Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Aber Kawas for NY Senate District 12
Candidate Name: Aber Kawas
Office Seeking Election for: New York State Senate District 12
Website: https://aberforsenate.com/
1. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments, why do you believe you are best qualified to represent your district?
I am running for State Senate to advance the movement for a New York that is more affordable and that guarantees everyone a life of safety and dignity. I have spent 10+ years organizing and fighting for issues that impact working-class New Yorkers. From campaigns around police surveillance and harassment to DACA, the Fight for 15, and Not On Our Dime, what I learned from being on the outside of government is that we spend a lot of energy pressuring politicians who will never deliver for us. Movements for justice don’t just need allies in the halls of power, we need working class power. Because of my roots in real-world communities and movements - not institutions and places where money flows freely, I would be joining the growing bench of legislators in Albany who see themselves in that light and fight for justice accordingly.
We stand at a critical juncture in the history of our city, state, and country. On one hand, we have a historically unpopular and authoritarian federal government that is more focused on purging immigrants of all backgrounds from American life and continuing militarism and genocide than it is on bringing down rents and grocery prices. On the other hand, we have the opportunity to continue building a movement that is upending the traditional politics of New York by fighting for a state that ensures the dignity and respect of all its people. I’m not someone who ever wanted to be a politician, but I’ve learned that to really enact the kind of change we need, it is necessary for candidates who come from movements for justice to step up, and there is no better time than now.
If we want to achieve our goals—affordable housing, healthcare for all, a city that works for workers, safety and dignity for immigrant communities, an end to militarism and genocide, and a political system that can’t be bought by billionaires—we need to have people in office who will think differently, fight boldly, and move people to act to win on policy goals that will gain material needs. The bottom line is, we need organizers in office!
2. What LGBTQ+ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?
Throughout my work as an organizer advocating for reform of our policing system, immigrant rights, and against the Trump administration, I gained valuable experience working with the LGBTQ+ community in predominantly Muslim spaces where being queer carries a stigmatized weight. This includes organizations like Tarab, a nonprofit that cultivates a safe space for LGBTQ+ Middle East North African community members in New York City- a group I’ve collaborated with on actions and attended events by. After the Pulse nightclub shooting happened in 2016, I attended the Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity (MASGD) meeting in Orlando to help push back against the Islamophobic rhetoric following the massacre and identify obstacles to overcome stigmatization for LGBTQ+ members of the Muslim American community.
While I was doing my Master’s degree in South Africa, I studied alongside the founders of an organization called Positive Muslims, which has been creating HIV awareness campaigns for the Muslim community during the height of the HIV pandemic in the early 2000s.
I am an active supporter of Heart to Grow, a Muslim organization focused on reproductive justice, supporting survivors of sexual violence, and LGBTQ+ advocacy. I have facilitated materials and academic contacts for them on abortion rights and reproductive justice in Islam. At CUNY CLEAR, we also developed a Palestine x reproductive justice cohort focused on Know Your Rights training and organizational planning for groups the Trump administration might target. It was a great intersectional experience that allowed me to further my own politics on Palestine. Lastly, through my work at CLEAR, we further explored how national security policy may affect Trans communities. We helped students develop a Know Your Rights workshop on traveling through the airport as a nonbinary person, navigating ID recognition, and preparing for questioning.
3. What press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests in support of LGBTQ+ issues, pro-choice legislation, racial justice, criminal justice have you attended, including rallies specifically against Donald Trump and his policies?
Combatting the Trump administration and the rise of the right wing has been a greater part of my work as an advocate in the last decade. This type of mass-mobilized politics has been a place where I have shaped my politics and built communities.
I was the head of advocacy at the Arab American Association of New York when Donald Trump was first elected. Our executive director at the time, Linda Sarsour, played an instrumental role in planning the Women's March in Jan 2017, and we organized several buses that brought out Arab and Muslim constituencies to the march. We continued to do vitally important work in combating the Muslim Ban, pushing back on regressive immigration policies and I worked closely with the No Muslim Ban Ever National Coalition. From 2015 to 2019, I consistently organized cohorts to attend rallies and demonstrations, and that organizing experience shapes who I am today.
Beyond that, from attending the vigil at Stonewall after the Pulse shooting to Black Lives Matters protests over the years and, most recently, speaking at a rally for State Senator Kristen Gonzalez’s gender-affirming care bill, there have been a plethora of press conferences, demonstrations, and protests I have attended throughout the years that have addressed intersections of communities affected by the Trump administration. I’m passionate about continuing this work and fighting the systemic inequality in the United States perpetuated by the Trump administration, right wing politicians, and even some Democrats. I’m specifically someone who wants to intersect this growing movement against Trump with anti-war movements across the country and strengthen us through fighting for democratic socialist policies that will create systemic change for working-class communities, bringing them together under a fight for affordability.
4. In light of the Trump Administration’s war on women, the LGBTQ+ community, minorities and immigrants, what are your plans to organize and combat the Trump agenda?
I see one of my core responsibilities in the State Senate as an organizer. That is how I have cut my teeth so far in life and view that as incredibly important experience to bring to Albany. There are very few “traditional” politicians who understand what being an organizer is, and that is worrying as we see the Trump Administration run an efficient war on women, the LGBTQ+ community, minorities, and immigrants. We need people like me in the halls of power who understand the importance of coalition building and organizing members from all backgrounds to fight against these fascist attacks on Americans. I will be entering the Senate as part of a bloc of Democratic Socialists elected who are doing this work, but we need more who are fighting for the working class, fighting for our immigrant neighbors, and fighting for the LGBTQ+ community. I would be proud to organize with these colleagues to ensure we are pulling more State Senators and Assemblymembers toward legislation that expands and enhances the rights and protections for these constituents.
5. Will you seek or accept endorsements from individuals who oppose LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights?
I will not seek the endorsements from any group that opposes LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights.
6. Do you support the unrestricted right to reproductive care and abortion?
Yes. One of the grievances I have with the Democratic Party was the failure to codify Roe v. Wade into law before the Supreme Court overruled it in 2022 with Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. As a legislator, I plan to be a vocal advocate in the halls of Albany to ensure we draft bills that protect a woman’s right to choose, because I believe our state should be a safe haven for women seeking autonomy over their bodies.
7. Have you hosted, funded or otherwise supported Drag Story Hours in your community?
While I have not attended one, I would be open to hosting one in my office once I am elected. It is important and formative for children to experience people of all backgrounds, faiths, and communities - especially the LGBTQ+ community. At a time when queer communities are being attacked by legislators at the local, state, and federal level, it is vital that we as New Yorkers continue to support and celebrate this community and allow them to live to express themselves the way they want to. Drag Story Hour is one example of how we can do that and I plan to continue supporting their efforts once I am elected, as well as pushing for pro-LGBTQ+ policies at the state level.
8. How will you work to enhance protections for immigrants and uphold New York’s role as a “Sanctuary City”?
As we see the Trump Administration continue its inhumane behavior of targeting our nation’s immigrants, New York City and State must ensure we are protecting them because they are such a vital part of our city’s tapestry. Immigration work has been my life’s work to date and I will not abandon that once elected into office.
In the State Senate, we have already seen New York For All and MELT Acts proposed and I would plan on co-sponsor each of them immediately after taking office, as well as any legislation that helps New York maintain its role as a Sanctuary City. I would also ensure that my office has the voluntary DHS Privacy Release Form for residents who are concerned about potential ICE detention so that their congressional representative can be connected to the case faster. This is because I truly want everyone in my community to know my office is a place where they feel safe providing their information so that we can intervene on their behalf.
I also have a long history of working with community-based organizations like the Arab American Association of NY and legal organizations such as CUNY CLEAR, and I will leverage my legal and social service connections to secure an attorney to take on immigration cases and provide economic relief or assistance to the family.
9. Do you support New York becoming a Transgender Sanctuary State?
Yes, I would support New York becoming a Transgender Sanctuary State. Just as with our immigrant neighbors, we must also protect all our trans neighbors because they are vital members of our community. With the Trump Administration attacking the rights of trans people, including scarily hiding the number of trans people in ICE detention since early 2025, New York must demonstrate leadership on this issue and I will help organize in Albany to rally a group of legislators who are willing to work to make this happen.
10. If elected, will you commit to supporting legislation that raises taxes on the richest New Yorkers and large corporations in order to fund the services and investments our communities need?
Yes, without a doubt I will support any legislation that raises taxes on rich New Yorkers and large corporations because I fundamentally believe that they must pay their fair share to fund programs that keep working class people in our city and state. Frankly, I believe that we shouldn’t limit the way we pitch this idea to the public by only saying “the richest” among us. Instead our goal should be to restructure our state income tax system into one that is much more progressive where we don’t see our state tax levels impacting working class New Yorkers nearly as much as those making more than $200,000. I believe that our tax system has fed into an austerity mindset where someone making $30,000/year (less than half the median household income in NYC) should pay the same tax rate as someone making $160,000/year (nearly double the median household income in NYC).
11. How will you represent the most vulnerable, including individuals experiencing homelessness and asylum seekers? Have you ever opposed any shelter in your district?
During my time at CUNY CLEAR and the Arab American Association of New York, as well as my larger organizing experience around campaigns like the Fight for $15, the Community Safety and Right to Know Acts, and Take on Hate, I have dedicated my life to represent the most vulnerable in my community and I plan to continue that while in office. Public offices for too long have ignored people on the margins of society and that is unacceptable. We should be centering them and bringing them into the fold by providing essential, universal services that allow them to live with dignity and aren’t means tested to the point where only a small fraction of them are able to receive support.
At CUNY CLEAR specifically, my role was to provide legal assistance to people detained by ICE under the guise of national security and/or counterterrorism - primarily because they expressed pro-Palestinian sentiment. These are people who were living under conditions of political repression and I advocated for them to receive the necessary legal aid needed to fight these charges. I will bring that same level of advocacy to those seeking asylum and the unhoused to my Senate office. This is something I am aptly prepared for because I have built a network of colleagues, community organizers, and advocates who have made it their life mission to support those who need it most.
I have never and will never oppose any shelter in my district. Especially after this historically cold winter, we saw the Mayor connect unhoused New Yorkers with shelters at a very effective rate and I would like to build on that success by supplying the city with more shelters to support this population that needs assistance, not enable more struggle. I will also be on the frontlines fighting for social housing which I believe is a core tenant to ensuring we are building as much affordable housing as possible to alleviate the housing crisis in the city.
12. Will you sponsor and support legislation which will ensure that state and local resources are not used to facilitate or cooperate with federal immigration enforcement (New York for All Act) to prevent the funneling of people into ICE custody, and the sharing of sensitive information with ICE?
I will be an advocate for the New York for All Act and will make it a priority to co-sponsor it as soon as I am in office. This is essential legislation that will hamper ICE’s attempt to impose itself on our immigrant neighbors. This and the MELT Act are a great starting point for how to ensure ICE is limited in its ability to operate, but I would like to consider going further once I am in office to increase our state’s pushback on these unlawful actions by the federal government.
13. To advance safety and justice, New York must address our archaic sentencing and parole laws. Do you support the following key legislation: 1) Second Look Act (S.158/A.1283), which would allow judges to review and reconsider excessive sentences by considering if incarcerated people have transformed while incarcerated or based on changes in law and norms; 2) Earned Time Act (S.342/A.1085), which would strengthen and expand “good time” and “merit time” programs in prison that encourage personal transformation and reunite families?; 3) Marvin Mayfield Act (S.1209/A.1297), which would eliminate mandatory minimum sentences, thereby allowing judges to consider individual factors in a case?; 4) Elder Parole (S.454/A.514), which would allow incarcerated people over age 55 who have served 15 years the opportunity to go before the parole board?
I support all four of these pieces of legislation and believe they would play a considerable role in transforming our criminal justice system to one that is less punitive. I would also like to make sure that the State Senate and Assembly build legislation to further this effort once I am in office as well because these are not “silver bullet” solutions and we can continue to reform structural inequalities and inequities in the criminal justice system.
14. Do you oppose the death penalty?
Yes, I oppose the death penalty and would support legislation that ends the death penalty. I believe it is immoral and from an era where legislators believed the criminal justice system was meant to be punitive to the highest degree. My view is that we must reorient the criminal justice system to be one that is focused on a more holistic approach that rehabilitates people instead of punishing them - and death should never be a solution.
15. Do you support outlawing solitary confinement?
Similar to the death penalty, solitary confinement is more focused on punishment than rehabilitation. With that as the framing, I would also support outlawing solitary confinement.
16. Do you commit to visit constituents who are incarcerated? Will you work to secure the release of individuals who have demonstrated sincere remorse, worked toward rehabilitation and are not deemed a threat to society?
I will use my office as a place to advocate for those in our criminal justice system who are committed to reform. That means visiting incarcerated constituents and leveraging all available resources to secure release for those who are working toward rehabilitation. Especially in a place like New York City where we have seen Rikers Island turn into a humanitarian crisis and a threat to public safety, it is important to remind ourselves that these systems and structures are from a time where people thought we could jail our way to public safety. We are far removed from that era in the City and must take appropriate action to lift up those who are committed to reform and rehabilitation.
As a child of someone who has been incarcerated multiple times, this is deeply personal to me as my visits to my father were a lifeline to maintain our family structure.
17. Do you commit to make applications for clemencies available to your constituency including a link to an application in a constituent newsletter? Will you submit it to our club?
Yes and yes.
18. Did you rank Andrew Cuomo on your Democratic primary ballot in 2025? Who did you support for mayor in the 2025 Democratic primary and general election?
I never considered ranking Andrew Cuomo in the primary.
From my time writing the Not On Our Dime legislation with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Assembly office, as well as our longstanding friendship, I knew he was a person of moral courage, would fight for working class people, and make City Hall a place that creates better conditions for all New Yorkers rather than find excuses in how to avoid the real work like the last administration. I was so proud to support him in the 2025 Democratic primary and general election, as well as volunteer my time canvassing for him throughout the city.
19. In view of the fact that Ed Koch has been documented to have caused the deaths of scores of people with AIDS, excused city council members who voted against the gay rights bill and was blatantly racist, would you support and sponsor a bill to rename the former Queensboro Bridge?
I would consider supporting a bill to rename the former Queensboro Bridge if it meant restoring its name simply to Queensboro Bridge. The move to change the name at the time was very unpopular in Queens and I would like to see it restored to its former name which was meant to highlight our borough, similar to the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge.
20. What is your legislative remedy to secure the building of low and moderate-income housing around the state?
The housing crisis requires a wide range of solutions. Building green and affordable social housing is also a major focus of mine, so establishing the New York State Social Housing Development Authority is something I will be a vocal advocate of in the halls of the Senate. That is my primary legislative remedy to building more low- and moderate-income housing throughout the state.
However, we must also acknowledge that we shouldn’t be solely focused on building our way out of this problem. We should also be strengthening tenant protections by ensuring things like good cause eviction are not able to be taken away from renters by the real estate lobby. Expanding access to rent stabilization through the REST Act is also a priority of mine because more cities and renters across the state deserve to have access to rent stabilized units.
What I have listed above aren’t silver bullets that will solve the housing affordability crisis, but these policies will provide tangible benefits for New Yorkers who are struggling to afford housing today. There is more work to be done, and I will make it a central focus of mine once I am in office to think of new ways that we can make New York the leading example of how to tackle the skyrocketing cost of housing in the United States.
21. Will you refuse donations from AIPAC, SolidarityPAC, police and corrections associations, the fossil fuel industry, and the charter school industry?
Absolutely. I believe in running a campaign that is backed by members of my community and am so incredibly proud that my average donation size is $46.71 as of March 13. Not a dime of that is from PACs or corporate donors and while I am in office I will never accept money from them because I will legislate for the people, not monied interests.
22. Do you support removing criminal penalties for consensual commercial sex work between adults? Also known as Cecilia's Act for Rights in the Sex Trades (S2513 Salazar / A3251 Forrest).
Absolutely. The work that my future colleagues Senator Julia Salazar and Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest have done to bring this topic, that is often pushed to the frays of society, to the halls of Albany is admirable and I will back this legislation once I am elected.
23. There is an effort to have mandatory inclusion of the New York State proposal that would require public schools to teach about the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, commonly described in the bill text as an “insurrection.” Do you support this proposal?
I support this proposal. I have a firm belief that we must educate our youth on a wide array of topics that are being suppressed by the right in this county. The bill speaks my values because, while it talks about teaching the insurrection in classrooms (which is something that ought to be taught because that day was a day of historic proportions in the modern day and it shouldn’t be forgotten how a group tried to storm the people’s House and do damage to state property and politicians), it also says we should educate New York’s children about - per the text - “our shared history of diversity, the role of religious tolerance in this country, and human rights issues, with particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery (including the freedom trail and underground rail- road), the Holocaust, [and] the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850.”
Education plays a role in helping us not repeat past reprehensible actions. When we suppress these types of topics in the classroom, we leave more room for alternative, right-wing media to fill in the gaps of missing content. I would prefer the state demonstrate to our children that we do believe in religious tolerance. That we don’t want another genocide to happen. That slavery is something that should never happen again.
24. What additional information would you like the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club to consider when we are making our endorsement decision?
As I run for State Senate in Queens, I continue to meet New Yorkers from all backgrounds that demonstrate the power of diversity in our city and state. As I have organized across the city my entire life, I am always reminded that when we are pushing for universal policies, we do so because we want everyone to have access to them, not just people who meet certain criteria. For example, with the Mayor’s plan for universal childcare, which I am a supporter of and look forward to helping him secure once elected, that applies to every parent in our city whether straight, queer, Muslim, Jewish, etc. That is the type of orientation I will bring to Albany - where every New Yorker can benefit from legislation that I write. I plan on doing that for New York City-specific bills, but also for policies that apply to the entire state, because whether someone comes from Buffalo, the Bronx, or anywhere in between, New Yorkers deserve to live a life with dignity and I will work to make the State Senate a place where that becomes possible.
25. If you receive our endorsement, do you agree to identify the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club on all appropriate literature and electronic materials?
Yes, I would be proud to.