NYC Council District 22 Election: Edwin DeJesus Seeks Queens Seat

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Independent voters in New York City's 22nd Council district, which includes Astoria, Rikers Island, parts of Jackson Heights, Woodside and East Elmhurst, will see one names on their ballots when they vote in the June 22 primary election.

Edwin DeJesus, a freelance film production assistant, is running for the District 22 seat as an Independent.

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

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

24

<b>Position Sought</b>

22nd District of the New York City Council

<b>Party Affiliation</b>

Independent; Green Party

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

Astoria

<b>Family</b>

During the pandemic, I lived in a crowded basement with no bathroom. Now I live in a rent stabilized studio apartment with my fiancé Vanessa - who owns Anoria Boutique on 24th Ave - and our female husky Lilo. Vanessa is also a local to Astoria and she sells traditional, handmade clothing from her indigenous background. We are both 24 years old. If elected, I would be the youngest member of the city council in its history.

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

No. Both my parents grew up in the projects in East Harlem. They are Italian and Puerto Rican. My mother-in-law is an immigrant and excluded worker (waitress). My mother works paycheck to paycheck in a local warehouse going out of business due to Amazon. No living wage or hazard pay during the worst times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

<b>Education</b>

I am a product of the NYC public school system including PS2, IS141 and the Academy for the Careers in TV & Film. I attended Columbia University in the City of New York on a full ride scholarship to study film and media. I graduated with a B.A. in 2019.

<b>Occupation</b>

I am a freelance production assistant in the NYC film and television industry. I am a filmmaker with writing/directing/editing experience for 8+ years. My most recent occupation was National Advance in the 2020 presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders. I am a proud former participant of the Student Youth Employment Program (SYEP).

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

n/a

<b>Campaign website</b>

https://www.edwinfornyc.com/

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

Respectfully, I am in this race to win and build a rainbow coalition of Ordinary people from all backgrounds. I grew up in Astoria's 11105 zip code, so I've seen the change firsthand. I've witnessed Key Foods become a Target. I've witnessed Best Yet Market become a Lidl. Ditmars Boulevard does not look the same anymore. Gentrification is accelerating due to the economic crisis caused by our government's response to the outbreak of the coronavirus. Astoria cannot become the next Williamsburg. Astoria is the most diverse neighborhood in the country. After the DNC rigged the 2020 Democratic Primary against Bernie Sanders, I realized change must happen at the local level. We must extinguish corporate Greed. We must preserve our culture by refunding financial power to Mom N’ Pop shops. We must keep the price of BaconEggNCheese at $3.50 a roll.

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

The single most pressing issue facing District 22 is public safety and I intend on fighting for cleaner, safer streets. We must prioritize NYPD de-escalation training and nonviolence tactics. We ought to reallocate speeding and traffic enforcement funds to the Department of Transportation (DOT). We can reduce hate crimes by ending the War on Drugs and reinvesting in mental health therapy and education. The origin of crime is poverty. Police can be demilitarized when low-income residents have the ability to put food on the table and protect our children. If we allow EBT/SNAP cardholders and family members to enter all city controlled and private cultural institutions for free, then crime will plummet. Low-income areas will thrive if arts and culture is brought into our communities. This would reduce the need for law enforcement to exist. It's common sense. Increased financial resources and community inclusion will reduce the crime rate, thus the NYPD budget naturally decreases.

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

I am a strong supporter of the “original Green New Deal” written by the Green Party in 2006. I believe the Democrat Party later misappropriated the bill and rendered a weaker version. I am the only candidate running on the real Green New Deal, not the fake version supported by corporate-friendly neoliberals. This plan calls for zero emissions by 2030. My Democrat opponents support only 50% emissions and half as many jobs created. I am also proud to support reduced fare MetroCards and Citi Bike memberships for low-income residents.

<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>

Queens was the epicenter of a pandemic due to the failure of both Democrat and Republican politicians. Our children are stuck at home without the necessary resources to learn. Kids are not being taught practical skills for use in the professional world. Instead of punishing students, I propose we refund NYC Career and Technical Education (CTE) to empower public schools with programs for culinary arts, business, technology and other high-skilled trades. We must expand eligibility for the “Ladders for Leaders” program under the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development. We must create job training programs for young students to earn paid internships and job opportunities via Student Youth Employment Program (SYEP). We ought to lower the systemic barriers that prevent low-income students from applying to NYC Specialized High Schools because they lack an arbitrary 3.0 GPA requirement.

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

1 in 10 Americans have seriously contemplated suicide. Mental health is at an all-time low because we are being forced by our government to shut down. We must end the War on Drugs by decriminalizing all active ingredients in psilocybin mushrooms, including psilocin. I propose to accelerate the renewal of studies into the positive effects of psychedelic drugs including overcoming addiction, depression, suicidal thoughts, PTSD, trauma, stress. We must expand the use of ibogaine and kratom to treat heroin/opioid addiction. We ought to remove barriers for scientific research labs at NYU, CUNY, Columbia University, etc. and allow use of psychedelic drugs for free mental health therapy. This would create hundreds of new jobs for the city's medical industry.
Data is the most valuable currency in the Digital Age. We need Data Protection for all Ordinary people. We cannot allow Big Tech CEO's (i.e. Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, etc.) to sell our private data to for-profit companies. We are being spied on under the Patriot Act. Advertisers collect our information without giving us any money in return. In the 21st century, internet access should be a human right. We demand a NYC Internet Bill of Rights in 2021 that guarantees our freedom of speech.

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

I am a fighter for low-income residents seniors, veterans, students and the disabled community. I have organized grassroots efforts that led to increased co-sponsorship of the New York Health Act, a single-payer healthcare bill in the state legislature. I recently led a direct action that spread awareness of Mayor de Blasio's plan to privatize housing for NYCHA residents who are currently suffering from COVID-19, mold illness and Lyme disease. Luckily, the so-called NYCHA "Blueprint" was delayed and thus restricted the Mayor's power to embolden harmful RAD/PACT policies.

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

You can't shoehorn a working class movement into a corporate party. You can't change the Democrat Party. The Democrat Party changes YOU. Stop donating and voting for the 2-party duopoly. Vote 3rd party!

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

I am the only true candidate fighting for the most vulnerable. I have lived in District 22 my entire life. I am not a career politician. Do not let the mainstream media distract you from the truth. The root of our suffering is class hatred and corporate greed. The cure is ranked-choice voting for 3rd, 4th and 5th parties (this is NOT allowed in NYC!) A recent Gallup poll shows 62% of U.S. adults say the "parties do such a poor job representing the American people that a third party is needed." I am endorsed by the Green Party of New York. I am one of the only independent Green candidates on the ballot, which is a huge success after Gov. Cuomo kicked us off the ballots last year. Not a Democrat. Not a Republican. A New Yorker.