NYC Council District 26 Election: Ebony Young Seeks LIC Seat

LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — Democratic voters in New York City's 26th Council district, which includes Sunnyside, Woodside, Long Island City, Dutch Kills, and parts of Astoria, will see 15 names on their ballots when they vote in the June 22 primary election — making it one of the most crowded primary races in the city.

One of those names will be Ebony Young, a non-profit president.

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

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

45

<b>Position Sought</b>

City council

<b>Party Affiliation</b>

Democratic

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

Woodside

<b>Family</b>

3 daughters, married

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

No

<b>Education</b>

BA/MA Indiana University

<b>Occupation</b>

Entrepreneur

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

None

<b>Campaign website</b>

YoungforQueens.com

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

I am running because, I've seen funding for this district squandered. I've seen the voices of my community ignored for far too long.

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

Funding for Education and more schools.

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

I am the only African American woman seeking this seat. I've worked at the Y for over 20 years and have been the executive director of the LIC Y for nearly a decade. The Y is like a small city in itself and I've come to learn and deal with all of the issues in our district affecting a wide array of socioeconomic and racial backgrounds. The difference is that I've been doing job for the last decade.

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

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

The treatment of my community is a civil rights catastrophe. There should have been more outreach and points of contact for the black, brown and low income communities within the district.

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

Afterschool for All. Public Safety. Realistic and comprehensive view of economic development and recovery.

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

As executive director of the Y, I was responsible for a staff totaling over 100. Managed a budget larger than participatory spending for district. I was selected as ED for the LIC Y, specifically because it was a project that was unbuilt. Under my guidance, the structure was built on time and on budget.

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

Be kind.

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

I am a working mother and my heart goes out to all working mothers. That is why the cornerstone of my policy platform is Afterschool for All. Afterschool is cost prohibitive and often underfunded. But it is well known that universal childcare empowers working families and increases economic mobility. That is why I will fight for Afterschool for All when I am elected.