Courage to Change Pledge Candidates: NYC Council

We’re proud to recognize the New York City Council candidates who have taken the Courage to Change pledge. The Courage to Change pledge is a tool to help New York City voters elect a strong progressive city council in our new ranked-choice system.

City council candidates across every district were invited to submit a questionnaire pledging their support to strong progressive values. The candidates below received a perfect score, meaning that voters can cast their ballots knowing that these candidates demonstrate an unwavering commitment to:

  • Building movements: Supporting policy priorities like the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and Abolish ICE, and organizing with local movement groups to build community power.
  • Ethical fundraising: Rejecting contributions from real estate executives, fossil fuel executives, law enforcement associations, and corporate PACs.
  • Prioritizing workers: Uplifting New Yorkers with strong labor protections, reliable assistance programs for people often left out of the federal relief packages, and expanded small business opportunities and access to vendor licenses.
  • Investing in infrastructure: Fighting for infrastructure investments in: Public transit, such as elevator access to every subway station, bus shelters to every bus stop, and a connected city-wide bike lane system; NYCHA, including quality broadband internet services for every NYCHA resident and mobilizing labor to bring all NYCHA work order tickets up to date; and Public schools, to remove lead and mold from pipes and to install state of the art heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems.
  • Championing environmental justice: Upholding the goals of the Green New Deal and protecting working-class communities who are already feeling the impacts of climate change in our city. 
  • Reimagining public safety: Building safe and healthy communities by reducing the annual NYPD budget and shifting those funds towards community-based support systems, including: community accountability services; violence intervention and prevention; victim services and compensation funds; community schools; and individualized mental, health job support, and re-entry programs.
  • Protecting the right to safe, decent, and stable housing: Opposing attempts to sell public housing property to private real estate developers, improving and expanding eviction protections, and encouraging the conversion of underutilized property  into permanent housing.

In select districts where more than one candidate is taking the Courage to Change pledge, we’re providing ranking recommendations based on significant support from allied movement organizations such as Sunrise Movement, Working Families Party, Democratic Socialists of America, Road to Justice, and New York Communities for Change.

Not sure which city council district is yours? Look it up here.

Manhattan

Bronx

  • Mino Lora

    Mino Lora

    CD 11

    • Working Families Party wfp
    Candidate Website
  • 153663941_2910136979264499_3098986225492852320_n

    Marjorie Velázquez

    CD 13

    • Working Families Party wfp
    • Road to Justice roadtojustice
    Candidate Website
  • 14_Adolfo Abreu

    Adolfo Abreu

    CD 14: First choice

    • Sunrise Movement sunrise-movement
    • Working Families Party wfp
    • Democratic Socialists of America dsa_logo
    • Road to Justice roadtojustice
    • New York Communities for Change 13466515_10154278533735842_2507677921614224941_n
    Candidate Website
  • 14_Pierina Sanchez

    Pierina Sanchez

    CD 14: Second choice

    Candidate Website
  • 18_Farias

    Amanda Farias

    CD 18: First choice

    • Sunrise Movement sunrise-movement
    • Working Families Party wfp
    • Democratic Socialists of America dsa_logo
    • Road to Justice roadtojustice
    • New York Communities for Change 13466515_10154278533735842_2507677921614224941_n
    Candidate Website
  • 18_Michael Beltzer

    Michael Beltzer

    CD 18: Second choice

    Candidate Website

Queens

Brooklyn

Staten Island