Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Votes PAC Endorses Health Care Champions in Key New York City & Nassau County Races
Contact: Jacquelyn Marrero, [email protected], 646-642-6682
For Immediate Release: April 21, 2021 (Updated: April 21, 2021, 6:45 p.m.)
First round of endorsements includes 23 candidates for NYC Council, fierce advocates for reproductive rights and education, champions for the LGBTQI+ community, immigrants, and communities of color
New York – Today, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Votes PAC is thrilled to announce its first round of endorsements in crucial local elections. This announcement reflects PPGNY Votes PAC’s commitment to elect leaders who represent the diverse community of patients who seek essential, life-saving health care at Planned Parenthood of Greater New York health centers – most of whom are Black, Latinx, Indigenous, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQI+ community.
PPGNY Votes PAC is proud to endorse pro-reproductive health and rights candidates: Jumaane Williams for NYC Public Advocate, Alvin Bragg for Manhattan District Attorney, Vanessa Gibson for Bronx Borough President, Donovan Richards for Queens Borough President, Laura Curran for Nassau County Executive, and Ryan Cronin for Nassau County Comptroller.
PPGNY Votes PAC has also endorsed 23 candidates running for New York City Council. Among the roster of trusted incumbents and promising challengers, PPGNY Votes PAC proudly stands by fierce advocates for racial equity, reproductive justice, and LGBTQI+ rights: Erik Bottcher in NYC Council District 3, Lynn Schulman in NYC Council District 29, Crystal Hudson in NYC District 35, and Amit Singh Bagga in NYC District 26. PPGNY Votes PAC proudly supports trailblazing progressives in Haitian American communities: Farah Louis in District 45 and Shirley Paul in District 46.
Statement from Pascale Bernard, VP of Public Affairs and Community Organizing, PPGNY Votes PAC:
New Yorkers deserve bold leaders who are willing to confront and challenge egregious inequities like racism, transphobia, xenophobia, and other injustices that continue to harm the communities we serve. Our future must include policies that uplift families and individuals who carry the burdens of discrimination on their shoulders. Racial justice, economic justice, and gender justice all lead to reproductive justice. PPGNY Votes PAC is excited to endorse this diverse wave of candidates who recognize the urgent need to advance and protect access to sexual and reproductive health care and education in New York, and who will show strong leadership as our communities recover from the health and economic ramifications of the COVID-19 crisis.
PPGNY Votes PAC endorses the following candidates for New York City Council:
Bronx
District 12: Kevin Riley
District 13: Marjorie Velázquez
Brooklyn
District 34: Jennifer Gutierrez
District 35: Crystal Hudson
District 37: Sandy Nurse
District 38: Alexa Avilés
District 41: Alicka Ampry-Samuel
District 43: Justin Brannan
District 45: Farah Louis
District 46: Shirley Paul
Manhattan
District 2: Carlina Rivera
District 3: Erik Bottcher
District 4: Keith Powers
District 6: Gale Brewer
District 8: Diana Ayala
Queens
District 19: Austin Shafran
District 21: Francisco Moya
District 24: James Gennaro
District 26: Amit Singh Bagga
District 28: Adrienne Adams
District 29: Lynn Schulman
District 30: Juan Ardila
District 31: Selvina Brooks-Powers
With a 95% win rate for endorsed candidates and an aggressive, multifaceted electoral program, in 2018 the PPGNY Votes PAC was instrumental in securing a pro-reproductive health legislature in New York State for the first time in decades. As a direct result of our work in the 2018 election cycle, New York celebrated major legislative victories—bills that had been languishing for years. New York passed the Reproductive Health Act to help ensure New Yorkers’ right to access safe, legal abortion and to make their own health care decisions, regardless of what happens on the federal level. This, plus the passage of the Comprehensive Contraceptive Coverage Act, the Boss Bill, GENDA, the conversion therapy ban, and the creation of the maternal mortality review board, solidifies New York State as the progressive leader we always knew we could be.
Click here for the full list of endorsements.
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Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Votes PAC is a political action committee that works to elect candidates who support our communities and the full range of sexual and reproductive health care services. PPGNY Votes PAC engages in electoral activity at the state and local levels, including candidate endorsements, canvassing, and phone banking in support of candidates, voter education, and grassroots organizing.