political profi les District 18
BY AMANDA FARIAS
Why are you running?
Growing up in CD18 was
not my choice, but remaining
here has been. My grandparents
raised my mother here,
who in turn raised my brothers
and I here. I’m running for
City Council to invest in the
same community that has invested
so much in me over the
course of my life.
Our community is struggling
at the hands of a racist
and oppressive system with
absent leadership that fails to
deliver. I am running to fi ght
for economic relief, unionized
jobs, affordable housing we deserve,
expanded educational
opportunities, and climate action
that combats the climate
crisis and delivers green jobs.
I am running to fi ght for real
representation and to ensure
that my community has a seat
at the table.
Tell us about yourself,
what you do for a living,
your relationship to the district,
and which neighborhood
you live in?
I currently work as an Assistant
Director at The Consortium
for Worker Education,
and previously worked
as Director of Special Project
at the New York City Council.
I am born and raised in Council
District 18, growing up in
Soundview and currently residing
in Parkchester.
What are the biggest
challenges facing the district
and how will you solve
them?
City Council District 18 deserves
affordable and effi cient
transportation, expanded educational
opportunities and
fully-funded after-school programs,
and a fully realized
job-market that enables NYC
residents to access union jobs
and benefi ts. In the City Council,
I will allocate the necessary
resources to continue
improving on public transportation
options, as well as other
infrastructure. Through my
combined work as a board
member of Riders Alliance,
and as a Director at City Hall
and CWE, I have the experience
that has prepared me to
provide the plans and partnerships
needed to make these solutions
a reality.
BRONX TIMES R 34 EPORTER, APRIL 2-8, 2021 BTR
What will you do differently
than the incumbent?
To deliver a truly progressive
agenda, we must organize
a mass movement of workingclass
people. This will require
advocacy for sound policy and
I want to engage everyday people
that have lost faith in a system
that has not worked for
them. I will work to inspire a
belief that we should all have
a right to healthcare, housing,
education, climate stability,
and economic prosperity.
Since my last election, I
have worked on being different
for the people in my community
that believed in our
vision and took the risk to
vote for me in 2017. I have built
strong collations in other boroughs,
with other organizers
to ensure the work we do not
only represents one local community
but all the communities
that are suffering.
What’s your political experience?
I am currently the Democratic
State Committeewoman
of the 87th Assembly District.
My career in organizing, government,
and local politics expands
over a decade of public
service in local campaigns
and working on President
Barack Obama’s 2012 Presidential
re-election focusing
on Black and Brown communities
fi ghting voter suppression.
I spent fi ve years working
at City Hall working with
city agencies, managing constituent
casework and the city
budget, drafting policy, and
implementing legislative priorities.
Since 2017, I have been
a dues-paying Teamster at The
Consortium for Worker Education
and have been managing
and implementing apprenticeships
in conjunction with
IAMAW to increase union opportunities
and employment
in The Bronx.
What endorsements do
you have?
I have been endorsed by
1199SEIU, DC37, 32BJ, CWA,
HTC, NYC Central Labor
Council, NYSNA, DC9 Painters,
RWDSU, UFT, LiUNA,
UniteHere! Local 100, Working
Families Party, Make
The Road Action, Community
Voices Heard Power, NYCC,
Women of Color for Progress,
21 in ‘21, Jim Owles Liberal
Democratic Club, Treeage, NY
Pan Asian Democratic Club,
Downtown Women for Change,
Voters for Animal Rights, Sunrise
Movement NYC, Tenants
PAC, Bronx Democratic Party,
Comptroller Scott Stringer,
Public Advocate Jumaane
Williams, Congressman
Ritchie Torres, State Senators
Alessandra Biaggi, Gustavo
Rivera, Jessica Ramos and Julia
Salazar; Assembly Members
Harvey Epstein, Amanda
Septimo, Chantel Jackson and
Karines Reyes; Council Members
Carlina Rivera, Brad
Lander, Helen Rosenthal, Antonio
Reynoso and Ben Kallos;
Former Assemblymember Michael
Blake, Former Speaker
Melissa Mark-Viverito, and
Zephyr Teachout.
Courtesy of Amanda Farias
BY DARLENE JACKSON
Why are you running?
My experience as a grassroots
community organizer has
inspired me to run for public offi
ce – movements led by directly
impacted New Yorkers that are
truly invested in systemic and
transformational changes by
holding our elected offi cials accountable
to championing our
issues through our lived experience
to infl uence public policy
and community investments by
building collective power at the
local level.
Thinking about my teenage
son and eager to play my part in
creating an equitable pathway
for today’s young leaders and
future generations, running for
public offi ce has arrived at my
doorstep.
Tell us about yourself,
what you do for a living, your
relationship to the district,
and which neighborhood you
live in?
I’m a parent, advocate
and community organizer – a
woman of action who has dedicated
my career of twenty years
fi ghting for the most marginalized.
I found my voice in the 18th
district. Now I will use it to
fi ght for our community!
What are the biggest challenges
facing the district and
how will you solve them?
Reimagining Public Safety
by divesting from community
policing and reinvest in trauma
informed preventative services
to address the root causes of inequality.
Economic Justice to save
small businesses and jobs; expand
SYEP – an economic opportunity
to create revenue &
jobs for our youth to work in
the community. Protect property
owners from massive tax
increases.
Fair Housing by creating
deep affordable units through
the “Neighborhood Area Income”
end income and housing
discrimination; expand access
to homeownership, community
land trust, and cooperatives.
Quality Education outlined
by NYC students and parents
to end the school-to-prison pipeline,
gender based violence, and
integrate our schools.
What will you do differently
than the incumbent?
Our campaign is rooted in
centering the voices and needs
of the community directly impacted
by the system, and left
out of the political process.
Building collective leadership
and community ownership
through self actualization, self
determination, and self suffi
ciency for transformational
change in our communities.
Our council district hasn’t
had a voice at city hall or an
open door policy with its constituents.
Together, the community
can decide how to
preserve, create, and change
council district 18 while recovering
from covid-19 by revitalizing
and implementing “Community
Visioning Sessions” to
actively listen and re-establish
community based planning to
shape policy and budgetary priorities.
What’s your political experience?
I am a woman of action with
a proven track record of 20
years of experience – leading
community led solutions, legislation,
and community investments
that are equity driven
and promotes upward mobility.
My political activism began
with my son addressing
systemic racism with our NYC
public school system; becoming
an active parent leader at
school leadership teams, community
or citywide Education
councils.
Civic engagement was my
driving force to empower others
to use their voice collectively to
infl uence public policy, budget
priorities, and the ballot box
through community organizing,
mobilizing, and strategizing
beyond elections – educate,
empower, and engage.
What endorsements do
you have?
Our campaign isn’t taking
money from real estate developers,
fossil fuel companies,
or police unions. I am the only
candidate for district 18 that is
taking action now – demanding
city hall to pass the Small
Business Jobs Survival Act – a
real lifeline for our small businesses
and their employees.
I refused all real estate and
big PAC campaign donations. I
refused endorsements or help
from the corrupt political machine.
I stand for justice and
rights for our small business
owners, vendors, and our young
people to expand SYEP – an economic
opportunity to create
revenue and save jobs!
Amanda Farias
Darlene Jackson
Courtesy of Darlene Jackson