded or in rezoned areas-include 20-30% of units at certain affordability thresholds where occupants would pay no more than 30% of their income in rent. MIH dramatically changed the rules for development and affordable housing in the city for good and is a key strategy for leveraging the private market to add to the city’s affordable housing stock without the use of city subsidies. In December 2021, at the end of my tenure, we announced that my Administration had financed the preservation or new construction of 200,000 affordable homes, the most of any administration in New York City history. The plan remains on pace to reach its ambitious goal of creating or preserving 300,000 affordable homes by 2026. The City not only secured 200,000 affordable homes, but also advanced an agenda designed to make this a more equitable and inclusive city.

As Mayor, I invested hundreds of millions of dollars in combatting homelessness, including the homeless youth crisis. In 2021, my Administration launched the nation’s largest and most comprehensive workforce development program for at-risk LGBTQ youth. NYC Unity Works, a $2.6 million initiative targeting young adults ages 16 to 24 who are homeless or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Along with job training, it provides educational opportunities, mental health services, paid internships and job placement, all with the goal of establishing long-term employment and a secure financial future. The program is an offshoot of the NYC Unity Project, a citywide effort my Administration launched in 2017 to help at-risk LGBTQ youth. It was the City’s first-ever, multi-agency strategy to deliver unique services to LGBTQ youth, including: 1) a 24-hour drop-in center in Jamaica, Queens; 2) trainings and certification for more than 500 Health + Hospitals physicians, as well as a public awareness campaign centered on LGBTQ youth and their families; and 3) funding for seven new Community Coalitions aimed at reducing alcohol and substance misuse.

I also made sure that the Rent Guidelines Board, a board in which I appointed the majority of members, stopped raising rents each year by exorbitant amounts (which we saw under Bloomberg and Giuliani). There were three years in which the Board actually froze rents. I will continue to expand upon this work in Congress. I will also fight to get the federal government to pay what is owed to NYCHA, $40 billion dollars.

Please list your current endorsements

UNITE HERE, Local 100

Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse

Former Congressmember, District 10 - Ed Towns

Former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz

District Leader, 44th Assembly District, Doug Schneider

Italian American Democratic Leadership Council

Economist and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, Jeffrey Sachs

More to come shortly

If elected, what would be your top legislative priority?
My legislative vision in Congress would be grounded in community building and the struggles of the most vulnerable residents of NY-10, many of whom I have worked with and represented in the New York City Council for years. The funding of affordable housing and sustainable infrastructure through a Green New Deal (particularly the full funding of capital repairs for NYCHA) would be my top priority, as this would give the thousands of New Yorkers currently struggling to pay rent, living in dangerous and unrepaired housing, or experiencing homelessness the basic human right of a safe and secure home, while addressing one of the largest contributors to CO2 emissions in New York – energy use in buildings.
I would also fight for reproductive justice and for the rights of those impacted by discrimination and bigoted polices throughout the US, just as I’ve fought for these issues in NYC Council. And we must address the crisis of gun violence in New York and elsewhere, through strong gun control legislation and federal funding that addresses the root causes of violence, including jobs access and improved education.

How can Congress work to prohibit or limit states like Texas and Florida from enacting legislation that targets transgender children and their families?
The New York congressional delegation must lead in fighting for transgender children and their families, no matter where they live. I will call on the Justice Department to sue states implementing stop discriminatory laws in other states, encourage the development of federal support services for transgender children and their families, and fight for approval of the Equal Rights Amendment to all Americans Constitutionally-backed protections from discrimination.

How can Congress work with the administration to ease the burden placed on asylees seeking refuge from LGBTQ persecution abroad?
LGBTQ+ people are facing persecution around the world, and America must continue to remain a real sanctuary for any refugee seeking asylum from violence and mistreatment. I would fight to ease the burden on LGBTQ+ asylees by first lifting the arbitrary refugee caps set by the Trump and Biden administrations and set a number that is more in line with international standards for human rights. I would also ensure that LGBTQ+ have special priority status in asylum admissions, and I would work to effectively implement the end of Title 42, as well as dismantle the ICE apparatus and replace it with an agency with a mission that includes an understanding of asylum-seeking in handling borders.

Do you support full passage of the Equality Act, and will you oppose any version that eliminates any portion (eg, employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, jury service)?
Yes, we need to pass the Equality Act to codify and expand upon the Bostock v. Clayton County, GA Supreme Court case so that discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity is fully prohibited. I will not support elimination of any portions of the Equality Act and will contribute to its passage in any way I can in Congress.

Do you support the passage of the Transgender Bill of Rights?
Yes, I would be proud to support Rep. Jayapal’s Transgender Bill of Rights, which is an important companion to the Equality Act. We must pass both bills as soon as possible to combat discriminatory legislation being passed in Republican-led state legislatures across the nation.

Do you support H.R.4286, the Fair and Equal Housing Act
Yes, as LGBTQ+ individuals are some of the most at-risk people in terms of experiencing homelessness, and these Americans deserve a safe and secure home, one of the basic human rights we continue to fail in providing for far too many in this nation.

What actions will you take to prevent states from curtailing the right to accessible abortion and pre-natal health services?

The Supreme Court’s disgusting and morally bankrupt decision to end reproductive rights and protections provided under Roe v Wade means that we must redouble and triple our efforts to provide reproductive justice. We certainly must fight in Congress to have a vote on codifying Roe v. Wade immediately, at least to force Republicans to vote on the record that they do not care about protecting the health and freedoms of women across America. I would also work in Congress to build upon my nation-leading abortion access fund that I fought for in the New York City budget, as well as push for new directing funding to support individuals in states without abortion access or access to adequate contraceptive and pre-natal care, including to support establishing new women’s health and abortion clinics near to borders of states with restrictions. My record on reproductive health care in New York City, in addition to direct abortion access funding, includes legislation that requires the city to provide free abortion pills and long-acting reversible contraceptives at city clinics and an informational campaign on the deceptive practices of crisis pregnancy centers.
I have held oversight hearings on pre-natal care as the former Chair of the Council’s Hospitals Committee, advocated for the inclusion of doulas as part of care teams, and fought for increased hospital resources and culturally-appropriate services to curb the crisis in black maternal mortality. My experience with our public health system provides me with unique perspective when advocating for targeted health care funding for public facilities and programs across the U.S.

What health care reforms or plans do you support?

I support Medicare for All because no one should ever have to choose between paying for their healthcare and putting food on the table. I have called on Albany to pass the New York Health Act, which would establish a single-payer health care system in New York State. As Chair of the Hospitals Committee in the New York City Council, I advocated for the establishment and expansion of NYC Care, which ensures that everyone, including the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who are undocumented, has access to a healthcare option they can afford through our public hospital system. I also introduced a bill that would expand this critical program to our Federally Qualified Health Centers in New York City. The progress we have made toward universal health care access in New York City is important, and I have always felt that if we can do something as close to Medicare for All as possible, people will say, “New York City can do it, then let’s look at it nationally.” I am excited about the prospect of taking this fight to Washington so that all Americans have access to healthcare as a basic human right. We must also fight for other important healthcare reforms, including safe staffing ratios for nurses and other medical staff, increased funding for safety-net hospitals, and new programs to re-focus on true community health and preventative care.
I believe that we can only achieve healthcare as a human right with a reproductive justice lens that ensures all have the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in sustainable communities. This means that abortion access, a variety of free and affordable contraceptives, maternity care that includes post-partum visits, and LGBTQIA+ affirming services should all be part of a comprehensive, universal healthcare plan. Under existing law, we would likely be limited in providing such support - that needs to change. Additionally, mental health needs to be treated not as a separate specialty, but as part of general and preventative healthcare so as not place unnecessary financial burdens on people seeking this type of care. Ensuring that immigration status is not a barrier to affordable healthcare or even private employer coverage should also be a priority in expanding coverage.

What is your position on the building of new oil or gas projects?

We need to pass an immediate moratorium on all oil and gas projects in the United States, particularly those in protected wildlife areas and in areas that have dealt with decades of environmental injustice. At the same time, we must dramatically increase the approval of permits and improve the permit process for clean energy projects and the accompanying transmission infrastructure to ensure clean energy can reach cities and towns across America, where new electricity demand will only continue to increase as we transition from fossil fuel-powered cars and buildings. Here in New York we are doing just that through Local Law 97, which I advocated and voted for in the City Council, as well as through new upstate transmission projects and new offshore wind factories set to launch and bring countless jobs to NY-10, which I have advocated for numerous times to Albany and Washington lawmakers. We also must provide further subsidies to encourage the adoption of electric cars and efficient electric heating, cooling, and cooling systems in buildings, particularly smaller family-owned homes. And we have to encourage better use of walking, cycling, and public transit by improving services and expanding infrastructure, alongside restrictions on cars such as congestion pricing in New York City.

What actions will you take to expand the supply and transmission of renewable energy? See answer above.

What actions will you take to protect voting rights?

In the wake of countless attempts to degrade voter protections, it is clear we need to pass legislation like the Freedom to Vote Act and the For the People Act to ensure we have fair representation in office and anyone can run for office against even the most well- financed candidate. We must restore the power of the Voting Rights Act and build upon efforts we made in the City Council, like those to expand voting access in local elections to all New Yorkers, to encourage more involvement in the electoral process. and to strengthen campaign finance through matching funds.

What actions will you take to reduce gun violence?

Gun violence is a national emergency, and there are so many things we can do in Congress to end this epidemic, even with the recent disastrous gun ruling from the Supreme Court. We must reinstate the assault weapons ban, pass restrictions on magazine capacity, provide increased funding for federal investigations into ghost guns and illegal modifications to legal weapons, and go much further in the level of background checks required for owning a gun in this country. Countries like the UK and Japan have record low levels of gun violence primarily because of their successful background check and licensing structures, and we should follow their lead, so that gun ownership can successfully return to safe, sensible tools for hunting, sport shooting, and home protection.

Do you support reinstating the assault weapons ban?

Yes. Full answer above.

Do you support background checks for firearm purchases?

Yes.

What steps would you take to support increasing the supply and production of housing both in general and specifically for affordable housing targeted at low-income households and homeless populations? What steps would you take to protect runaway and homeless youth?

Last year, I passed a resolution in support of a Green New Deal for Public Housing, which brings the federal government back into the fold in the fight to save our public housing and our planet. For far too long, the federal government’s failure to fund both public and new forms of supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness has led to petty fights between New York City and State. The climate crisis is not a matter of if or when, it is here and now. To fight environmental injustice, we must reckon with the decades of disinvestment in NYCHA, the nation’s largest municipal housing authority. I also passed a resolution in support of Rep. Nydia Velázquez's Public Housing Emergency Response Act, to dedicate $70 billion in funding for capital repairs and upgrades in our country's public housing developments. The federal government cannot continue to ignore NYCHA. I look forward to working with colleagues in Washington to pass this legislation to address our deepening housing crisis. We also must look beyond NYCHA and pass legislation to truly support different forms of community-led housing, including the Community Land Trusts that I’ve advocated for in the City Council through record budget allocations and with the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA). In addition, we need to re-establish social housing building practices in this nation, modeled on successful models in Europe and Asia that pursue government-built housing for individuals at a range of budgets.

As someone who has worked in eviction prevention, I’ve heard countless stories from neighbors at risk of losing their homes over less than a month’s rent. I am proud to stand with tenants fighting to pass good cause eviction legislation in Albany and have introduced similar legislation to strengthen rental rights surrounding security deposits and brokers fees in the City Council. These kinds of changes will make a critical difference in preventing New Yorkers from experiencing homelessness in the first place.

We also have wasted years not focusing on ways to use land use tools that would increase affordable housing stock and inclusion in high opportunity areas. My work at forging a strong rezoning proposal in Soho/Noho, for example, in partnership with several local and citywide housing advocates, is just one of the ways we need to ensure that traditionally wealthy areas should contribute their fair share to solve an affordable housing crisis that disproportionately affects communities of color. I would continue this sort of advocacy in Congress by encouraging federal funding incentives to states that end exclusionary zoning practices and that directly fund more affordable projects.

On runaway and homeless youth, I would look at models in my district like the Bea Arthur Residence, operated by the Ali Forney Center, and other examples of community organizations that are creating safe spaces for youth with wraparound services. We need to focus federal dollars on these models and successes.

Please list your current endorsements

Rep. Nydia Velazquez; Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso; New York City Council Members Alexa Aviles, Lincoln Restler, Erik Bottcher, Jen Gutierrez, Sandy Nurse, Lynn Schulman, Diana Ayala, Eric Dinowitz, Kamillah Hanks, Rafael Salamanca, Jr., Althea Stevens, Marjorie Velazquez; 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East; NYS Iron Workers; Local 2507 EMTs and Paramedics; Local 3621 EMS Officers; Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club; Coalition for a District Alternative LES; United Democratic Organization; 504 Democratic Club; Voters for Animal Rights; and numerous NYCHA and community leaders as listed here: https://www.carlinarivera.nyc/endorsements.

If elected, what would be your top legislative priority?

My top issues are fighting climate change, protecting reproductive rights, ending gun violence, education reform, reviving our economy, protecting our democracy and ensuring equal rights for all.

Equal rights for all: My entire career has been about lifting the voices and fighting for the rights of those who have been historically marginalized. I grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Yonkers, the grandchild of immigrants, and was the first in my family to attend college. I am a disability civil rights lawyer, a former teacher of deaf students, a community activist, and progressive NY State Assemblymember. I fought and won a landmark case that went up to the Supreme Court and changed the landscape for disability rights across the country.

I have had significant legislative victories against big industries and institutions that needed to change - the Red Flag law which is the strongest such gun violence prevention law in the nation, the campaign finance reform bill to close the notorious LLC loophole, a gender equity bill, a bill to protect people with disabilities (SDM), education reforms, and more.

I helped secure equal pay for equal work, paid family leave, voting rights, and sexual harassment protections. I also helped codify abortion rights into state law. If elected, I will bring this expertise to Congress so I can continue fighting for equal rights for all.

How can Congress work to prohibit or limit states like Texas and Florida from enacting legislation that targets transgender children and their families?

The actions of far-right legislatures in states like Florida and Texas to prevent transgender children from receiving care and criminalizing actions to provide that care are not only despicable, they are discriminatory. Congress should amend the ACA to mandate health insurance plans cover gender affirming procedures and codify equal rights for transgender individuals to protect them from the actions of a future Republican Congress and statehouses. We also need to push for federal funding to support gender affirming care for transgender youth.

We need to win more elections in statehouses across the country and in Congress, and that requires long-term strategic planning by the Democratic party.

I also support expanding the Supreme Court and imposing term limits, because the lifetime judicial appointments which were meant to ensure integrity of decision-making by insulating judges from the vicissitudes of political pressure are clearly not working, instead they are now bought and sold by dark money; patently obvious this last term, the most conservative since 1931. The courts should be a failsafe for protecting equal rights and a bulwark against discriminatory state laws. A growing number of federal courts have ruled that title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects LGBTQ+ students from discrimination and the First Amendment’s freedom of expression may provide protection as well.

We also need to expand federal civil rights laws, like the Equality Act.

How can Congress work with the administration to ease the burden placed on asylees seeking refuge from LGBTQ persecution abroad?

As a member of Congress, I would support legislation to codify gender identity and sexual orientation as a basis for seeking asylum in the United States. Additionally, asylum seekers are shamefully not guaranteed access to representation under current federal law. I believe that Congress should work to mandate access to representation for refugees in all asylum proceedings, and should allocate funding so the financial burden of representation does not fall on either the asylum seekers or overburdened non-profit legal agencies.

I've also been an avid supporter of funding for legal services for social justice issues and for immigrants in the city and state.

Do you support full passage of the Equality Act, and will you oppose any version that eliminates any portion (eg, employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, jury service)?

Signing on to the Equality Act as a co-sponsor would be one of my first actions as a member of Congress. I would also oppose any attempts to weaken the Equality Act as human rights should never be subject to negotiation.

I just helped pass NY’s Equality Amendment, which will ensure that the NY State Constitution protects individuals against discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, creed, religion or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. I was a strong advocate to ensure this amendment was taken up during our special emergency session last month.

Do you support the passage of the Transgender Bill of Rights?

Yes, enshrining the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans by amending the Civil Rights Act is more important than ever given the Supreme Court’s willingness and determination to take away those rights. I am proud to have

been a co-sponsor of GENDA and the bill to ban conversion therapy in the New York State Assembly.

Do you support H.R.4286, the Fair and Equal Housing Act

Yes, it is absurd that we have not yet codified protections at the federal level to prevent discrimination in housing on the basis of sexual orientation. I am proud to have been a co-sponsor of GENDA to implement

anti-discrimination protections in housing, as well as other areas, for transgender New Yorkers. While I am grateful that my constituents in New York 10 would be protected by our state laws, once in Congress I will fight to ensure everyone across the country are afforded equal rights.

What actions will you take to prevent states from curtailing the right to accessible abortion and pre-natal health services?

This is one of my top issues and one of the reasons I am running for Congress, because I know that Roe is just the start, and there will be more erosion to our basic rights and our democracy through statehouses and the courts; I believe that despite Justice Alito’s statement to the contrary, the reasoning forming the basis for the Dobbs decision obliterates the Court's reasoning in Obergefell; thus same sex marriage and contraception are in grave danger.

I will never give up on fighting to enshrine the right to an abortion in federal law, whether this means I speak out online, attend rallies or press events, sponsor legislation and write letters, or support abortion funding. We must make a strategic plan to elect a Congress that will be able to enshrine this right into law.

I will continue to oppose bans on private and public insurance coverage for abortion, such as the federal Hyde Amendment, and will fight for federal funding so non-profit health care providers can continue providing pre-natal services to people across the country.

I will fight for medicare for all to ensure access to prenatal health services, and I have been a strong supporter of single payer in NY, which the Assembly has passed several times.

I helped codify abortion rights into New York State law in 2019. Further, we passed an equality amendment to ensure access to abortion in our state constitution (which has to be voted on next session and then put to the voters). We also passed a series of protections for abortion care providers and protections to ensure New York State is a safe haven for those who come here seeking care from other states.

I have long been an outspoken advocate for abortion and was an abortion counselor decades ago.

What health care reforms or plans do you support?

I am a strong cosponsor of the New York Health Act, or health care for all, which was passed in the Assembly a few times, but has not yet made it

through the Senate. Similarly, I support the Medicare for All Act (Sanders/Jayapal).

I support requiring insurance plans to cover abortion services without cost sharing. I support legislation that expands access to a variety of contraception methods at no-copay, and allows for increased dispensing to make emergency contraception easier to access.

I strongly support reforms to our maternal health care, given our high maternal mortality rate, especially for women of color. I’m also in support of the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act (Gillibrand/ DeLauro) which would create a national paid family and medical leave insurance program that would provide up to 12 weeks of partially-paid leave.

I generally support Sen. Murray’s and Rep. DeLauro's Healthy Families Act, which would set a national paid sick days standard, allowing workers in businesses with 15 or more employees to earn up to seven job-protected paid sick days a year. I’d also push for a guarantee of paid sick time that time is guaranteed, and not based on time worked in order to accrue the sick time.

I support efforts to ensure that treatment for long-term Covid is covered by health insurance plans and related government benefits. I also believe that we need to begin funding research into the long term impacts of COVID.

What is your position on the building of new oil or gas projects?

I have fought aggressively and legislatively against the creation of new fossil fuel infrastructures like the Williams pipeline. I have also stood up against irresponsible development projects that harm the environment. I led the Gowanus Expressway Stakeholder Group and litigated against the state and federal governments to plan for an environmentally just tunnel to replace the aging elevated Gowanus Expressway, which has divided and polluted predominantly lower-income communities of color along the western Brooklyn corridor for decades and will continue that advocacy as a member of Congress.

Congress is currently examining legislative reforms to oil and gas leasing and production and the President has issued a pause on new oil and gas leasing; I would strongly support efforts to end taxpayer subsidies for fossil fuel companies and reforms to our outdated policies governing oil and gas development.

I helped pass a first in the nation partial ban on proof-of-work crypto-mining that uses decommissioned fossil fuel plants; the bill implements a two year moratorium on such crypto-mining. Using fossil fuels to prop up this industry is an enormous step backwards, and directly at odds with New York’s State Green New Deal (the CLCPA) passed in 2019.

What actions will you take to expand the supply and transmission of renewable energy?

We must meet the climate crisis head on by moving our economy to 100% renewable energy. I have been a strong supporter and co-sponsor of New York’s Build Public Renewables Act to move to public power, and the All

Electric Buildings Act. Moving to clean electricity is becoming more popular in state houses and can gain momentum in Congress because not only is it necessary to protect our climate, but it has enormous economic opportunity if we tie it to good-paying union jobs; the expansion of federal tax incentives will help.

New York, like many states, has been under the thumb of privately-owned corporate utilities. I’ve been a vocal advocate calling out ConEd and National Grid for providing shoddy service and hiking up their rates while their CEOs get richer - we need to transition to publicly-owned,

democratically-accountable renewable sources of energy right away. We came very close this year to passing the build renewables bill in New York, and we need both state and federal efforts. I helped pass New York’s green new deal (the CLCPA) and would in congress strongly support the passage of a federal Green New Deal. In addition, I was an active sponsor of the Green Amendment - amending the NYS Constitution to provide a right to clean air, clean water and a healthful environment.

In the Assembly, I have actively worked to support a variety of initiatives that would prevent change, including divesting our state and city pension funds from fossil fuels and a moratorium on proof-of-work crypto-mining that relies on fossil-fuel power plants. I cosponsored the 30x30 bill to protect at least 30% of our land and water to reduce mass extinction of critical species, which just passed the state legislature (there is also a national effort to do the same 30x30 initiative, which I can bring my state experience to). I gave a presentation on our 30x30 bill to a national audience through the National Council of Environmental Legislators (NCEL), with whom I have also advocated for states’ increased focus on environmental justice.

I also carry a bill to limit the importation of species that can lead to zoonotic transmission of viruses, which has been increasing due to deforestation and loss of habitat.

I have a long track record advocating for environmental policy and environmental justice––first as a community activist and then as an Assemblymember. This began with my efforts to sink the Gowanus Expressway into a tunnel. I was an early supporter of designating the toxic Gowanus Canal as a Superfund site and have remained engaged in the clean up process throughout my tenure in the Assembly.

I successfully pushed for New York City’s first traffic-calming project, which has been added to and implemented over the past 20 years.

What actions will you take to protect voting rights?

Our election and campaign finance laws at the federal level are abysmal. I’d fight to pass HR1/S1, which would provide a federal grant that would match small dollar donations and enable candidates who are not independently wealthy to run for office. The current system is undemocratic and the consultant class inside the beltway is almost as much to blame for this circumstance as the Supreme Court is for its ruling on Citizens United. I

support the Whitehouse/Cicciline DISCLOSE Act which would require organizations spending money in elections – including super PACs and 501(c)(4) dark money groups – to promptly disclose donors who have given

$10,000 or more during an election cycle and Senator Whitehouse’s bill to require to require that a code of judicial conduct apply to Supreme Court justices.

In the Assembly I passed a major NYS campaign finance reform bill to close the notorious LLC loophole. This egregious loophole allowed unchecked campaign contributions by treating LLCs as individuals instead of corporations, and had allowed them to funnel millions of dollars into state elections with almost no transparency. The public deserves transparency and fairness in the electoral process and campaign finance reform is one way to ensure this. We should not allow the wealthy and special interests to anonymously pour unlimited amounts of money into campaigns in hopes of influencing preferred candidates. We must blunt the outsized influence that corporations and the wealthy have and enable the voices of average citizens to be heard.

I also support automatic voter registration once someone turns 18 years old, with an option to select a party and the ability to opt out of registering if requested – it’s one of the ways we can protect voters in other states who are being disenfranchised. Likewise, New York has enacted major reforms in the last few years, once Democrats took control of the Senate, so New York is a good study in how to overhaul and improve access to the ballot box. I'd support similar initiatives like early voting, voting by absentee ballot, making federal primaries and general elections a national holiday, and same day voter registration. Ending partisan gerrymandering is critical. NY’s 2022 recently enacted John R. Lewis Voting Act laws are also critical; they establish the rights of actions for denying the right of any member of a protected class to vote, provide assistance to language-minority groups, penalize voter deception, and prevent electronic interference. I support the federal John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.

My aim is to also help restore the public's trust in our government and in our elected officials. I have always also acted with the utmost integrity and worked to fulfill the public's trust in me.

And, we need to end the filibuster!

What actions will you take to reduce gun violence?

I have authored and passed major gun violence prevention laws, so I know that there are so many initiatives we could implement to reduce gun violence right now. There are many states - like New York - that have taken serious

and significant steps to combat gun violence. However, the people in these states are only as safe as the closest states with the weakest laws. It is critical that the federal government take serious action, and that states also take action to be a bulwark against the gridlock in Congress on this issue.

We also must implement a national “red flag law” or Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) like the kind I passed here in New York - which is the strongest of its kind in the nation. They are court-issued orders of protection to temporarily prohibit someone from purchasing or possessing guns if they pose a serious risk of harm to themselves or others. ERPOs goal is to prevent gun violence from suicide, interpersonal actions, mass shootings.

Over 875 temp orders have been issued & 589 orders were final since 8/2019. This has undoubtedly saved countless lives, but we need to make sure more people know they can request one, and that law enforcement is also aware of ERPOs; Governor Hochul’s Executive order mandating law enforcement file petitions for ERPOs when presented with evidence that an individual is a danger to themselves or others. The NYS legislature recently codified this and has allocated funding for training of law enforcement and public education.

We have to treat gun violence like the public health crisis that it is. It is shameful and beyond comprehension that we are the only country that so devalues human life, repeatedly allowing gun violence to happen. There are public policy solutions. That, of course, would be helped by research into gun violence. I am proud of the efforts Sen. Roxanne Persaud and I made to create and fund the Firearm Violence Research Institute at SUNY.

We need to ban assault weapons, strengthen background checks, raise the age for purchasing weapons, reduce the amount of ammunition someone can hoard, conduct microstamping, expand concealed carry laws to other states, and make significant federal investment in local community violence interruption programs.

The vast majority of Americans are collectively mourning, horrified by yet another massacre of young schoolchildren and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. We are still reeling from the 10 Black people killed in Buffalo by a white supremacist. We need bold action. I am very hopeful that the recently enacted Safer Communities Act will make meaningful differences, especially its addressing of interstate trafficking of firearms and closing of the “boyfriend loophole.”

Importantly, we must defeat the NRA lobby and hold them accountable for this public health crisis. I’m proud of my “F” from the NRA.

Do you support reinstating the assault weapons ban?

Yes, while the vast majority of firearm related homicides do not use assault weapons, banning these wildly unnecessary types of firearms would prevent or limit the likelihood of larger mass shootings.

Do you support background checks for firearm purchases?

Yes, we must work at the federal level to mandate background checks not just for sales made by licensed firearms dealers, but for sales by unlicensed sellers as well. This is commonly referred to as the gun-show loophole, and is currently a very easy way for individuals to purchase a firearm without passing a background check.

What steps would you take to support increasing the supply and production of housing both in general and specifically for affordable housing targeted at low-income households and homeless populations? What steps would you take to protect runaway and homeless youth?

We need to support approaches in land use that prioritize and dramatically increase our stock of supportive housing - a model that we know works since it provides people with the social service support and financial resources they need to stay in their homes. I helped pass a major overhaul of our state's laws to ensure that rent-stabilized housing is permanently affordable; I’ve also helped pass major rent relief measures during Covid.

The City’s housing subsidies need to target people with lower incomes. The percentage of AMI for the NY Metropolitan region is too high for use in the City because it is much higher than our local AMI’s. I also support setting aside a substantial number of units - at least 15% - created in new state or city-subsidized affordable housing projects for homeless families and individuals and setting in motion their eventual moving to permanent housing. We also need to ensure that folks making less than that who are underemployed, retired, or on PA/SSI/SSD can remain in their homes.

Additionally, NYCHA needs massive investment from the federal as well as state and local governments. We need to secure these funds to provide good jobs, and workforce development to NYCHA residents. I’d support Rep. Velazquez’s Public Housing Emergency Response Act which would provide

$70 billion for capital improvements to public housing nationwide.

Finally, I will continue to fight for increased beds for homeless runaway youth, supportive housing, and housing and other services for LGBTQ+ seniors who have had too few champions.

Please list your current endorsements

NYS Senator Roxanne Persaud

Fmr. Sen. Velmanette Montgomery

NYS Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal

NYS Assemblymember Peter Abbate

NYS Assemblymember Steve Cymbrowitz

NYS Assemblymember Patricia Fahy

Fmr. Assemblymember Joan Millman

Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND)

Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID)

Downtown Independent Democrats (DID)

NYS Committee Member Joanne Seminara

NYS Committee Member Rachel Lavine, AD 66

Frm. NYS Committee Member Josh Skaller

Lastly, I’m asking for your endorsement because not only do I have a proven track record of passing progressive laws and the policy chops to do this job, but I have deep roots in the congressional district and I understand constituents' needs better than any other candidate in this race. I came to politics through community and that is where my heart is and who I am beholden to.

An endorsement from LID would mean a great deal to me because of our shared values and because I’ve worked side by side with LID for many years on a variety of measures, including with my co-leader Alan Fleishman as some of the very first reformers in the Kings County Democratic Party.

 I am a strong ally to the LGBTQ+ and the TGNC community and work to amplify the voices of the community. In the early 1990’s, I volunteered to draft wills for HIV positive clients of GMHC and won the first succession rights case in DHCR in 1992 for a man whose partner had died of AIDS, thus saving him from eviction. I have represented numerous LGBTQ+ clients. I have worked with Gays Against Guns on their gun violence prevention efforts and with the Rainbow Heights Club Behavioral Health Coalition in Brooklyn, along with many others.

Name and office sought: Mondaire Jones NY-10 Congressional District

If elected, what would be your top legislative priority?
Affordable Housing: As someone who was raised in Section 8 housing in New York, who rented in New York City for years, and who is a renter in New York’s 10th Congressional District, our affordable housing crisis is personal to me. Simply put, we must do everything to address the severe shortage of affordable housing and help the homeless in New York City. As a member of Congress, I played a pivotal role in securing the passage of the Build Back Better Act in the House, the single largest affordable housing investment in history with tens of billions of dollars in new NYCHA funding and other housing affordability relief. But with the median rent in Manhattan reaching an all-time high of $4,000 in May and the number of homeless New Yorkers at its highest level since the Great Depression, it’s clear Congress must do far, far more. I support the campaign for a fully affordable building at 5 WTC, I helped introduce the Homes for All Act with Rep. Ilhan Omar to ensure the federal government guarantees housing as a human right, and I’ll never stop fighting for federal housing funding for New York City.
Fundamental Rights: There is no denying that the far-right, 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court – and Republican Party leadership as a whole – are waging an all-out assault on fundamental rights and our democracy. This has a direct impact on everyone in America, from New York City to every other corner of our country. As someone who is both Black and gay, the fight to protect fundamental rights and build a true multiracial democracy is personal to me. As a progressive leader in Congress, I will continue to take bold, aggressive action to counter this assault on our rights – even when it means pushing members of our party to fight harder for the things we say we believe in. This term, I was one of the earliest voices calling on the Senate to abolish the filibuster so that that chamber would follow our lead in the House by passing the Equality Act, the Women’s Health Protection Act, and the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act (which I co-authored). New York’s 10th District is the birthplace of the LGBTQ+ Liberation Movement, and we must continue to be the beating heart of progress in America. It is women like my single mother, who worked multiple jobs just to provide for our family – Black and brown folks, and the poorest in our society – who will suffer most from the Court’s devastating decisions, from overturning Roe v. Wade to already having gutted the Voting Rights Act, to targeting marriage equality and same-sex intimacy. That is why I joined Rep. Jerry Nadler and Sen. Ed Markey to introduce the Judiciary Act, my bill to add four seats to the Supreme Court in order to restore balance and integrity to the institution. The American people, and increasingly my colleagues, are on our side. Lives, and our entire way of life, are at stake.
Medicare for All: The coronavirus pandemic has exposed many of the gaps in our existing social safety net. The global pandemic we face demonstrates the need for health care as a human right, regardless of income or employment, as well as mandatory paid sick leave. Even before the pandemic, 87 million Americans were either uninsured or underinsured, preventing them from getting necessary medical care. In the richest nation in the history of the world, health care should be a right, not a privilege. That’s why I support Medicare for All, which would insure every American with comprehensive health care (including dental, vision, and long-term care) while capping the annual cost of prescription drugs and lowering overall costs to families, small businesses, and the government. I believe Medicare for All represents the best approach we have before us to dramatically change our healthcare system for the better and expand access to quality health care among minority and vulnerable communities. Because of the transformational change that this means for so many communities across the country, enacting Medicare for All remains one of my top goals in Congress.

How can Congress work to prohibit or limit states like Texas and Florida from enacting legislation that targets transgender children and their families?
The Senate must pass the Equality Act so that it can be signed into law. I was a proud sponsor of this bill and helped to get it passed in the House. This legislation is critical to ensuring that all people are protected from discrimination. I will continue to be a tireless advocate for this bill until we see its passage in the Senate. The Equality Act also contains my Juror Non-Discrimination Act, which would outlaw discrimination against LGBTQ people on the juror selection process. I was proud to vote for this legislation in the House and have been vocal in my support of getting rid of the Senate filibuster to pass it into law.

How can Congress work with the administration to ease the burden placed on asylees seeking refuge from LGBTQ persecution abroad?
Congress can work with the Biden Administration on providing a P2 designation for LGBTQ+ refugees fleeing persecution due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. A P2 designation allows us to prioritize entire groups of people in our refugee admissions system due to persecution or danger they face, and we already extend P2 designation to certain religious minorities. A P2 designation would allow us to safely and quickly resettle LGBTQ+ individuals, especially when implemented alongside a system of referrals from embassies and trusted organizations specializing in support for LGBTQ+ people.
In Congress, I am a proud original cosponsor of the Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality (GLOBE) Act of 2021, which establishes an interagency group to respond to urgent threats faced by LGBTQ+ people in foreign countries. The bill includes provisions that establish persecution based on sexual orientation or gender identity as an acceptable basis for an asylum request and includes permanent partnership between two LGBTQ+ partners as a marriage for immigration purposes.

 
Do you support full passage of the Equality Act, and will you oppose any version that eliminates any portion (eg, employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, jury service)? Yes, I am a co-sponsor and proudly voted for its passage through the House.

 Do you support the passage of the Transgender Bill of Rights? Yes

 Do you support H.R.4286, the Fair and Equal Housing Act. Yes, I am currently a co-sponsor of this bill.

 What actions will you take to prevent states from curtailing the right to accessible abortion and pre-natal health services?
I unequivocally support the rights of pregnant people to make their own choices with their own bodies. Simply put, abortion is health care and I believe health care is a human right. The far-right majority on the Supreme Court has endangered the lives of millions of people who are already marginalized by our society and government. I proudly voted to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act in the House, in order to codify the right to an abortion, and now the Senate must abolish the filibuster to do the same. Moreover, I have and continue to support robust funding for reproductive health services through the appropriations process. I strongly oppose the Hyde Amendment and have actively worked to get rid of it during my term in Congress. I also believe that we must expand the Supreme Court by adding four seats in order to restore balance and permanently protect the right to an abortion. This is why I introduced the Judiciary Act of 2021 along with Rep. Jerry Nadler more than a year before the catastrophe now in front of us. I have been adamant about the threat that this far-right, partisan Court poses to fundamental rights and marginalized people and I will not stop fighting. I support repealing the filibuster to this end - so we can expand the court, codify Roe, and make durable progress for people.
Just today, July 13, I voted to pass the Protecting the Health and Wellness of Babies and Pregnant Women Act out of the Judiciary Committee. This legislation would prohibit the grotesque practice of keeping women shackled in prison during childbirth and fund research on the needs of imprisoned pregnant women.

What health care reforms or plans do you support?
I believe healthcare should be treated as a human right, not as a privilege reserved only for those who can afford it. I co-sponsor the Medicare for All Act, which would expand coverage to include vision, hearing, dental, mental health care, and reproductive health care, as well as caps the annual cost of prescription drugs.

What is your position on the building of new oil or gas projects? They should not be built..

What actions will you take to expand the supply and transmission of renewable energy?
I’m part of a generation that will inherit a planet that stands to be devastated by climate catastrophe, all because people who have been in office for a long time have failed to act with the urgency this crisis requires. We can’t wait any longer to save our planet — and I am not. In Congress I have been a strong supporter of the Green New Deal and believe that we must end fracking and the development of new fossil field infrastructure altogether. I have also  introduced the Fossil Free Finance Act to require the Federal Reserve to mandate the winding down of financed emissions by the banks and shadow banks propping up this destructive system. But we cannot stop there. To achieve the reduction in carbon emissions that science requires, we need to invest in sustainable infrastructure, and transition America to 100% renewable energy. Doing so would create 20 million good-paying jobs and provide for a just transition for frontline workers and communities.

 
What actions will you take to protect voting rights?
I am proud to have co-authored and helped pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Voting Act in the House of Representatives and will continue to advocate for its passage in the Senate. However a major roadblock to getting this and many other important pieces of legislation that have been stalled in the Senate for months because of the antidemocratic Jim Crow filibuster. That’s why I’ve been a leading voice in abolishing the filibuster, from the beginning of this congressional term, publicly applying pressure to the White House through media appearances and signing onto letters to the President, so that our federal government can finally do its job. I have also been working to elect better Democrats to the United States Senate. Moreover, the crisis of our democracy has been brought on by a series of decisions by the far-right majority on the Supreme Court, which has dismantled the original Voting Rights Act. This is why I introduced the Judiciary Act of 2021 to add four seats to the Supreme Court. If I am given the honor of representing NY-10 in Congress, I will continue to be this kind of leader.

 
What actions will you take to reduce gun violence? 
I’ll always put the safety of our communities first, which is why my campaign does not take a dime from corporate PACs or the gun lobby, and why I’m proud that I earned an “F” rating from the NRA. I support common-sense policies like universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and a mandatory buyback of all assault weapons in the hands of civilians. I was proud to help pass bills in the House that would enact universal background checks and close the Charleston loophole. I also support allowing civil liability for manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of firearms who negligently market or provide their products to people who should not have them.
The far-right in Congress and the Supreme Court – backed by the NRA – are doing everything they can to stop us from making our communities safer and stop gun violence. I just recently voted to pass the first gun safety reforms to be signed into law in decades, but I know we must do far more to save lives. Moreover, following the Uvalde mass shooting, I helped pass the Protecting Our Kids Act in the House, and it still needs to be passed in the Senate. I’ll never stop fighting to stop gun violence because every single New Yorker has the right to feel – and actually be – safe in their neighborhood. I firmly believe in repealing the filibuster and will remain a vocal advocate on this front.

Do you support reinstating the assault weapons ban?   Yes

Do you support background checks for firearm purchases? Yes

What steps would you take to support increasing the supply and production of housing both in general and specifically for affordable housing targeted at low-income households and homeless populations? What steps would you take to protect runaway and homeless youths ?
I believe we need to make building and financing affordable housing our top priority if we are to see our communities thrive and stop so many of our neighbors from falling into homlessness. I believe part of the way we need to get that is by having the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes in order to support a government that provides basic and essential services to all its people. This is especially true in a place like New York City, where inequality is so stark and those without money so often struggle with the cost of living. It is a travesty that many of the richest people in America can get away with paying lower tax rates than people who make far less money, including our nation’s essential workers. We should repeal the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires. We also must start treating capital gains as ordinary income and stop privileging financial services workers over everyone else. Additionally, I support Senator Warren’s proposed wealth tax, which would implement a tax of two cents on every dollar for fortunes over $50 million, and three cents for every dollar over $1 billion.
As a member of Congress, I played a pivotal role in securing the passage of the Build Back Better Act in the House, the single largest affordable housing investment in history with tens of billions of dollars in new NYCHA funding and other housing affordability relief. But with the median rent in Manhattan reaching an all-time high of $4,000 in May and the number of homeless New Yorkers at its highest level since the Great Depression, it’s clear Congress must do far, far more. I support the campaign for a fully affordable building at 5 World Trade Center, I helped introduce the Homes for All Act with Rep. Ilhan Omar to ensure the federal government guarantees housing as a human right, and I’ll never stop fighting for federal housing funding for New York City. I am a proud original cosponsor of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal for Public Housing Act.
I would support legislation in Congress to ensure that the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s homelessness programs are as inclusive as possible to support vulnerable children and youth. This also means including runaway and homeless youth in federal homelessness data so that we can enhance public and private efforts to support them.

Please list your current endorsements:
I’m proud to be endorsed by RWDSU, National Nurses United, the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Congressional Equality Caucus PAC, End Citizens United, LGBTQ Victory Fund, Council for a Livable World, Democracy for America, Collective PAC, Human Rights Campaign, Senator Cory Booker and Congressman Jamie Raskin

If elected, what would be your top legislative priority?
My top legislative priority is taking back our economy, which sounds like an impossibly huge priority until you break it down into actionable pieces. Taking back our economy means pushing for and passing Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda to direct more social infrastructure spending to our district, which includes fully funding our public housing capital needs. It means passing the Green New Deal to direct federal funds to protect our frontline climate communities in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn and shore up the defenses of our small businesses, while creating strong union jobs in the process.
And it means doing in Congress what I did in Albany: winning our community a larger share of government support for true affordable housing to ensure the people who live and work in our communities can keep their heads above water. If we can work together as a coalition, I believe we can make an economy that works for regular New Yorkers, and I would like LID to be a part of this huge effort.

 
How can Congress work to prohibit or limit states like Texas and Florida from enacting legislation that targets transgender children and their families?
From the criminalization of gender affirming medical care for children in Texas to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida, state legislatures across the country are launching an assault on the rights and freedoms of transgender children and their families. In the last year alone, over 300 anti-LGBTQIA+ laws have been discussed in state legislatures. None of this is hypothetical: in Idaho and other red states, Republicans are actively working to deny families a say in their child’s medical care, as well as attempting to restrict out-of-state travel to obtain gender-affirming care. This is not “small government,” it is a totalitarian government by the right, and we must put pressure on the Attorney General to guarantee safe access to gender-affirming care. Congress can pass the Equality Act to protect LGBTQIA+ Americans from discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. I also support Rep. Japayal’s Trans Bill of Rights – only through that critical federal legislation will we push back against the over 300 anti-trans bills put forward by Republican legislatures across the country.

 How can Congress work with the administration to ease the burden placed on asylees seeking refuge from LGBTQ persecution abroad?
We know from the dire reports of Human Rights Watch and other civil society organizations that we are not doing enough to help the LGBTQ+ asylum seekers who come to our border seeking refuge from violence and persecution. Under President Trump’s indefensible Title 42 “Remain in Mexico” program, many of those asylum seekers faced violence not only in the communities they fled, but in the dangerous conditions at makeshift refugee camps on the Mexican side of the border. That policy is now gone, but we must now confront the fact that years of cruel immigration policies have left us with a generation of asylum seekers in need of care to address the trauma they have experienced. We must make federal resources available to help those individuals who are too often ignored by our system.
We must increase our total refugee cap as well as putting forward a clear, efficient, accountable system for increasing the speed with which our government processes these asylum requests.
Once we have done that, Congress must act to ensure that individuals with specialized needs have the resources to address their situations, such as access to gender-affirming and culturally sensitive healthcare.

Do you support full passage of the Equality Act, and will you oppose any version that eliminates any portion (eg, employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, jury service)?
Yes, I strongly support the Equality Act, voted to pass New York’s version of this legislation in Albany, and look forward to passing this legislation in Congress. I believe that this bill is non-negotiable, and I reject any discussion of cutting out portions – including limiting trans protections. This measure must pass in full, because we can not ever negotiate down our fundamental right to equality under the law.

Do you support the passage of the Transgender Bill of Rights?
Yes, I believe this is one of the most important bills we have to end the state-by-state victimization of transgender Americans by a GOP that only sees them as a political talking point.

Do you support H.R.4286, the Fair and Equal Housing Act
I do, and I believe in addition to this we will also need legislation to protect Section 8 housing and fully fund New York’s public housing. I will support any legislation that will improve access, equity and affordability in our housing.

 What actions will you take to prevent states from curtailing the right to accessible abortion and pre-natal health services?
We must codify Roe v. Wade into our federal law. As you know, this will be a fight, but that does not mean we should back down when issues of basic equality are at stake. While we fight, we must also provide funding to states that have codified and protected our rights so that they can deal with an influx of emergency visits from red states. Not only am I committed to fighting for the funding to protect abortion in states where it is under threat, I would offer a resolution before the House urging President Biden to immediately lease vacant federal office space to abortion providers in red ststes. I would also call on the Department of Health and Human Services to make out-of-state travel to obtain an abortion a coverable expense under Medicare, ensuring that those who are most at risk of losing access to abortion rights have a means to exercise their medical choice without facing crushing financial costs.

What health care reforms or plans do you support?
During my time in Albany I have been a vocal proponent for a single-payer health care system. A single-payer system gets us closest to healthcare justice: not just for patients, who would receive a better quality of care without the crushing debt; but also for healthcare service workers who are less likely to be exploited and worked to dangerous exhaustion by a for-profit system. I have also supported extending healthcare benefits to our undocumented children, and believe that a good quality of medical care is a fundamental human right that we as Democrats must be willing to stand and fight for.
One thing we don’t talk about enough is the need not just for structural reform of the healthcare industry, but for a rethinking of how we practice medicine. I have been a fighter in Albany for culturally-appropriate care, and for the basic standard that we are entitled to healthcare professionals who speak our language, understand our culture, and can best provide care.
Improving language access and cultural empathy training within the healthcare industry will lower costs and improve outcomes alongside other, larger structural reforms.

What is your position on the building of new oil or gas projects?
We will not drill our way to climate justice and climate sustainability, but we can easily frack and drill our way into a catastrophe if we continue with the fatal path. As a lawmaker representing Lower Manhattan, the climate crisis is not theoretical to me. I’ve walked through the flood waters and seen businesses destroyed by the cost of repairs. I have spent my career taking action, and I look forward to being a voice for climate change activism in Congress.
I also co-sponsored a bill that would impose a two-year moratorium on new cryptocurrency mining permits because New York has always been a leader, and that includes identifying and regulating new bad actors before they cause irreparable damage.
I have been so closely connected to the fight for a Green New Deal in New York that supporters have taken to calling the package the Green Niou Deal. And I believe not only in supporting the Green New Deal in Congress, but I would introduce standalone legislation to direct federal investment dollars to New York’s green tech and clean tech industries – and the good-paying, union jobs they bring. Just as our city is a financial capital, it could also be a green tech innovation capital, setting our communities up for economic prosperity that also strengthens our climate.

What actions will you take to expand the supply and transmission of renewable energy?
This is an important question because too often our goal is to promote the production of green energy – which I support! – but we dedicate almost no time to talking about how that energy will reach the places where it’s needed. That’s one reason why we end up with completely inefficient clean energy markets, where green electricity can sell at a negative price at points near where it’s generated, but we’re completely unable to move that energy from Texas or Arizona to New York.
I believe we can end fossil fuel subsidies and redirect that money towards improving our renewable energy generation and transmission. This is a huge area where Build Back Better can have an impact if passed – green spending is a key part of the additional hard infrastructure spending that package includes, and I will fight for its passage. It is only fair that the polluting industries who created our climate crisis bear a large amount of the cost in facilitating our move to a green energy future.

What actions will you take to protect voting rights?
In Albany, I fought and won protections that made it easier to exercise your right to vote. For example, in our final week, we passed New York’s version of the federal John Lewis Voting Rights Act. I will continue to fight for the expansion of voting rights in all of its forms, from opposing federal voter ID standards proposed by the far-right to working within my local community to ensure lawyers were available for anyone who faced challenges at a polling place.
I believe deeply in the work Stacey Abrams has done in Georgia to bring to light the many different ways Republicans have stacked the act of voting against marginalized communities, and believe her playbook should be standard operating procedure for DNC voter protection efforts across the nation.

What actions will you take to reduce gun violence?
I believe it’s time to bring New York’s approach to gun safety to Congress, because what’s happening in Washington is far too little, far too late. The bipartisan “gun deal” recently signed by President Biden is barely a gun deal at all – and while we need the school mental health funding that package delivers, Congress has once again failed to address the core problem: the guns themselves.
Gun violence will end when we take the steps we took in Albany to protect New Yorkers. We banned the civilian purchase of body armor. We closed loopholes that allowed 3D-printed guns and “ghost gun kits” to flourish. We raised the age to buy rifles and will now microstamp guns to better trace them when they are used in crimes. These are consensus positions to everyone except the deep-pocketed gun lobbyists who keep solutions forever out of reach. But we have the numbers and we have the energy. We should stop apologizing for trying to save American lives.

Do you support reinstating the assault weapons ban?
Absolutely, I would be proud to vote for something so common-sense.

Do you support background checks for firearm purchases?
I do, and I support fully closing gun show and straw-buyer loopholes that allow individuals to make all-cash purchases that evade federal background checks.

What steps would you take to support increasing the supply and production of housing both in general and specifically for affordable housing targeted at low-income households and homeless populations? What steps would you take to protect runaway and homeless youth?
I was central to securing the first state dollars to support public housing, and now we have over $1 billion in capital improvements that are measurably improving New Yorkers’ quality of life – and that’s the kind of change I want to drive in Congress. It’s time the federal government recommitted to public housing after decades of divesting itself of responsibility.
I have championed housing programs like a new Mitchell lama and during the pandemic worked to help folks stay in their homes. Our federal government must do more to ensure that states are receiving support for public and affordable housing commensurate with their need, and I will never hesitate from fighting to direct federal housing dollars to New York’s public housing system.
Many of the resources we need exist – Congress just lacks the political will to get the job done for the American people. This is why we need to do more than just elect Democrats, we must make sure we are electing the right Democrats, who are unafraid to make their district’s tenants a priority. I will work to preserve and expand public housing funding federally, as well as urging HUD to enforce better standards of transparency and accountability over how federal money is spent to ensure those dollars are going to meaningful reforms that improve the lives of our residents instead of being siphoned off by corruption and mismanagement.

Please list your current endorsements
Elected Leaders
State Senator Julia Salazar
Assemblymember Michaelle Solages
Assemblymember Ron Kim
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu Virginia
State Delegate Mark Keam

Organizations

Working Families Party Sunrise Movement NYC

Muslim Democratic Club of New York New Downtown Dems

No IDC NY

Save Our Storefronts NY Downtown Women for Change CUFFH

New York Communities for Change On Leong Merchants Association

Brooklyn Asian Civilian Observation Patrol The Desiree Alliance

Local Leaders

AD-52 District Leader candidate Aaron Ouyang AD-52 District Leader candidate Lydia Green Cynthia Nixon

Whitney Hu Annie Tan Michael Lee

Rabbi Iris Richman
Ronny Chieng
Alice Wong
Marti Cummings
Tahanie Aboushi

https://jabariforstatesenate.com/

Office/District you are running for: State Senate, District 25

What makes you different (100 words max)? Unlike many elected officials of past and present, I truly represent my community and ordinary people, not real estate developers or corporate interests. That’s why I refuse to take money from developers, corporations, or police unions. 

Why do you want to represent your neighbors and fellow Brooklynites in Albany (100 words max)?
I believe that my neighbors and fellow Brooklynites deserve a representative who comes from where they come from, and who was seen the struggles they face. I was born in Fort Greene and grew up in Prospect Heights and have been a witness to gentrification and its effects. As a queer person of color, I have been marginalized. I truly believe in people power, not the power of the ultra-wealthy and corporations which is why I want to continue to bring that focus and that experience as a legislator to the State Senate.

What difference will you make for your community (100 words max)?
My vision is a New York where housing is a human right, where healthcare is a human right, and where true equality is realized. I will continue to fight for this vision for my community which I believe, when actualized, will make all of the difference in the world. But while I fight for this overarching vision, I will be sure to represent my community by showing up for them, listening to their concerns, and by pursuing policy that will materially improve people’s lives. 

How will you support and empower the LGBTQ community (100 words max)?
When I was elected in 2020 I was proud to be the first openly queer Black person elected to the state senate. Through my vocal pride in my identity, and also through the policies I support and promote, I hope to empower my LGBTQ community so they know that we are in Albany and can make policy that benefits and protects us. 

How will you support and empower marginalized Brooklynites (100 words max)?
Marginalized Brooklynites need to know and to see that there are people like them who represent their interests who have a say in the policy that shapes their lives. I bring that experience and that emphasis but moreover I will commit to trying to bring more marginalized Brooklynites into civic dialogue and exchange, whether that is through helping to register people to vote, fighting for fairer (more accessible) elections, expanding voting rights and enfranchisement so that all New Yorkers can participate in the democratic process. 
Legislation

For each answer regarding a bill, please provide a brief statement if you are in opposition/undecided to the legislation or policy.  If in support, simply indicate yes.
Do you support the Decriminalizing Sex Work/Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (“SVSTA”) (A849/S3075)?
Yes. 
Do you support the Gender Recognition Act (A5465/S4402)?
Yes. 
Do you support the New York Health Act (A 6058/S 5474)?  
Yes.
Do you support the Gender Identity Respect Dignity and Safety Act (A7001A/S6677)?
Yes.
Do you support legislation that will suspend unnecessary travel to states that permit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression (A 07991/S 06897)?  
Yes. 
Do you support the Gender Inclusive Ballot Act (A07933A/S6901B)?
Yes.
Do you support the Hate Crimes Analysis and Review Act (A2230/S70)?
Yes.
Do you support creating an LGBTQI-Inclusive curriculum? (A808/S1929)?
Yes.
Do you support legislation requiring local school districts to establish policies and procedures regarding the treatment of transgender and gender-non conforming students (A840/S369)?
Yes.
Do you support protecting the 340B Safety Net?
Yes.
Do you support legislation requiring unarmed crisis personnel to respond to mental health crises?
Yes.
Do you support the Protecting the Rights of Juveniles During Interrogation Act (A5891/S2800)?
Yes. 
Do you support the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (“HALT”) (A2277/S1757)?
Yes.
Do you support the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (“MRTA”) (A1248/S854)?
Yes.
Do you support legislation to promote comprehensive sex ed in public schools? (A6616/S2584)?
Yes.
Do you support legislation which would mandate insurance coverage for PrEP/PEP (A808/S699)?
Yes.
Do you support legislation which would make gender affirming care an essential health benefit?
Yes.
Do you support creating an LGBTQ+ History curriculum for public schools (A817/S1729)?
Yes.
Do you support the Housing Voucher Access Program (A3701A/S2804B)?
Yes.
Do you support Good Cause eviction (A5573/S3082)?
Yes.
Do you support passing a bill of rights for LGBTQ persons in long-term care facilities (A7807/S85)?
Yes.
Do you support the Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (A849/S4075)?
Yes.
Do you support legislation to ban the use of conversion therapy on persons over 18 and under legal guardianship?
Yes.
(Bill numbers based on 2021-2022 legislative session)

Commitments
If endorsed, do you commit to using LID’s full logo (will be provided) and full name on all materials and other places where you list endorsees (with the exception of lists of specific organizations (unions, etc) or elected officials)?
Yes.

Do you commit to using inclusive and gender-neutral language in press releases and other announcements (e.g., “the people of the..” instead of “the men and women of the…”
Yes, absolutely.

Please provide your name, a link to your website, and a hi-resolution photo to be used on our website.

Françoise Olivas

www.olivasforny.com

Office/District you are running for:

NYS Senate District 59

What makes you different (100 words max)?

As a multi-ethnic Jewish woman I’ve been ‘othered’ my entire life. Another candidate just claimed she’s the only Latina in the race, a blatant attempt to erase me, and my indigenous Mexican roots.

Inclusivity and diversity are my cornerstones. In 2001, my husband shared thoughts regarding his sexuality and mental health.Through conversation, therapy, familial support, and time, my best friend shared his true self. Yes, our marriage ended, but our friendship grew strong: standing by his side as he and his partner became parents and holding their daughter for the first time are monumental experiences I’ll cherish forever.

Why do you want to represent your neighbors and fellow Brooklynites in Albany (100 words max)? 

Neighbors began asking me to run for local office three years ago, when I closed my sustainable lifestyle shop in Greenpoint. They said that the neighborhood was losing not just a local shop but an inclusive community space where neighbors came together to solve problems.

As your state senator, I will work to ensure that all our neighbors are represented, listened to, and included in constructive conversation, and, ultimately, positive change.

What difference will you make for your community (100 words max)?

As an environmentalist, I see our new senate district as an opportunity to heal our corner of the world, to clean up the environmental injustices of the past, and prepare for the future through coastal resiliency and environmental legislation.

As a pandemic parent, I’ll continue to fight like hell for our children, since they are truly the future of our planet.

We are in a multi-faceted care crisis. All our neighbors deserve to live in dignity. We need affordable housing, healthcare, eldercare and childcare now. I’ll work to achieve these fundamental rights for all of us.

How will you support and empower the LGBTQ community (100 words max)? 

I will be in the fight alongside the LGBTQ+ community every step of the way, working to elevate and solve crucial issues. The Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe is just the beginning. The GOP have set their sights on marriage equality, interacial marriage, Brown vs the Board of education, and so many essential civil rights. They’re coming after all of us. We must stand unified.

How will you support and empower marginalized Brooklynites (100 words max)? 

As a frontline worker in eldercare and food insecurity during the pandemic I have witnessed first hand the failings of our social safety nets. 

I will continue to listen to our most vulnerable neighbors, to advocate for them, to help find solutions they need, to uplift their voices and make sure they have a seat at the table. 

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

Legislation

For each answer regarding a bill, please provide a brief statement if you are in opposition/undecided to the legislation or policy.  If in support, simply indicate yes.

Do you support the Decriminalizing Sex Work/Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (“SVSTA”) (A849/S3075)?

YES

Do you support the Gender Recognition Act (A5465/S4402)?

YES

Do you support the New York Health Act (A 6058/S 5474)?  

YES

Do you support the Gender Identity Respect Dignity and Safety Act (A7001A/S6677)?

YES

Do you support legislation that will suspend unnecessary travel to states that permit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression (A 07991/S 06897)?  

YES

Do you support the Gender Inclusive Ballot Act (A07933A/S6901B)?

YES

Do you support the Hate Crimes Analysis and Review Act (A2230/S70)?

YES

Do you support creating an LGBTQI-Inclusive curriculum? (A808/S1929)?

YES

Do you support legislation requiring local school districts to establish policies and procedures regarding the treatment of transgender and gender-non conforming students (A840/S369)?

YES

Do you support protecting the 340B Safety Net?

YES

Do you support legislation requiring unarmed crisis personnel to respond to mental health crises?

YES

Do you support the Protecting the Rights of Juveniles During Interrogation Act (A5891/S2800)?

YES

Do you support the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (“HALT”) (A2277/S1757)?

YES

Do you support the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (“MRTA”) (A1248/S854)?

YES

Do you support legislation to promote comprehensive sex ed in public schools? (A6616/S2584)?

YES

Do you support legislation which would mandate insurance coverage for PrEP/PEP (A808/S699)?

YES

Do you support legislation which would make gender affirming care an essential health benefit?

YES

Do you support creating an LGBTQ+ History curriculum for public schools (A817/S1729)?

YES

Do you support the Housing Voucher Access Program (A3701A/S2804B)?

YES

Do you support Good Cause eviction (A5573/S3082)?

YES

Do you support passing a bill of rights for LGBTQ persons in long-term care facilities (A7807/S85)?

YES

Do you support the Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (A849/S4075)?

YES

Do you support legislation to ban the use of conversion therapy on persons over 18 and under legal guardianship?

YES

Commitments

If endorsed, do you commit to using LID’s full logo (will be provided) and full name on all materials and other places where you list endorsees (with the exception of lists of specific organizations (unions, etc) or elected officials)?

YES!

Do you commit to using inclusive and gender-neutral language in press releases and other announcements (e.g., “the people of the..” instead of “the men and women of the…”

Yes, we already do.  #Olivasforthepeople

What makes you different (100 words max)?

I have a broad range of experience that combines government and organizing, which makes me different and best suited to represent District 59. From working in City Council, the Obama White House, and Senator Schumer’s office, to serving on my community board, I know how government works and how to get things done. From organizing in my community by founding the Western Queens Community Land Trust and Mutual Aid NYC, fighting against the NRG fracked gas power plant, and launching a citywide campaign for public internet, I know how to build a coalition and a movement.

Why do you want to represent your neighbors and fellow Brooklynites in Albany (100 words max)?

I was born and raised by my mom in Elmhurst. When she got me a scholarship to attend a private school, I had my first look at the two New Yorks: the New York of the wealthy, and my New York, where even if you worked seven days a week, you were still one disaster away from losing everything. I am running to represent my neighbors because I deeply understand the struggle of living between these two New Yorks, and am committed to fighting for the future that my neighbors deserve. One where we have organized to fight back against the climate crisis, where everyone has access to housing and healthcare, where all of our neighbors can live authentically and unapologetically who they are every day.

What difference will you make for your community (100 words max)?

The difference I will make for my community is that I will be accountable to the working many, not the private interests of the wealthy few. I will build a New York for all by prioritizing what creates real dignity: housing, healthcare, education and more.Albany still works for the New York of the rich. That’s why we can’t trust the same political machine that got us into this mess — or political outsiders — or anyone not rooted in our movement. We need leaders with real, on-the-ground organizing experience fighting to win our demands.

How will you support and empower the LGBTQ community (100 words max)?

In state legislatures across the nation, trans and queer right are under attack, with Black, brown, and undocumented trans and queer people facing higher rates of violence and greater risks of losing their home or healthcare. While New York state leads the way on some legislation to protect, support, and empower the LGBTQ community, there is more that we can do. We’ve outlined some of these priorities for our campaign in our Queer

Liberation platform. In addition, I’m committed to having LGBTQ community members at the table in decision making and legislating.

How will you support and empower marginalized Brooklynites (100 words max)?

As the proud daughter of a working-class and immigrant family, I know the urgency of these demands better than anyone in this race because I’ve seen up close just how rigged the system is. Our campaign’s policy priorities are climate, housing, and healthcare, and this is because we know that in order to ensure our most marginalized community members are supported and empowered, everyone needs to have access to basic human dignity. Our core team and coalition are made up of community members from all backgrounds and walks of life, and I commit to keeping this coalition once in office to inform my decisions.

Legislation

For each answer regarding a bill, please provide a brief statement if you are in opposition/undecided to the legislation or policy. If in support, simply indicate yes.

Do you support the Decriminalizing Sex Work/Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (“SVSTA”) (A849/S3075)?

Yes

Do you support the Gender Recognition Act (A5465/S4402)? Yes

Do you support the New York Health Act (A 6058/S 5474)? Yes

Do you support the Gender Identity Respect Dignity and Safety Act (A7001A/S6677)? Yes

Do you support legislation that will suspend unnecessary travel to states that permit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression (A 07991/S 06897)?

Yes

Do you support the Gender Inclusive Ballot Act (A07933A/S6901B)? Yes

Do you support the Hate Crimes Analysis and Review Act (A2230/S70)?

Do you support creating an LGBTQI-Inclusive curriculum? (A808/S1929)? yes

Do you support legislation requiring local school districts to establish policies and procedures regarding the treatment of transgender and gender-non conforming students (A840/S369)?

Yes

Do you support protecting the 340B Safety Net? Yes

Do you support legislation requiring unarmed crisis personnel to respond to mental health crises?

Yes

Do you support the Protecting the Rights of Juveniles During Interrogation Act (A5891/S2800)?

Yes

Do you support the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (“HALT”) (A2277/S1757)?

Yes

Do you support the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (“MRTA”) (A1248/S854)? Yes

Do you support legislation to promote comprehensive sex ed in public schools? (A6616/S2584)?

Yes

Do you support legislation which would mandate insurance coverage for PrEP/PEP (A808/S699)?

Yes

Do you support legislation which would make gender affirming care an essential health benefit?

Do you support creating an LGBTQ+ History curriculum for public schools (A817/S1729)? Yes

Do you support the Housing Voucher Access Program (A3701A/S2804B)? Yes

Do you support Good Cause eviction (A5573/S3082)? Yes

Do you support passing a bill of rights for LGBTQ persons in long-term care facilities (A7807/S85)?

Yes

Do you support the Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (A849/S4075)? Yes

Do you support legislation to ban the use of conversion therapy on persons over 18 and under legal guardianship?

Yes

(Bill numbers based on 2021-2022 legislative session) Commitments

If endorsed, do you commit to using LID’s full logo (will be provided) and full name on all materials and other places where you list endorsees (with the exception of lists of specific organizations (unions, etc) or elected officials)?

Yes

Do you commit to using inclusive and gender-neutral language in press releases and other announcements (e.g., “the people of the..” instead of “the men and women of the…”

Yes

What makes you different (100 words max)? 

I grew up in a rent-stabilized apartment that I still live in today, went to public school in the district, and the only candidate who worked with the district. I understand the needs of neighborhoods on both sides of the East River, and want to use my longstanding relationships to deliver solutions and services for Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. I’m a union organizer, a public servant, and an ally who has pushed our state and nation to strengthen protections for the LGBTQIA community. I believe that New York only works if it works for everyone. 

Why do you want to represent your neighbors and fellow Brooklynites in Albany (100 words max)?

I’m running to protect workers’ rights, especially as employees from the Williamsburg Starbucks to the Murray Hill Trader Joe’s continue to organize. We’re seeing these companies retaliate. I want to make sure they face penalties for modern-day union busting and are required to recognize a union vote. Every worker deserves fair pay, good benefits, and protections. We’re also in dire need for affordable housing. I’m committed to supporting and advancing policies that vastly expands our affordable stock, because the people building these apartments should be able to live in them.  

What difference will you make for your community (100 words max)?

I’ve organized communities on everything from participatory budgeting to closing some of the state’s dirtiest powerplants. One of the principles of organizing is listening, which is where I think I’ll stand out as a State Senator. I’ll meet with and work with community stakeholders to develop policies driven by what they experience every day. 

How will you support and empower the LGBTQ community (100 words max)?

First, by forming a partnership. I consider myself a proud ally, and that means supporting the LGBTQIA community and acting on their needs. I will take their lead on issues and seek to be a partner in government. To underscore this, I have sought the counsel of the Lesbian & Gay Democratic Club of Queens on issues before the community since I received their endorsement. I will do the same if I’m lucky enough to have the support of the Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn.

How will you support and empower marginalized Brooklynites (100 words max)?

I often joke that you should never give a Teamster a blowhorn at a rally. By that I mean I’ve never been shy about being loud and calling out injustice. If there are marginalized Brooklynites, I’ll amplify the issues they face. If they are outside the purview of the State Senate, I’ll push my partners in government who can deliver a solution to do so. 

Legislation

For each answer regarding a bill, please provide a brief statement if you are in opposition/undecided to the legislation or policy.  If in support, simply indicate yes.

Do you support the Decriminalizing Sex Work/Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (“SVSTA”) (A849/S3075)?

Yes 

Do you support the Gender Recognition Act (A5465/S4402)?

Yes

Do you support the New York Health Act (A 6058/S 5474)?  

Yes

Do you support the Gender Identity Respect Dignity and Safety Act (A7001A/S6677)?

Yes

Do you support legislation that will suspend unnecessary travel to states that permit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression (A 07991/S 06897)?  

Yes

Do you support the Gender Inclusive Ballot Act (A07933A/S6901B)?

Yes

Do you support the Hate Crimes Analysis and Review Act (A2230/S70)?

Yes

Do you support creating an LGBTQI-Inclusive curriculum? (A808/S1929)?

Yes

Do you support legislation requiring local school districts to establish policies and procedures regarding the treatment of transgender and gender-non conforming students (A840/S369)?

Yes

Do you support protecting the 340B Safety Net?

Yes

Do you support legislation requiring unarmed crisis personnel to respond to mental health crises?

Yes

Do you support the Protecting the Rights of Juveniles During Interrogation Act (A5891/S2800)?

Yes

Do you support the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (“HALT”) (A2277/S1757)?

Yes

Do you support the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (“MRTA”) (A1248/S854)?

Yes

Do you support legislation to promote comprehensive sex ed in public schools? (A6616/S2584)?

Yes

Do you support legislation which would mandate insurance coverage for PrEP/PEP (A808/S699)?

Yes

Do you support legislation which would make gender affirming care an essential health benefit?

Yes

Do you support creating an LGBTQ+ History curriculum for public schools (A817/S1729)?

Yes

Do you support the Housing Voucher Access Program (A3701A/S2804B)?

Yes

Do you support Good Cause eviction (A5573/S3082)?

Yes

Do you support passing a bill of rights for LGBTQ persons in long-term care facilities (A7807/S85)?

Yes

Do you support the Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (A849/S4075)?

Yes

Do you support legislation to ban the use of conversion therapy on persons over 18 and under legal guardianship?

Yes

(Bill numbers based on 2021-2022 legislative session)

Commitments

If endorsed, do you commit to using LID’s full logo (will be provided) and full name on all materials and other places where you list endorsees (with the exception of lists of specific organizations (unions, etc) or elected officials)?

Yes

Do you commit to using inclusive and gender-neutral language in press releases and other announcements (e.g., “the people of the..” instead of “the men and women of the…”

Yes

What makes you different (100 words max)? [100 words written]

I have a strong, proven, progressive track record of large-scale political organizing and being community driven. I was recruited by community leaders and members to bring that energy and leadership to Albany. I organized to defeat the IDC out of our State Senate. I helped protect New York against Amazon, organized to ban fracking in New York State and founded Matriarch to get progressive working women candidates elected up and down the ballot. I am an investigative reporter and helped organize against the MTA subway closures in Astoria to protect our community and small businesses. I am the only candidate in the race with a comprehensive COVID-19 pandemic response plan for this public health crisis. 

Why do you want to represent your neighbors and fellow Brooklynites in Albany (100 words max)?

We see that our governments at all levels, especially at the federal level, have been failing us by a lack of leadership, integrity, and courage. I see that eliminating the IDC from our State Senate was not sufficient; we need bold leaders in Albany to address and combat all of our societal issues and willing to challenge and regulate the worst interests. New York has multiple intersecting crises of housing, climate change, gun violence, health, education and COVID-19. We need people-centered legislation and community-driven leadership to address those matters. We need unapologetic action for ensuring a people-centered budget and getting essential legislation passed urgently for Brooklynites and New Yorkers.

What difference will you make for your community (100 words max)?

I am running to protect, save, and empower New Yorkers from all various crises we are facing. COVID-19 has killed over 1 million Americans, is ripping through New York once again, and needs to be addressed before we lose any more New Yorkers. Our small businesses and working class New Yorkers need financial relief and support. Real estate interests and actors continue to afflict our state through the MTA board and beyond at great detriment to us. We need to center our most marginalized communities through co-governance models that prioritize accountability, transparency, and action. 

How will you support and empower the LGBTQ community (100 words max)?

As a lifelong ally, I have always supported the LGBTQ+ community’s issues and campaigns. From jumping on cabs and shutting down streets after Prop8 was passed, fighting for the LGBTQ+ community on air, in debates, on previous campaign trails for presidential and Gubernatorial candidates, and so forth, LGBTQ+ rights issues have always been at the forefront of priorities for me. I will bring that same level of commitment and energy to Albany through the State Senate legislation and advocacy for the various LGBTQ+ bills listed below and beyond. Additionally, our senior staff team is also 100% LGBTQ+. 

How will you support and empower marginalized Brooklynites (100 words max)?

Brooklynites and New Yorkers need elected leaders willing to take on the corporate interests that go against our community’s interests. Complacency is not an option right now to address the housing affordability, adverse climate change issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to pass my NY Recovers pandemic response plan to support marginalized Brooklynites. We need to invest in housing, healthcare, education, small business relief, jobs and workforce development, among other key social needs. I would also like to work directly with you to brainstorm how we can make sure New York can best support our marginalized communities.

Legislation

For each answer regarding a bill, please provide a brief statement if you are in opposition/undecided to the legislation or policy. If in support, simply indicate yes.

Do you support the Decriminalizing Sex Work/Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (“SVSTA”) (A849/S3075)? Yes

Do you support the Gender Recognition Act (A5465/S4402)? Yes

Do you support the New York Health Act (A 6058/S 5474)? Yes

Do you support the Gender Identity Respect Dignity and Safety Act (A7001A/S6677)? Yes

Do you support legislation that will suspend unnecessary travel to states that permit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression (A07991/S06897)? Yes

Do you support the Gender Inclusive Ballot Act (A07933A/S6901B)? Yes

Do you support the Hate Crimes Analysis and Review Act (A2230/S70)? Yes

Do you support creating an LGBTQI-Inclusive curriculum? (A808/S1929)? Yes

Do you support legislation requiring local school districts to establish policies and procedures regarding the treatment of transgender and gender-non conforming students (A840/S369)? Yes

Do you support protecting the 340B Safety Net? Yes

Do you support legislation requiring unarmed crisis personnel to respond to mental health crises? Yes

Do you support the Protecting the Rights of Juveniles During Interrogation Act (A5891/S2800)? Yes

Do you support the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (“HALT”) (A2277/S1757)? Yes

Do you support the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (“MRTA”) (A1248/S854)? Yes

Do you support legislation to promote comprehensive sex ed in public schools? (A6616/S2584)? Yes

Do you support legislation which would mandate insurance coverage for PrEP/PEP (A808/S699)? Yes

Do you support legislation which would make gender affirming care an essential health benefit? Yes

Do you support creating an LGBTQ+ History curriculum for public schools (A817/S1729)? Yes

Do you support the Housing Voucher Access Program (A3701A/S2804B)? Yes

Do you support Good Cause eviction (A5573/S3082)? Yes

Do you support passing a bill of rights for LGBTQ persons in long-term care facilities (A7807/S85)? Yes

Do you support the Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (A849/S4075)? Yes

Do you support legislation to ban the use of conversion therapy on persons over 18 and under legal guardianship? Yes

(Bill numbers based on 2021-2022 legislative session)

Commitments

If endorsed, do you commit to using LID’s full logo (will be provided) and full name on all materials and other places where you list endorsees (with the exception of lists of specific organizations (unions, etc) or elected officials)? Yes, absolutely – on all accounts and would be open to going even further. I would even want to put a video with club members or leadership on the site and social media as well. 

Do you commit to using inclusive and gender-neutral language in press releases and other announcements (e.g., “the people of the..” instead of “the men and women of the…” Yes

What makes you different (100 words max)?
Well, let me say that throughout my career I have done what is right - no matter how big the opponents (NRA & Mobil Exxon) or how long the odds. I am a fighter with real progressive roots, a distinguished record of achievement and a bold plan to make New York State a symbol of effective government with realistic legislative approaches for public schools, gun safety, affordable housing, green spaces, safer mass transit, transforming the State’s approach to homelessness and promoting the State’s clean energy manufacturing sector.

Why do you want to represent your neighbors and fellow Brooklynites in Albany (100 words max)?
My wife and I have lived in our Brooklyn neighborhood for over two decades and I would not want to live anywhere else. During my eight years on the New York City Council, I demonstrated the ability to develop innovative policy responses to pressing problems and finding solutions. Over many months, as I have been engaged with neighbors, it is crystal clear that our neighborhoods face great challenges in the coming years and voters are frustrated with politics. They want the government to step up and do its job. I want to be that representative.

What difference will you make for your community (100 words max)?
I want to address the needs of the district by finding fair solutions to rebuild the middle class, housing the homeless, shifting our power grid, and heating units to renewable energy. I want to take concrete action that restores our government’s commitment to ensuring respect, dignity, recognition and the deserved rights of LGBTQ+ people and proactively advance the interests of the LGBTQ+ community. This will require determined, vigilant, strategic collaboration with stakeholders and community leaders to reverse some of the most egregious harms perpetrated by the Trump Administration. In Albany I would work to ensure nondiscrimination in government services and programs.

How will you support and empower the LGBTQ community (100 words max)?
Since Stonewall, this country has progressed a long way on LGBTQ+ Rights, but the fight still has a long way to go. We need to dismantle state funded discrimination against the LGBTQ community. Therefore, I support enshrining gay rights protections in the New York State Constitution. In addition to this, I also support expanding access to safe housing, strengthening civil rights, increasing access to affordable housing, and nondiscriminatory physical and mental health services. I would also like to see measures passed that would target preventing bullying towards LGBTQ+ Youth and allow them to use and feel safe in the bathrooms and locker rooms of their own choice.

How will you support and empower marginalized Brooklynites (100 words max)?
Being targeted for one’s identity is NEVER okay. Currently, there is an epidemic of violence against LGBTQ+ folks, especially trans women of color. This must stop. I would push for robust hate crime legislation protecting the liberties of the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, I believe it is important to advocate for safe educational environments for LGBTQ+ students. Moreover, I would also support mandating insurance coverage for life-saving medications such as PrEP.

Legislation For each answer regarding a bill, please provide a brief statement if you are in opposition/undecided to the legislation or policy. If in support, simply indicate yes.

Do you support the Decriminalizing Sex Work/Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (“SVSTA”) (A849/S3075)? Yes

Do you support the Gender Recognition Act (A5465/S4402)?Yes

Do you support the New York Health Act (A 6058/S 5474)? Yes

Do you support the Gender Identity Respect Dignity and Safety Act (A7001A/S6677)? Yes

Do you support legislation that will suspend unnecessary travel to states that permit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression (A 07991/S 06897)? Yes
Do you support the Gender Inclusive Ballot Act (A07933A/S6901B)? Yes
Do you support the Hate Crimes Analysis and Review Act (A2230/S70)? Yes
Do you support creating an LGBTQI-Inclusive curriculum? (A808/S1929)? Yes
Do you support legislation requiring local school districts to establish policies and procedures regarding the treatment of transgender and gender-non conforming students (A840/S369)? Yes
Do you support protecting the 340B Safety Net? Yes
Do you support legislation requiring unarmed crisis personnel to respond to mental health crises? Yes
Do you support the Protecting the Rights of Juveniles During Interrogation Act (A5891/S2800)? Yes
Do you support the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (“HALT”) (A2277/S1757)? Yes
Do you support the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (“MRTA”) (A1248/S854)? Yes
Do you support legislation to promote comprehensive sex ed in public schools? (A6616/S2584)? Yes
Do you support legislation which would mandate insurance coverage for PrEP/PEP (A808/S699)? Yes
Do you support legislation which would make gender affirming care an essential health benefit? Yes
Do you support creating an LGBTQ+ History curriculum for public schools (A817/S1729)? Yes
Do you support the Housing Voucher Access Program (A3701A/S2804B)? Yes
Do you support Good Cause eviction (A5573/S3082)? Yes
Do you support passing a bill of rights for LGBTQ persons in long-term care facilities (A7807/S85)? Yes
Do you support the Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act (A849/S4075)? Yes
Do you support legislation to ban the use of conversion therapy on persons over 18 and under legal guardianship? Yes

Commitments
If endorsed, do you commit to using LID’s full logo (will be provided) and full name on all materials and other places where you list endorsees (with the exception of lists of specific organizations (unions, etc) or elected officials)? Yes
Do you commit to using inclusive and gender-neutral language in press releases and other announcements (e.g., “the people of the..” instead of “the men and women of the…” Yes