Evers, whose campaign is powered by grassroots efforts<\/a>, is endorsed by the New York Working Families Party (WFP), State Senators Gustavo Rivera and Robert Jackson, former NY Attorney General Oliver Koppell, the Unity Democratic Club, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Eleanor\u2019s Legacy and Run for Something.<\/p>\n If elected, Evers would be the first blind woman elected to the New York State Legislature.\n<\/p>\n Jeffrey Dinowitz\u2019 campaign Dinowitz said that his campaign has been \u201coverwhelmingly positive\u201d because a lot of people know him and are aware of his track record in the communities.<\/p>\n \u201cMy work with housing over the years and helping tenants [with] tenant organizing, or the legislation I passed including the eviction moratorium during the pandemic that protected a lot of people,\u201d Dinowitz told the Bronx Times. \u201cIt saved thousands of people from being evicted at the worst possible time. And I think housing issues seem to resonate a lot, especially in some areas more so than in others.\u201d<\/p>\n Dinowitz gave examples of why he believes voters are confident in his campaign.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n He said his lobbying efforts secured a 100% toll rebate<\/a> for Bronx residents on the Henry Hudson Bridge, securing $10 million<\/a> in capital funding for the Amalgamated Housing Cooperative in Van Cortlandt, and $1 million<\/a> for Park Reservoir, the first Mitchell-Lama co-op.<\/p>\n Dinowitz told the Bronx Times that residents have expressed concerns of rising costs specifically for insurance rates.\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe insurance costs are runaway costs and my concern is that it\u2019ll drive some people out. I don\u2019t think people are running away from the city because they don\u2019t like it here,\u201d Dinowitz said. \u201cA lot of people just cannot afford to stay, especially working-class families \u2013 they\u2019re the ones who are leaving. The biggest component of the cost of living is housing costs.\u201d<\/p>\n Housing is a major focus of his campaign because his experience living in all types of housing has \u201cgiven him an appreciation and insight into what goes on here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He describes his campaign in three words: visible, coalition and outreach.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n His work and advocacy for tenants, immigration, labor unions, the environment and women\u2019s health and reproductive issues have gained the support of various groups.<\/p>\n \u201cWe built what I consider a very powerful coalition throughout each of the neighborhoods in my district. I try to make sure that I\u2019m all over the place and that my priorities are reflected in the work that we do, and I think that\u2019s why we get such a positive response from people when we\u2019re campaigning,\u201d Dinowitz said.<\/p>\n Morgan Evers\u2019 campaign Evers\u2019 campaign is unique for many reasons. She is a mother of two boys, an educator of 20 years who teaches during the day, and canvasses in the evening right after she leaves the classroom.<\/p>\n She\u2019s rooted in community leadership and her experience in the state committee allowed her to build connections with people across the district.\n<\/p>\n Evers told the Bronx Times that she\u2019s received a \u201creally warm response\u201d from voters during her canvassing efforts.\n<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had a lot of people be very responsive to me and excited for change since we\u2019ve had the same assembly member for 32 years,\u201d Evers said. \u201cPeople are very interested and open to this campaign, especially pertaining to issues that have been a persistent problem for a while now like our empty storefronts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m legally blind so having essential services in your neighborhood \u2013 things like a pharmacy, things like a grocery store even though their businesses, they can also be considered essential services for people who are disabled, or even seniors who can\u2019t travel very far or don\u2019t have access to transportation\u2026 people who don\u2019t have access to cars,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Evers said that there\u2019s been a big push in Wakefield for more dine-in restaurants and an issue of empty storefronts<\/a> in Riverdale.<\/p>\n One of her top priorities in Albany is to use the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program to help small businesses secure grants and incentives, or a vacancy tax.\u00a0<\/p>\n The second issue Evers underscored was affordability among childcare costs. She shared a personal experience of putting childcare costs on a credit card and going into debt for five years because of how expensive it was.<\/p>\n She wants to fight for equitable access to universal child care across the Bronx.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cI think we should be proactive on these solutions, so we have problems with affordability right now [and] we can\u2019t wait. We have to get down to work and find solutions,\u201d Evers said.<\/p>\n She wants to focus on tenants rights and immigration rights, highlighting the recent fires and her anti-ICE efforts.\n<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had a lot of fires here in the Bronx and landlords who are neglecting their responsibility, like providing heat, to fix leaky pipes, keeping doors secured and closed. I think that they need to be held criminally accountable,\u201d Evers said.<\/p>\n In November, she organized a bystander training at her synagogue, which was around the time ICE was in Minnesota. She wanted to be proactive because she heard rumors that ICE was coming to NYC next.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that it\u2019s really important that we are protecting our neighbors. New York City is a place built by immigrants for generations, and what ICE is doing, it\u2019s not civil immigration enforcement, they\u2019re just terrorizing our neighbors,\u201d Evers said.<\/p>\n Another issue that Evers wants to focus on is protecting the disabled community amid the Trump Administration\u2019s rollback<\/a> of disability rights with the recent<\/a> Social Security Administration changes.<\/p>\n \u201cWe really have an opportunity here in New York State to fight these rollbacks, and we need solutions to that right now. We can\u2019t wait. We have to be proactive,\u201d Evers said. \u201cFor example, like what we did with Roe v. Wade, how we codified that, so then when it was rolled back, New York was safe.\u201d<\/p>\n She described her campaign as \u201csolutions to the affordability crisis and protecting civil rights.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Reach Keke Grant-Floyd at kekegfreports@gmail.com<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter<\/a> and follow us on Twitter<\/a>, Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n
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Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz has represented the 81st District since 1994. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Dinowitz<\/p>\n
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\u201cI\u2019ve had a lot of people be very responsive to me and excited for change since we\u2019ve had the same assembly member for 32 years,\u201d Morgan Evers said. \u201cPeople are very interested and open to this campaign.\u201d Photo courtesy of Morgan Evers<\/p>\n