Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Edafe Okporo for City Council District 7
Candidate Name: Edafe Okporo
Office Seeking Election for: New York City Council District 7
Campaign Website: www.edafe2025.com
1. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments, why do you believe you are best qualified to represent your district?
I am the Executive Director of Refuge America–an organization that helps to resettle LGBTQ+ asylum seekers–and I’m running to become the first former asylum seeker on the New York City Council.
I grew up in a religious family in Nigeria, and as a young gay man, I faced persecution and shame. After losing friends to AIDS, I started organizing for healthcare for gay men–at a time when homosexuality was illegal. After several years of working to help gay men, I was nearly killed by a mob and fled my home, not knowing if or when I would be able to return.
That year was 2016, and I sought asylum in the US at the beginning of the Trump administration, when I was detained for 6 months. When I first moved to New York, I was homeless for three months while working odd jobs in kitchens and canvassing on the street. From that experience, I saw how immigrants can slip through the cracks, and I became an advocate for ending street homelessness and for better supporting new migrants, leading New York City's first shelter for LGBTQ asylum seekers: the RDJ shelter at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on 126th street.
In 2021, I started working for the Biden Administration. In just 5 years, I went from being a detained asylum seeker to working for the Biden Administration’s Operation Allies Welcome, helping to resettle Afghan refugees across the country. There, I worked with communities to help new arrivals find jobs, shelter, and community resources.
I have spent my life fighting for what’s right despite the odds, and I believe that with my experience, principles, and vision, I am the right candidate for District 7 in 2025. Facing a president and mayor who attack the most vulnerable members of our society, we need leaders who are principled and clear-eyed. The incumbent, however, has proven himself to flip flop when it is politically convenient. Although he has recently called on the mayor to resign, our opponent first endorsed Mayor Adams in 2021, despite the rumors of corruption that already surrounded Adams. Since coming into office, the incumbent has had an inconsistent record on issues that matter most to New Yorkers; he was first in the Progressive Caucus but then left it; he has voted for every single budget, including the disastrous FY2023 budget that cut $250 million for schools; he continues to take contributions from real estate developers; and he refuses to support a bill that would protect public service retirees’ healthcare.
I am running to create a New York that works for everyone, with leadership unafraid to legislate bold, progressive policies. This grassroots campaign stands against the political establishment, and voters are listening. We have more unique donors (630) than any candidate in this race. We will fight budget cuts, protect immigrant neighbors, fund programs for older adults, defend union jobs, and improve the lives of all New Yorkers.
2. What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally? What LGBTQ candidates have you endorsed?
I am the executive director and founder of Refuge America, a nonprofit that helps LGBTQ asylum-seekers, and I ran the RDJ shelter–a homeless shelter predominantly serving LGBTQ+ asylum seekers–at St. Mary’s Church for 5 years. I have supported the Ali Forney Center and Equality New York Advocacy, I participated in the Second Tuesday program at the New York LGBT Center, and gifts from my wedding were donated to the Trevor Project. I have also supported GLAAD and GLSEN, and I am proud to have been featured twice on GLAAD’s website in 2022 and 2025. Previously, I served on the board of Rainbow Railroad, the largest organization in the world serving LGBTQ+ refugees.
Corey Johnson was the first political candidate I ever made a contribution to. I also supported and contributed to Marti Allen-Cummings’s city council campaign in 2021, and I am proud to have received Marti’s endorsement this year.
3. If you receive our endorsement, do you agree to identify the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club on all literature and electronic materials?
Yes
4. What press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests in support of LGBT issues, pro-choice legislation, racial justice, criminal justice have you attended, including rallies specifically against Donald Trump?
I have spent my career fighting for the most vulnerable members of our society, and now I am bringing that fight to City Hall. My advocacy spans progressive initiatives in both New Jersey and New York. I worked with immigrant groups to champion the Dignity Not Detention Act, which ended New York State’s relationships with private prisons. The work for the Dignity Not Detention Act was with a coalition made up of the Bronx Defenders, WDEP, Freedom for Immigrants, Envision Freedom Fund, Latino Justice, and Center of Constitutional Rights.
Most recently, I have attended the protest of Mayor Adams’s State of the City speech, organized by Make the Road. I have also been involved in several recent protests for the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees.
This past fall, I canvassed in support of Proposition 1, both independently and with organizations like Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, NYCLU, and Three Parks Democratic Club. I have consistently participated in protests supporting immigrants, for instance joining the Rise and Resist protest of Donald Trump in 2018, and I helped to organize a protest with the New York Immigration Coalition at Ellis Island to fight Trump’s family separation policy.
5. In light of the upcoming Trump Administration’s war on women, the LGBTQ+ community, racial minorities and immigrants, what are your plans to organize and combat the Trump agenda?
In the short-term, I have been working to bring community leaders together with community members to not only talk about policy advocacy but to also offer practical actions that people can do today to stop our federal government’s assault on the most vulnerable members of our society. Last week, I hosted a forum on childcare, where we not only talked about universal childcare but also showed people how to apply for childcare vouchers from the city. This month, we will be hosting a workshop on how to deal with ICE when they come to sensitive locations like churches, schools, and hospitals.
In the long-term, this also means keeping up progressive organizing efforts in my district. I am proud to build off of the work of progressive candidates like Eli Northrup, Maria Ordonez, and Marti Allen-Cummings. As a candidate, my three biggest policy areas are housing affordability, community safety, and immigration.
Affordable housing: District 7 is already one of the densest districts in the city, and building more luxury developments will not fix our affordability crisis. I want to drastically expand funding for social housing programs like Open Doors and Neighborhood Pillars and finally fulfill the city’s commitment to NYCHA, which has a backlog of over $80 billion in repairs (including $3 billion in District 7 alone). Finally, as the councilmember representing the district with Columbia University, I will lead the fight to renegotiate the Community Benefits Agreement–or tax Columbia’s real estate holdings. Through the CBA, Columbia gives back less than $5 million per year to the Harlem community–but it receives over $180 million per year in tax breaks.
Community safety: We can address safety while also being compassionate towards those in need. We need to invest in community-oriented solutions that have been proven to make us all safer. I believe that we should drastically increase funding for the city’s mental health court program, which has been shown to reduce recidivism by as much as 50%. I also believe that the city’s Intensive Mobile Treatment teams show promise for reducing violent crime–but they have been plagued by a lack of oversight during the Adams administration. Providing people in need with permanent, supportive housing and mental health interventions isn’t just the right thing to do–it is also a fraction of the cost of incarcerating someone on Riker’s Island or sending someone to the emergency room.
Immigration: As a former asylum seeker and someone who has dedicated their life to serving immigrant communities, I bring a unique perspective to City Hall. Our campaign is committed to:
Fully funding legal services for asylum seekers to ensure they have the representation and support they need to navigate our immigration system.
Protecting New York City’s status as a sanctuary city, standing firm against Mayor Adams' policies that put migrant communities at risk, especially in light of the incoming Trump administration’s potential hostility toward immigrants.
Investing in education programs that help migrant children integrate, giving them the tools to thrive and succeed in their new home.
New York City has long been a beacon of hope for immigrants. I will fight to ensure it remains a place where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
6. Will you seek or accept endorsements of individuals who oppose LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, such as Ruben Diaz Sr., Fernando Cabrera or Erick Salgado? Will you pledge to denounce their homophobia and anti-choice positions in the event you receive an endorsement from such individuals?
I will not seek or accept endorsements from anyone who opposes LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, and I will denounce any such individuals and organizations.
7. In light of the upcoming Trump Administration’s war on women, the LGBTQ+ community, racial minorities and immigrants, what are your plans to organize and combat the Trump agenda?
See my response to question 5.
8. Do you support the unrestricted right to reproductive care and abortion?
Yes.
9. Have you hosted, funded or otherwise supported Drag Story Hours in your community?
While I have not hosted a Drag Story Hour, I am proud to have the support of drag artist and LGBTQ+ activist Marti Allen-Cummings.
10. What proposals will do you support to increase the protection of immigrants and cement New York City’s status as a Sanctuary City?
When I first moved to New York, I was homeless for three months–and I saw how new arrivals can slip through the cracks. First, based on my experience with Refuge America and Operation Allies Welcome, I propose creating a Welcome, Reception, and Integration Program that would help immigrants access services and integrate into our community. New York should also fund legal representation for immigrants to fight against mass deportations. We need to pass the New York for All Act at the state level, and we need to pass Intro 0214 to provide civil recourse to enforce New York City’s sanctuary city laws.
There are other things we can do to help ensure that immigrants are not pushed into the prison system and put at risk of deportation. Outdated caps on street vendor permits dating back to the 1980s have led to a backlog of 10,000 applicants, leading to many vendors operating illegally. We must process this backlog to ensure that street vendors can operate their businesses. We must also ensure that our city’s deliveristas are not criminalized, instead focusing efforts at e-bike regulation on tech companies and businesses selling shoddy equipment.
11. How will you represent the most vulnerable, including individuals experiencing homelessness and asylum seekers? Have you ever opposed any shelter in your district?
I have been concerned about the increase in support within the Democratic Party of the criminalization of homelessness. When I was released from the immigration detention center, I slept in Newark’s Penn Station; when I moved to New York, I was homeless for three months. I have seen how a lack of support can quickly result in someone becoming unhoused.
We know that supportive housing is the most effective way to end homelessness. A housing first pilot in New York targeting veterans has almost completely eliminated veteran homelessness. And it is more cost-effective: supportive housing costs half as much as a shelter; it is just 5% of the cost of incarcerating someone on Rikers Island, and it is less than 2% of the cost of hospitalizing someone. As a councilmember, I would support legislation that would incentivize developers to create more supportive housing units.
I also support increasing funding and resources for Intensive Mobile Treatment teams, which has the opportunity to build long-term relationships with the unhoused and those suffering from acute mental health crises. As someone who has run a shelter, I hope to use the oversight powers of the city council to also ensure that organizations that the city partners with are effectively helping those facing street homelessness.
12. If incumbent, are you a co-sponsor of Resolution 2970, introduced by Council Member Shahana Hanif? If not yet elected, will you promise to co-sponsor the resolution? The text urges the NYS Legislature to pass the New York for All Act, which would ensure state and local resources are not used to facilitate federal immigration enforcement. If not, please explain.
I support this resolution (and the reintroduced Res 0714) and would co-sponsor it if elected.
13. If incumbent, are you a co-sponsor of Resolution 2917, introduced by Council Member Crystal Hudson? If not yet elected, will you promise to co-sponsor the resolution? The text endorses the Access to Representation Act, which would establish a “universal right to counsel” for indigent New Yorkers who are subject to removal proceedings under federal immigration law. If not, please explain.
I support this resolution and would co-sponsor it if elected.
14. Will you join our efforts to pass legislation mandating 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? The legislation is commonly known as the New York Elder Parole Bill.
Yes.
15. Do you oppose the death penalty?
Yes.
16. Do you support outlawing solitary confinement?
Yes.
17. 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?
Yes to both questions. One of my first connections to my district was while I was detained for 6 months at an immigration facility in New Jersey when I first immigrated to the US. Volunteers from Riverside Church would visit and write letters to detained asylum seekers, and it was one of the things that helped me to stay hopeful.
18. Do you commit to working to change our penal system toward a restorative rather than a retributive model of justice?
Yes.
19. 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.
20. Who did you support for mayor in the 2021 Democratic primary election?
Maya Wiley
21. Which 2025 Democratic candidates have you removed from your consideration? Have you endorsed anyone? If so, who?
I will not rank Eric Adams. I have not yet endorsed any mayoral candidate.
22. Do you support the renaming of the Ed Koch bridge and will you work towards the renaming including sponsoring such legislation?
Yes.
23. What are your plans to address rent affordability in NYC? Did you vote for “City of Yes”? If not, please explain.
While the City of Yes was a good start for creating more housing across New York City, we cannot build our way out of the affordability crisis. District 7 is already one of the densest parts of the city, and in 2023, District 7 only created 87 new units of affordable housing.
More luxury developments with limited public housing in our neighborhood–like a recently approved building at 135th street–will not fix our housing crisis. I believe that we need to massively invest in existing social housing programs like Open Doors and Neighborhood Pillars to create more limited equity cooperatives like HDFCs and Mitchell-Lamas and to preserve existing affordable units - thousands of which in our district will expire over the next five years.
Over half a million people live in NYCHA, and another 200,000 people are on a waiting list. Despite NYCHA’s importance in providing affordable housing for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, though, our leaders have underfunded it for decades, leading to a $80 billion backlog in needed repairs–including nearly $3 billion in district
7. In order to fix this, New York City needs to increase its investment in capital funding for NYCHA by 50% to $1.5 billion per year. We must also stop the privatization of NYCHA management, which has been shown to increase evictions.
24. What are your plans regarding short-term housing?
I am opposed to efforts to roll back Local Law 18; given New York’s housing crisis, housing in New York should be for residents.
With regards to shelter space, New York City should work toward a supportive housing model, using shelters as a stopgap while finding unhoused people more stable, permanent housing.
25. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments, why should we believe you would be a dynamic and progressive voice in elected office?
Too often, good legislation with plenty of sponsors get stuck in the city council because the council leadership does not want them to get voted on. We need a councilmember who is willing to fight for the right policy, even when our city’s leaders will not. I have been fighting for the rights of immigrants and LGBTQ+ people my entire adult life, and I have faced persecution because of it. But my experience has made me stronger; after nearly being killed in my home country and facing homelessness in New York, I am unafraid to take on the political establishment of our city.
26. What additional information would you like the Jim Owles club to consider when we are making our endorsement decision?
I fled persecution in Nigeria for fighting for LGBTQ+ rights and came to the U.S. seeking asylum. Since then, I’ve dedicated my life to advocating for marginalized communities, founding the first shelter for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers in New York City, and leading Refuge America.
This election is about ensuring New York City has leaders who will stand up for the most vulnerable—not just when it’s politically convenient, but because it’s the right thing to do. I would be honored to have the Jim Owles Club’s endorsement in this fight.
27. Are you a potential candidate for City Council speaker in the upcoming term? If so, what is your platform?
I am not a potential candidate for City Council speaker, but I plan to support a progressive candidate.