Four days out from the 2020 #NewYork Democratic Primary and this piece today from the @GothamGazette reminds me what I have accomplished as part of @es_indivisible and @makeNYTrueBlue and why I am running for assembly in district 37 1/14 https://www.gothamgazette.com/state/9517-voter-turnout-in-new-york-city-was-cratering-then-came-2018

I lived every movement of the IDC fight. In 2017 helping to organize empty seat town halls uptown in Manhattan, Jackson Heights, Park Slope, and Staten Island. Talking to constituents who were already scared of Trump and discovering they had Trump democrats in their district 2/14

We persisted. More town halls + canvassing & calling to educate & engage constituents. Organizing a group of volunteers & from across our city & state to be a political force—to talk about the IDC problem, the issues & policy impacted & eventually about IDC challenger candidates.

All of this at the same time, that as part of the @IndivisibleTeam movement and co-leader of @es_indivisible I was organizing to hold our federal elected leaders to account and make sure they were doing everything possible to stop this president. 4/14

2018 started with a press conference at city hall, a rally with IDC challengers in Brooklyn, then on a cold spring day a kick off for @jessicaramos in Astoria. And on a steamy July weekend getting thousands of petition signatures for @LiuNewYork while getting yelled at and chased

Part of my role @es_indivisible was to recruit and organize volunteers for Sunday canvasses in the Bronx for @Biaggi4NY Convince them to take the nearly hour long weekend subway ride in heat, humidity, and rain. Motivate them to keep at it—to build the momentum and a movement.

I remember the conversations w/voters—they were scared of Trump, their neighbors being taken away, luxury developers pricing them out. At doors we were invited in and thanked because no on else including their IDC Senator had bothered to talk to them. 7/14

By late August I had people I didn’t know texting, calling and emailing me asking to help. When @ZephyrTeachout came to the Bronx one Sunday and @Leahgreenb of @IndivisibleTeam the next we had more volunteers than minivan lists. 8/14

September 13 was an incredibly special night. It was everything great about @es_indivisible, @makeNYTrueBlue, the @IndivisibleTeam movement, our democracy & the power of #NewYorkers. That night will be a long chapter in a book I will someday write. But now we must think of now.

After the IDC defeat we helped elect a democratic senate majority. In 2019 we started advocating for long stalled bills to finally pass in Albany including reproductive rights, voter access, criminal justice reform, congestion pricing, tenant protections, climate change action.

But it was also in 2019 when we discovered that a true blue senate alone could not get it done. Some in the assembly would not stand up and fight for progressive policy they long said they supported. 11/14

Now, myself and other challengers push to change our assembly so we can get progress for our communities and our state.

But we face the possibility of low voter turnout. We need to vote—the IDC fight proves voting makes a difference. Let’s make a difference—by voting. 12/14

By absentee if you received a ballot or in person if you did not.

By early voting today, Saturday, June 20 or tomorrow, Sunday, June 21.

On Election Day, Tuesday, June 23.

The IDC defeat showed the status quo politician what voting can do—let’s show them again! 13/14

I ask you to vote for me for assembly in district 37. I will bring the same energy, motivation, persistance, organizing experience, policy knowledge and fighting spirit to the #NewYork assembly that I brought to the IDC defeat and all the other causes I’ve championed. 14/14