Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Adem Bunkeddeko for US Congress NY-09

Candidate Name: Adem Bunkeddeko

Office Seeking Election for: US Congress, Congressional District 09 (Brooklyn)

Campaign Address: 767 Washington Avenue, Ground Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Campaign Website: https://ademforcongress.com/

Campaign Telephone: 609-220-7235

Campaign Social Media Handles (Facebook/Twitter):
Twitter: @adembunkeddeko
Instagram: @adembunkeddeko
Facebook: facebook.com/ademforcongress

Campaign Contact (name/phone/email): Pragya Nandini, 609-220-7235, pragya@ademforcongress.com

Explain, based on life experiences and accomplishments, why you believe you are best qualified to represent your district
Adem Bunkeddeko is a lifelong public servant who is running for Congress to make a difference in NY’s 9th District.

Adem’s parents are war refugees who fled Uganda’s turbulent civil war to seek sanctuary and opportunity in the United States. They settled down and successfully reared their New York City-born children in a modest one-bedroom apartment. Adem’s parents turned what had been a nightmare in Uganda into their version of the American Dream.

A product of the New York City public school system, Adem was fortunate enough to earn scholarships to attend prep school and college. Adem is one of the first members of his family to graduate from college and earn a graduate degree. He received a B.A. from Haverford College, where he studied political science and philosophy, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Throughout his career, Adem has tried to pay forward the sacrifices his family made for him growing up. Beginning as a grassroots organizer for the New York Working Families Party, Adem knocked on doors and collected petitions for candidates and causes that made a difference in the lives of working families throughout Central Brooklyn. As a leadership fellow at the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, he helped create a support network to improve the educational and social outcomes of low-income families in Central Brooklyn. Working at the Empire State Development Corporation, Adem helping to revitalize underserved communities throughout Brooklyn.

For five years, he served on Brooklyn Community Board #8 (Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, and Weeksville) playing an active role in shaping his community. As associate director for business initiatives at Brooklyn Community Services, Adem helped create job-training programs that provided Brooklyn residents with the skills to take advantage of meaningful employment opportunities.

Adem recently served as the strategy and innovation officer for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), one of the country's largest non-profit organizations dedicated to revitalizing communities and bringing greater economic opportunity to residents.

Do you now support or have you ever supported openly LGBTQ candidates for public office?
Yes, I have supported Carlos Menchaca for City Council, Cynthia Nixon for Governor, and Tiffany Cabán for District Attorney in Queens.

If applicable, what legislation directly affecting the LGBT community have you introduced or co-sponsored? (indicate accordingly).
I have not held office, and as such have not introduced or co-sponsored legislation as of yet. However there is legislation currently in the House that I will fight to pass, including the Equality Act and the SAFE SEX Worker Study Act. I will also ensure that any bill that invokes religious freedom to discriminate against same-sex families and couples will not pass.

What LGBT organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?
I have been involved with Lambda Independent Democrats and have done work with VOCAL-NY to empower LGBTQ folks affected by HIV/AIDS, the drug war, mass incarceration, and homelessness to create stronger and more inclusive communities.

If applicable, what LGBT organizations have you allocated funds to? N/A

Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBT community?
No, but I consider myself a strong ally.

Have you marched in Pride? Which marches and for approximately how many years?
Yes, I have marched in NYC Pride beginning in 2006.

Have you employed openly LGBT individuals previously? Do you employ any currently?
Yes.

If you receive our endorsement, do you agree to identify the club on all literature and electronic materials where you list endorsements?
Yes, I would be very proud to announce the Jim Owles endorsement and would gladly include it on future literature and electronic materials.

What press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests in support of LGBT issues, pro choice legislation, criminal justice issues and the Resist Trump Movement have you attended?
I've been a part of countless calls to action and protests since childhood as the son of war refugees. Most recently the AIDS Walk, the Women’s March in DC in 2017, and No War with Iran.

If elected or re-elected will you become a member of the “Squad?"
I didn’t know they were offering invitations, but if they are, then I’m happy to be in consideration!

Have you ever been arrested? If so please explain why and outcome of arrest.
No.

Will you advocate for legislation to mandate the review of sentences of incarcerated individuals over the age of 55 who have served in excess of 15 years to determine if they warrant release?
Yes. Incarcerated individuals are overwhelmingly from poor communities of color and charged with non-violent crimes. We need an overhaul of our criminal justice system, and we can start by reuniting non-violent felons with their families and re-examining how and when we determine parole and clemency for these individuals.

Do you commit to visit constituents who are incarcerated in state prisons such as Bedford Correctional Facility? Yes, absolutely.

Do you believe sincere remorse, risk of reoffending and actions taken while incarcerated should be considered over the original crime in determinations of parole?
Yes, our prisons are overpopulated, and if felons, especially those who have committed non-violent crimes and misdemeanors, have demonstrated growth and remorse while incarcerated, they should be granted parole.

Have you participated in any demonstrations or protests in relation to the issues of clemency and parole?
Yes, I supported the parole of Judith Clark. After 38 years in prison, Clark personal growth and demonstrated a commitment to service, and I was relieved she was granted parole. 38 years is a lifetime and strain on resources for someone who no longer poses a threat to society.

Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?
Yes, we need to reduce recidivism and we can lead by example on this in our campaign and in our congressional office.

Do you believe in the decriminalization of sex work?
For many, the means of survival often includes sex work. Consensual sex workers need protections just like laborers in any field.

If an incumbent, did you vote for HR 1865 in 2018? Will you introduce and or support legislation to amend HR 1865 so that sex between consenting adults, with monetary exchange, is legalized? This would include the use of ads and on-line contact.
I’m not an incumbent, but I believe that HR 1865 SESTA FOSTA had good intentions but many more unintended consequences, particularly for transgender sex workers of color. There were at least 22 transgender women of color who were murdered in 2019, and the bill leaves too many marginalized communities at risk. I support Rep Ro Khanna and Barbara Lee’s SAFE SEX Worker Study Act and welcome input from those most affected by SESTA FOSTA to alleviate their situations.

Do you support a national law legalizing gestational surrogacy? Wii you introduce such legislation?
I am supportive of gestational surrogacy as one of many means for same-sex couples to start a family, and I also believe any new legislation must include regulations that protect vulnerable women and women of color.

What proposals will you advocate for the protection of immigrants and to further New York as a Sanctuary City?
As a child of immigrants, I strongly believe in protecting immigrants. As a new member of Congress, I will work to defund/abolish ICE, create a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers and their parents, end family separation and all federal funding of for-profit private detention centers, and grant asylum for those fleeing domestic violence and persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

In addition to the above, I have taken the stance that all of my future District Offices will be sanctuary spaces.

Will you advocate, including introducing legislation, to remove public funding from religious schools?
I believe that we have to consider which communities would be impacted before endorsing such a measure.

Do you support the establishment of supervised drug consumption spaces?
Yes, we need to combat the opioid crisis and supervised drug consumption spaces are a good start and a great way to prevent overdoses and to provide access to clean needles and medical assistance. I would also work to fund studies on supervised injections and addiction and to regulate the sale and supply of addictive drugs into the marketplace.

Have you ever endorsed any member of the IDC or any candidates who challenged IDC members? Please identify all candidates
No, I have not supported any members of the IDC. I am an active and energetic advocate of progressive Democratic values. I believe we must pursue bold and daring approaches to the vast inequality and injustice plaguing our society. I have supported anti-IDC challengers such as Zellnor Myrie and other active progressives such as Julia Salazar.

Will you commit to hiring a member of the LGBT community to serve as a liaison to the community?
Yes

Will you commit to ensuring diverse LGBT representation among your staff?
Yes

Who did you support for office in the following races A) mayor and Public Advocate in 2014 B) President in 2016 C) Governor and Attorney General 2018?

• 2013 - Bill de Blasio for Mayor,Tish James for Public Advocate
• 2016 - Hillary Clinton
• 2018 - Cynthia Nixon for Governor, Zephyr Teachout for Attorney General


Describe any federal legislation and policy changes that you support in order to address the ongoing effects of slavery, racism, colonialism, and discrimination
I support HR 40 to create a national commission to study and develop proposals for reparations for African Americans. In addition to that, I believe that one of the most insidious ways African Americans have been discriminated against has been through red-lining policies. This is why in my housing plan I propose implementing a 21st century Mitchell Lama Housing program that puts low- and middle-income residents on the path to homeownership. Home ownership is one of the ways Americans have historically built wealth and African Americans have largely been excluded from that opportunity.

What legislation or other policy changes do you support in order to make college and graduate school affordable for poor, working-class, and middle-class Americans and to alleviate the crushing loan debt that many students and alumni are facing?
I support making public colleges tuition free, reducing the interest rates, eliminating student debt, expanding the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. As someone who personally benefited from Pell Grants, I am also especially in favor of expanding the Pell Grant program.

Do you support a single-payer universal health care system? Please elaborate.
I support Medicare for All, which will put us on the path to a single-payer healthcare system that is cheaper, better, and more just than what we have today. Too many families with health insurance struggle financially with high medical costs. Making health care more affordable is critical to taking
on income inequality and building a more just and healthier society.

Discuss your stance on reproductive rights, including access to contraceptives and abortion services.
I support universal access to reproductive and sexual health care, and the full repeal of the Hyde Amendment. Additionally, working for Medicare for All is the way to ensure that contraceptives and abortion services are not just accessible to the well-to-do.

Will you refuse money from individuals or Political Action Committees representing the real estate?
Yes, I have taken the Homes Guarantee pledge.

Will you refuse and refund any contributions from executives at corporations complicit in the Trump agenda? Yes, absolutely.

What additional information would you like Jim Owles to consider when we are making our endorsements decisions?
I am grateful for the endorsement last cycle and I intend to be a steadfast partner and I hope that we can be coalition partners in our march for change in Central Brooklyn.