NYC Council District 29 Election: Aleda Gagarin Seeks Queens Seat

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — Democratic voters in New York City's 29th Council district, which includes Forest Hills, Forest Park, Kew Gardens, Rego Park, and Richmond Hill, will see nine names on their ballots when they vote in the June 22 primary election.

One of those names will be Aleda Gagarin, an activist and nonprofit leader.

Patch reached out to all candidates in the election to create these profiles. Gagarin's responses are below.

<b>Age (as of Election Day)</b>

39

<b>Position Sought</b>

NYC Council, District 29

<b>Party Affiliation</b>

Democrat

<b>Neighborhood of residence (i.e., East Village, Astoria, etc.)</b>

Kew Gardens

<b>Family</b>

Husband: Melquiades Gagarin, age 39; Children: Micah (14) Sage (12) and Sam (10)

<b>Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?</b>

My husband is my Campaign Manager, and ran for Congress in 2020.

<b>Education</b>

Masters in Urban Planning from CUNY-Hunter College, B.A. in International Service from American University

<b>Occupation</b>

Senior Director of Development at candid.org, 7.5 years

<b>Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office</b>

n/a

<b>Campaign website</b>

www.aledaforcouncil.com

<b>Why are you seeking elective office?</b>

I'm running for office, first and foremost, because my neighbors asked me to. A diverse group of neighbors, local activists, and community organizers asked me to run so that we could bring the bold vision that this moment in time calls for to our district and our city. I'm also running because we are facing crises across public health, housing, jobs, policing, and the environment the likes of which we have never seen. But I believe that these crises present us with the opportunity to reimagine what it means to be a New Yorker, and how we take care of each other.
I believe that our wellness is shared, that all work has value and all wages should be livable, and that housing, healthcare, quality education, and food security are human rights. I love my community and my neighbors, and want to ensure that all of them can thrive. Raising my family in my district has been a gift, and I want to ensure that all of our kids have a promising, just, and sustainable future here, and that our elders can age in place and in dignity.
From the start, this has been a community driven campaign, and we continue to build a big tent of support from a broad range of democrats and neighbors ranging from leftists to centrist democrats who are committed to building a just and sustainable city that cares for all of their neighbors.

<b>The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.</b>

My overarching priority is budget justice. A budget is nothing if not a moral document, a statement of priorities. The priorities of our leaders have been consistently wrong for our communities. Healthy communities are safe communities, and it is time we prioritize investing in housing, healthcare, workforce development, our youth, our elders and our neighbors. Our money should be invested in ensuring a just recovery from COVID-19. We need to save our mom and pop shops, support our local economy, make our streets safer for pedestrians, fight for increased hospital capacity, smaller class sizes, and ensure that our neighbors can afford to stay in our neighborhoods.

<b>What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?</b>

This is a community driven campaign, quite literally started by neighbors and local leaders. We have the broadest base of support, and work hard at building a big tent of folks that are passionate about helping our community and our city. We have the most in-depth policy platforms on climate justice, housing and city planning, safer streets, and on reimagining public safety. We built our education platform in partnership with local public school parents, teachers, afterschool workers, and education advocates. I know that those closest to the problem are closest to the solution, and I am not beholden to real estate, corporate interests, or political machines. I am beholden only to my neighbors.

<b>If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)</b>

n/a

<b>How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?</b>

Leaders at every level of government have failed us during this crisis, including the Mayor and the City Council. I would have done many things differently. From a legislative perspective, in the early days of the lockdown, some NYC council members came out with a package of bills dubbed The Essential Workers Bill of Rights. There are many pieces of legislation in that package of bills that I am a strong supporter of, such as greatly expanding hazard pay, prohibiting firings without just cause, expanding paid sick leave to include gig economy workers and appealing to the state legislature to end the misclassification of gig economy workers as independent contractors.
Not only did my council member not sponsor or co-sponsor any of these important bills that would have helped frontline workers, she has been all but silent on protecting workers and front line communities during this crisis, and has done little to advance the needs of the working class. I would have been a fierce advocate for workers on the frontlines who were keeping our city afloat during those early lockdown days. I support these bills and others to help advance the safety, security and dignity for our city's workers.
There was also a bill on the council floor during the early days of the lockdown that recommended every person experiencing homelessness be provided with a single room. My council member has routinely landed on the wrong side of history on housing and homelessness. Karen Koslowitz openly traded a vote in favor of the borough-based jail plan for a guarantee to shift homeless families out of a hotel in my neighborhood. This level of cruelty keeps me awake at night. We can no longer allow leaders who would rather see our neighbors jailed than sheltered.
Finally, in this COVID crisis, small businesses in the district are being decimated. I actively support such solutions as the Small Business Jobs Survival Act, a revised commercial rent control bill, and intro 1116 which would lift the cap on street vendors. My council member has had ample time to act on these bills before and during the crisis to help small businesses.

<b>Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.</b>

Our platform is the most in depth of any candidate in this race, and among the most detailed in the city. We are prioritizing the following:
1) COVID Recovery
2) Saving our Small Businesses
3) Education
4) Housing
5) Transit
6) Supporting our older adults
7) Climate Justice
8) Criminal justice and community safety
9) Confronting Anti-Semitism, islamophobia and anti-Asian hate
10) Worker’s rights
11) Immigrant rights
12) Disability Justice
13) LGBTQIA rights
14) Reproductive Justice
15) Gender Equity
16) Democracy
17) Parks and Greenspace
18) Food policy
19) Arts and Culture
20) Animal Rights
We hope you’ll go to https://www.aledaforcouncil.co... to learn more.

<b>What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?</b>

I'm a queer mom of three wonderful children, a local activist and organizer, a volunteer CYO coach, and a nonprofit leader. I manage a development team at a nonprofit that provides capacity building services to organizations working to make the world a better place all over New York City and the country. I'm responsible for bringing in millions of dollars for resources, and negotiating budgets. I earned my Masters in Urban Planning (proud CUNY grad!) with a focus on community advocacy with departmental honors, where I worked on recovery plans post Hurricane Sandy in Staten Island. I've volunteered and organized in my local community for many issues, organizations, and candidates, including marriage equality, Census outreach, COVID resource outreach, and criminal justice reform. I have the skills, the relationships, and the love of my district to make lasting, effective change.

<b>The best advice ever shared with me was:</b>

Your ego is not your amigo! Also, to always lead with grace. Grace for yourself, and grace for others. We are all connected, and our wellness is shared.

<b>What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?</b>

My work and our platform are rooted in love and the understanding that our wellness is shared. When you have room to do well, my family has room to do well. I want to build a New York City that allows all New Yorkers to thrive.
For myself, I love being a mother, a partner, a friend, an activist, and your neighbor. I have a 15 year old dachshund named Chewbacca, and two adopted cats named Cally and Ahsoka. I have a mean jumpshot and practice Shaolin Kung Fu, and love to spend time in Forest Park.