NYC Primary Election 2020: Shaniyat Chowdhury Takes On Rep. Meeks

JAMAICA, QUEENS — Democrats in southeastern Queens will get to cast a ballot this month in a collection of local, state and federal primary races — including the 5th Congressional District, where U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks will have to defend his seat against challenger Shaniyat Chowdhury.

Chowdhury, a resident of NYCHA's South Jamaica Houses, is a community activist, rugby player and U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He previously interned for Brooklyn Assembly Member Latrice Walker. He is a member of the Queens branch of the Democratic Socialists of America. He received his bachelor's degree from CUNY's John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

The 5th Congressional District includes the Rockaway Peninsula and the neighborhoods of Broad Channel, Cambria Heights, Hollis, Jamaica, Laurelton, Queens Village, Rosedale, St. Albans, Springfield Gardens and South Ozone Park. The district also covers John F. Kennedy International Airport and Inwood, Valley Stream and Elmont in Nassau County.

• READ MORE: Gregory Meeks Defends Seat In Congress

The primary election, slated for June 23, is open to registered Democratic voters. All New York voters may request a mail-in ballot due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ballots must be postmarked by the date of the election for the vote to get counted.

For those who want to head to the polls, click here to find your poll site. Early voting is available from June 13 to June 21.

Patch reached out to all candidates in the primary election to create these profiles. Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

Shaniyat Chowdhury

Age as of Election Day (Nov. 3)

28

NYC neighborhood of residence

Jamaica

Position Sought

U.S. Congress

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Confidential

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Not applicable

Education

CUNY John Jay- Bachelors in Law and Society

Occupation

Served in the Marines for 6 years and afterwards became a bartender and community activist

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Never held office

Campaign website

https://shaniyat2020.com/

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running for public office because I firmly believe we need representatives that represent people who live in this country. What we are seeing right now is that too many representatives who are in office who do not represent the average citizen. As a result I launched my campaign to vouch for issues specifically for those who come from working class backgrounds and marginalized groups.

The single most pressing issue facing our nation/state/community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The most pressing issue facing our country today is the racial injustices that have persisted since America’s founding. Racial issues that have specifically plagued the Black and Native American communities. In Congress I would like to pass reparations specifically for these groups who have faced injustice for a long time

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The difference between me and my opponent is that I have consistently been with my community during the most dire times of need. My opponent has been consistently absent from serious issues facing our community.

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

As I mentioned above, apart from my opponent’s absence from the community, he is consistently ranked as one of the most corrupt Democrats in Congress.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Unlike my opponent who accepts corporation money from Wall Street, our campaign only accepts small dollar donations from the communities we want to represent. These values reflect the policies we seek to put forward to improve the quality of life in the district, including supporting our local Black and immigrant owned businesses, Universal Basic Income, Medicare for All, and racial justice through reparations and police accountability.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I did 6 years in the Marine Corps serving my country now I get to come back and serve my community some more. I've been a community organizer for quite some time, I signed up to be a part of the South Jamaica Resident Green Committee where we created gardens to grow produce locally and distribute them to residents. During the campaign we did a mutual aid program throughout the crisis where we were able to hand deliver thousands of groceries to members of the community. Recognized as an Outstanding New York State Assembly Legislative Intern where I helped with criminal justice reform, housing, climate change. Also worked as a staffer on other congressional campaigns.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Never give up until you’ve given out all your very best. It’s better to fail trying than wondering what could have happened if you tried.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I want voters to know I'm just like them. In the last 20 years I've had to deal with the daily grind of life and face some of the worst parts of our system. I watched my parents lose our home during the 08 financial crisis as a teen, having to move and start from scratch. I know what it's like to be living during a recovery yet the quality of life around me remains the same. Now we once again try to readjust to a new way of living dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating effects it has done to our economic system. The day to day life of a working person is constantly shifting and changing and there isn't ever much room for comfort.

This story has been updated to add the candidate's responses to the last four questions, which were originally left blank in Patch's questionnaire.