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Senator Bernie Sanders Endorses the Full NYC-DSA slate

Senator Bernie Sanders endorses the full NYC-DSA slate of candidates

Contact: press@socialists.nyc

New York, NY – On Friday May 15, Senator Bernie Sanders endorsed the full slate of New York City DSA candidates. Senator Sanders’ endorsement comes just weeks after joining NYC-DSA at a historic rally in the Bronx calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to tax the rich. 

This election cycle, NYC-DSA’s slate of candidates features experts in immigration defense, tenants rights, and labor rights. From State Assembly to Congress, NYC-DSA’s candidates share a vision of a government that taxes the rich, fully funds childcare and healthcare, abolishes ICE, and makes life affordable for all working class people.

“Zohran has proven that when democratic socialists lead, we can govern responsibly without sacrificing essential programs. But we need more than a balanced budget. We need a state government that answers to democratically mandated and historically popular policies that all New Yorkers would benefit from: fully funded universal childcare, fully funded healthcare and food assistance, housing that New Yorkers can afford, and an end to ICE kidnappings.” – Grace Mausser, NYC-DSA Co-Chair.

“Kathy Hochul has proven to be an ineffective, out of touch leader that can be forced to occasionally do the bare minimum against the will of her billionaire donors. NYC-DSA is proud of our existing socialists in office who have delivered historic wins for New Yorkers. Bernie’s endorsement of our full slate this year reminds us all that building a strong socialist bloc in the state legislature is essential for  delivering the affordability agenda that inspired millions of New Yorkers.” – Gustavo Gordillo, NYC-DSA Co-Chair.

ABOUT THE NYC-DSA STATE SLATE:

Conrad Blackburn is a Harlemite, public defender, union member, and democratic socialist running for New York State Assembly District 70 to put the people of Harlem first. Grounded in Harlem’s long tradition of Black radical politics, he believes socialism is simply community in action. Conrad is running to:

  • Fight for a Dignified Life in Harlem: livable wages, access to childcare/healthcare, and safe housing for all. 
  • Protect Harlem from Displacement: stop rent increases and keep families in their homes. 
  • Keep Harlem Safe: protect the community by investing our collective resources back in the community. 

Christian Celeste Tate is a community organizer and democratic socialist running to represent parts of Bushwick and East New York (including Cypress Hills and City Line) in State Assembly District 54. Christian is running to: 

  • Keep people in their homes
  • Defend our neighbors from ICE
  • Invest in public safety through community investment.

Eon Huntley is a working dad, former PTA president, renter and community organizer running to represent Assembly District 56 (Bedford-Stuyvesant and northern Crown Heights). Eon is running to:

  • Stop Big Real Estate from tearing his neighborhood apart
  • Ensure an excellent education for every kid in Brooklyn from cradle to college
  • Fight for the affordability agenda New Yorkers deserve in Albany.

Aber Kawas is a Palestinian community organizer and democratic socialist born and raised in New York City who is running to represent Queens in Senate District 12. Aber is running to: 

  • Fight for affordability for all New Yorkers.
  • Protect immigrant families and stand up to ICE.
  • Fund public transit to make buses fast, safe, and free.

David Orkin is a workers’ rights attorney who has been organizing in the immigrant rights movement for over a decade. He’s dedicated his life to fighting for immigrants and workers, and is running in Assembly District 38 in Queens to take that fight to Albany by:

  • Taxing the rich to fund universal childcare, healthcare, and fast and free buses,
  • Doing everything we can on the state level to protect our communities from ICE
  • Raising labor standards for all workers, in particular gig, cash economy, and freelance workers

Samantha Kattan is a tenant organizer, working parent and democratic socialist running to represent District 37 in the New York State Assembly. In Albany, Samantha will fight to:

  • Tax the rich to pay for a fairer and more affordable New York
  • Deliver well-funded, universal childcare available to working families
  • Stand up for tenants by protecting rent stabilization and building social housing

Illapa Sairitupac is a tenant organizer running to represent the Lower East Side and Chinatown in Assembly District 65. He is a proud democratic socialist and son of immigrants, running to bring socialism back to Lower Manhattan and:

  • Tax the rich to fund universal childcare, healthcare, and social housing
  • Get ICE out of our state
  • Empower tenants through TOPA, the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act

Diana Moreno Assembly District 36.

Adam Bojak is a Family Court and housing rights attorney running for represent NY Assembly District 149. Throughout his career, Adam has defended New Yorkers housing rights. As an Assembly he will:

  • Fight for safe and affordable housing
  • Pass statewide universal childcare
  • Tax the rich

ABOUT NYC-DSA: New York City Democratic Socialists is the local chapter of Democratic Socialists of America—the largest socialist organization in the United States with over 85,000 members. NYC-DSA is run by its 14,000+ members and activists who are working together to build a democratic socialist organization in the five boroughs.

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