Christian Celeste Tate - AD 54
Christian Celeste Tate
Office Sought:
State Assembly District 54
Campaign Site:
Endorsements so far:
Sandy Nurse, New York City Council District 37, Jennifer Gutiérrez, New York City Council District 34, Tiffany Caban, New York City Council District 22, Alexa Aviles, New York City Council District 38, Jabari Brisport, New York State Senate District 25 ,NYC Democratic Socialists of America, New York Communities for Change, Make the Road Action, Churches United for Fair Housing, New Kings Democrats, DRUM Beats NYC, NY Progressive Action Network , Run for Something
Why do you want to represent your neighbors and fellow Brooklynites in Albany? (100 words max)
I’m running for Assembly because the status quo is suffocating us. We live in the wealthiest city on Earth and yet 20% of New York families live in poverty. Our immigrant neighbors are being kidnapped off of the streets. People who grew up in Bushwick and East New York are being pushed out because they cannot keep up with housing costs. While all of this is happening, Erik Dilan is totally absent. We have the power to build the city we deserve but to do it we need an assembly member who is present with and accountable to the people.
What difference will you make for your community? (100 words max)
I hope to make a difference by elevating the organizing that is already being done in my community, and bringing that organizing up to Albany. People in Bushwick and East New York are working 24/7 to build a city that works for them – one where everyone has access to housing, healthcare, safety, and dignity. I want to uplift and accelerate that work from the assembly, always staying present with and accountable to the people I serve. I will also support crucial housing, immigration, and economic justice legislation that Dilan has refused to sign on to.
How will you support and empower the LGBTQ+ community, particularly at a time when transgender people are under sustained attack from the Trump Administration? (100 words max)
As attacks on LGBTQ+ people, and especially trans people, continue to escalate at the federal level, New York needs to step up to fill the gaps. In Albany, I will always stand up against the dehumanization of trans and gender non-conforming New Yorkers. I’ll support legislation to create a gender affirming care fund, ensuring trans healthcare remains accessible across our state. I will also champion the decriminalization of sex work and the Gender Identity, Respect, Dignity and Safety Act, to ensure trans folks facing incarceration are placed at facilities reflecting their gender identity.
How will you support and empower Brooklynites being targeted by I.C.E? (100 words max)
ICE is a violent, paramilitary police force empowered to carry out Donald Trump’s fascist agenda, and I will do everything in my power to stop them. In Albany, I’ll fight to pass New York For All, Dignity Not Detention, Access to Representation, and the MELT Act. These protections would prevent state and local agencies from cooperating with ICE, banning immigration detention facilities from our state, guaranteeing the right to counsel for New Yorkers facing deportation, and prohibiting ICE agents from concealing their identities. I’ll also use my office to educate people about their rights and organize against deportations.
Who did you endorse in the 2025 Mayoral Election, in both the primary and the general election? (100 words max)
I ranked Zohran Mamdani first in the 2025 mayoral primary (followed by Brad, Zellnor, Adrienne, and Michael Blake) because he presented a thorough understanding of the material conditions facing our city and did an exceptional job presenting an alternative to the “lesser of two evils” trap. Zohran’s primary campaign was a uniquely mobilizing force in our city and I am proud to have been a part of it as the East Brooklyn field coordinator. Of course, I also supported Zohran in the general election.
Although you are running for a state legislative position, we recognize that our state elected officials have an important voice in local political communities. With that in mind, do you/will you support the Brooklyn Can’t Wait slate of District Leader candidates and Brooklyn Can’t Wait’s reforms to make our local party more accountable, transparent, inclusive, and effective? (100 words max)
Absolutely. The unrepresentativeness of the Brooklyn Democratic Party is both embarrassing and counter productive. Not only is there a lack of transparency and accountability in the party structure, but there is also an insistence on preserving party power and a refusal to show up for Democratic candidates. The Brooklyn Democratic Party should serve as a national example of party transparency, accountability, and effective organizing. I am very excited to collaborate with NKD-endorsed DL candidates, and have gone out of my way to help recruit a promising slate of DL candidates here in AD54.
Similarly, we recognize that our state elected officials have an important voice in national political dialogue as well. How will you use your voice to speak out about ending US support for the genocide in Gaza and putting a stop to the aggression being implemented by the Trump Administration against Venezuela, Greenland, and other areas? (100 words max)
I will always stand with Palestine and those around the world facing American imperial oppression. In Albany, I’ll call for an end to the genocide and occupation in Palestine and support the Not on Our Dime bill, which prevents NY non-profits from funding Israeli settler violence in the West Bank. I’ll also call attention to lesser-known ways New York works with Israel, such as the NYPD and IDF’s joint training and intelligence sharing programs. I’ll also be a vocal opponent of illegal, imperial military action against Venezuela and Greenland, and will support legislation to combat this aggression in the Assembly.
Legislation:
Do you support the Gender Identity, Respect, Dignity, and Safety Act (GIRDS) (A5478/S1049A)?
Yes, absolutely. This common-sense bill offers essential protections to trans people facing incarceration, such as placement in a facility that reflects the person’s gender identity, and access to gender affirming clothing and commissary items. I’ll be proud to support it in Albany, even as we pursue the larger goal of decarceration.
Do you support Cecilia’s Act for Rights in the S*x Trades S2513/A3251 (formerly SVSTA) (A3251/S2513)?
Yes, absolutely. Sex work is work! Furthermore, the criminalization of sex work often makes sex workers less safe (even when criminalized under the Nordic model), by exposing sex workers to law enforcement officials who are often abusive towards sex workers and are unlikely to help when someone is in a situation that is legitimately dangerous. The decriminalization of sex work will protect workers by extending labor protections, limiting discriminatory policing practices that target trans New Yorkers, de-escalating conflicts with police, and increasing access to basic social services for sex workers.
Do you support the New York Health Act (A1466/S3425)?
Absolutely. The New York Health Act would enshrine the right to healthcare as a basic right and offer coverage to every New Yorker, regardless of income, identity, employment, or immigration status. This would single handedly close the coverage gap and provide financial efficiencies to our healthcare system. Estimates suggest that under the New York Health Act, 90% of New Yorkers would pay less than they currently do for healthcare. It would eliminate premiums, copayments, and deductibles, replacing all three with a progressive tax that distributes costs fairly across our society. It is painfully clear that we cannot wait for the federal government to act on healthcare; we must pass the New York Health Act to ensure that access to healthcare is not contingent on anything. In the wealthiest city on Earth, it's time we treat healthcare as a basic human right.
Do you support the Repeal STI Discrimination Act (A733A/S4545A)?
Absolutely. Repealing this outdated statute, which makes it a criminal misdemeanor for people who are knowingly living with STIs to have sex, regardless of whether they disclose their sexually transmitted infection (STI) status, if their partner consents, or if they use protection, will protect LGBTQ+ New Yorkers and public health.
Do you support the Freedom to Read Act (A7777/S1099) and overriding the Governor’s veto of this act?
Yes, absolutely. This bill, which would limit censorship and book banning by giving school librarians the authority to curate age-appropriate, diverse, and inclusive, and developmentally appropriate book selections for students, is more important than ever as book bans proliferate across the country. Kathy Hochul should be embarrassed to have vetoed this legislation and I absolutely support overriding that veto.
Do you support the New York for All Act (A3506/S2235A)?
Yes. I was a field lead for the recent pressure campaign to push Governor Hochul to call a special session to pass both New York for All and Dignity Not Detention. I would immediately sign onto both of these bills and leverage the entirety of my platform to advocate for them. These are not only common-sense pieces of legislation, they are past due. The violence of the Trump Administration requires more than just quotable speeches. We are in a moment in which our state government needs to be in direct opposition to our federal government and I see New York For All, Dignity Not Detention, Access to Representation, and the MELT Act as non-negotiable.
Do you support adding a constitutional right to privacy to New York’s State Constitution (A9377/S8603)?
Yes, of course. This is a key way to protect New Yorkers’ civil rights and liberties from attacks at the federal level, and is especially important in today’s world of overpolicing, surveillance, and unlawful deportations.
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!