Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Eon Huntley for NY Assembly District 56
Candidate Name: Eon Huntley
Office Seeking Election for: NY Assembly District 56
Campaign Website: https://eonforassembly.com/
1. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments, why do you believe you are best qualified to represent your district?
As a lifelong Brooklynite, born to a Brooklyn native mother and a Guyanese immigrant father, the class struggle that grips Brooklyn is personal for me. I am a middle class retail worker in the fashion industry on hourly pay, who knows how it feels to sit across the table from my bosses as a union representative. I believe that we must elect people who have lived through struggle, who stand in solidarity with those who still struggle, and who will fight for justice, with a passion sparked by their own lived experience. That's the kind of leader I would be.
I hope to make New York a more livable place for working people. I’m running on a bold slate which would fundamentally transform this state’s economy, from one designed to give handouts to the rich, to one that provides the safety, stability, and wellbeing every New Yorker deserves. Through my vote and my bully pulpit, alongside my comrades on the NYC-DSA-endorsed slate, and our socialists-in-office who are already in the legislature, I hope to usher in an era of universal healthcare & childcare, stronger unions, a lower the costs of living, and safety for immigrant community members.
2. What LGBTQ+ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?
I have championed LGBTQ+ initiatives by groups such as NYC-DSA’s Trans Rights and Bodily Autonomy Working Group, Lambda Independent Democrats and JOLDC. I am proud that both my current campaign and my previous State Assembly campaign in 2024 have been endorsed by LID.
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?
I have lived in Bed-Stuy for 17 years, and it’s where I prioritize my community organizing energies. I show up at block association meetings and events, as well as attending community board meetings when my retail work schedule allows. I am an active member of my local chapter of New York Communities for Change, with whom I have helped lead multiple tenant organizing canvasses, knocking doors to encourage tenants to come together to collectively demand more from their landlords. I also support the organizing effort of local community groups in the Black liberation tradition such as the December 12 Movement and Operation P.O.W.E.R.
As a seasoned organizer, I never shy away from putting my body on the line to speak out against injustice. Participating in demonstrations against police brutality as part of the black lives matter movement – from protesting the murder of Eric Garner in 2014 to the George Floyd summer of 2020 – has been a profoundly radicalizing experience for me. Since October of 2023 I have participated in numerous direct actions calling attention to the ongoing genocide in Palestine. In 2025, I MC’ed a family solidarity rally in Brooklyn at Grand Army Plaza that culminated with an act of civil disobedience and my arrest alongside fellow demonstrators. Since the start of Trump’s second term, I have taken part in several demonstrations protesting his administration’s abuse of basic human rights, including the January 15th No Wars, No ICE, No Kings protest that my NYC-DSA comrades helped organize.
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?
Since the Trump administration took power, Trump and his cronies have escalated attacks on immigrants and transgender people, directed ICE to wage a terror campaign against our communities, stripped vital programs of their funding, and taken violent action on the international stage. I stand in solidarity with everyone under assault by the Trump administration. As the Trump administration and its MAGA allies in Congress continue to trample people’s rights and erode our social safety net, it is essential for lawmakers in New York state to step up and build a parallel infrastructure to fill the gap. When funding for emergency housing assistance vouchers get cut off and Section 8 under threat, New York must fully fund the Housing Access Voucher Program. With Medicaid funding in the crosshairs, New York must respond by passing the New York Health Act. When masked ICE goons are abducting people from our streets and our courthouses with impunity, we must pass the New York For All Act to stop our state and local law enforcement from cooperating in these gross violations of peoples’ rights.
Along with NYC-DSA movement leaders across the country, I’m fighting not just to play defense against fascism, but to build a strong movement that goes on the offense by offering a clear alternative vision for a world that meets the needs of working people: one with universal healthcare, housing and education; freedom of movement; an end to war and police brutality; strong unions and a 32-hour work week; a Green New Deal to provide jobs and heal the planet; and real democracy to put an end to the oligarchy of the rich. Workers deserve more than fascism and austerity, and it’s a worker led movement that has the power to defeat the Trump administration.
5. Will you seek or accept endorsements from individuals who oppose LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights?
Absolutely not! My campaign is built on fighting for the rights of working people–an effort that cannot be separated from the fight for reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights. I will not entertain relationships with organizations that don’t share these values.
6. Do you support the unrestricted right to reproductive care and abortion?
Yes. I strongly support reproductive freedom, and as an Assemblymember I will fight to ensure every New Yorker can access safe and affordable abortion options. The Working Families Party estimates that hundreds of thousands of people are expected to travel to New York for abortion care in the coming years, as a result of dangerous restrictions in other states. While abortion is already codified and protected under NY State law, it’s critical we expand abortion access further. NYS must publicly fund abortion care for all people regardless of income and immigration status, while also requiring that all insurance companies that operate in our state cover abortion care. Finally we must protect healthcare workers providing abortions to out-of-state travelers by extending the current protections to telehealth providers. Abortion is an inalienable right, and that means it should not only be legal, but accessible.
7. Have you hosted, funded or otherwise supported Drag Story Hours in your community?
I haven't had an opportunity to support a Drag Story Hour yet, but I would be delighted and honored to do so in the future . As a state Assemblymember, my office would be a proud partner co-hosting with Drag Story Hours and other LGBTW+ centered events.
8. How will you work to enhance protections for immigrants and uphold New York’s role as a “Sanctuary City”?
New York must not fold to the Trump Administration's cruel attacks against trans young-people. In fact, New York must continue on as a sanctuary for all under attack by the Trump administration, whether it be by protecting life-saving gender affirming-care, or fighting to dismantle ICE. In Albany, I’d fight for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, and for those that seek safety here, by strengthening New York’s sanctuary policies, ensuring hospitals continue to provide gender-affirming care, and invest in LGBTQ+ healthcare care citywide. Finally, we must ensure Medicaid continues to cover critical gender-affirming medical services regardless of federal funding.
9. Do you support New York becoming a Transgender Sanctuary State?
Absolutely, New York must not sit idly by while trans people are under attack. Across the nation, Trump allied state lawmakers are putting forward inhumane policies disregarding the medical needs of trans people, especially trans young people. Families and trans youth are being forced to leave their homes and communities to seek safety and desperately needed medical care here in New York City. We must ensure our city and state stay true to our legacy as an LGBTQ+ safe-haven.
While some private institutions in our city have already started capitulating to Trump’s assault on trans rights, I’m committed to fighting for trans youth and LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers by strengthening New York State's sanctuary policies, ensuring hospitals that provide gender-affirming care stay accountable, and expanding and protecting gender-affirming care citywide. New York’s Shield Law that was passed in 2023 to protect abortion and gender-affirming care providers and patients in New York State was an important victory. But it must be strengthened to counter Trump era attacks on our communities. Protections for social workers, pharmacists, and physicians must be added; these providers deserve protections for the critical work that they do. Additionally, we must ensure NY hospitals remain a safe option for gender-affirming medical services. New York state must commit to ensuring Medicaid covers gender-affirming care, regardless of federal funding. Finally, I’m also proud to stand with Mayor Mamdani’s proposal to expand and protect gender-affirming care by investing $65 million in public providers to deliver gender-affirming care, with investments going to public hospitals, clinics, health centers, non-profits, and a city-based gender-affirming care access hub, which the Mayor proposed during his campaign.
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, New York state must meet the moment and tax the rich. Across our nation, we’re facing a crisis of extreme income inequality. The top 1% of Americans control more resources than the bottom 93%. New York State is home to 154 billionaires, crowning our state with the uncomfortable title of more billionaires than any other state. The wealth bearing hoarded by the billionaire class should be used to create a healthier, safer, and more liveable New York state for all. As a state with a Democratic supermajority and the largest bloc of socialists in the state legislature, New York should be leading on creating a tax system that actually makes the wealthy pay their fair share and returns the wealth workers create back to them in the form of robust public services. It’s simple; we mustn't continue to allow Trump to keep funneling away our wealth to the billionaires buying out our democracy.
11. How will you represent the most vulnerable, including individuals experiencing homelessness and asylum seekers? Have you ever opposed any shelter in your district?
As a member of the Assembly, my district office would be a hub for neighbors in need of support, providing services for asylum seekers, immigrants, and folks experiencing homelessness.
Since before Trump took office, I have been using my platform as a former candidate and my rights as a citizen to draw attention to Trump’s unconscionable immigration policies and the stain of I.C.E. in our city and our country. I have marched at rallies demanding an end to I.C.E.'s assault on our neighbors and have shared practical resources on my social media channels. I belong to two organizations that conduct know your rights and court watching trainings (NYC-DSA and NYCC) and I have promoted some of these trainings through my platform, and plan to host similar trainings at my campaign office. My campaign aims to be a resource at the ground level for communities threatened by ICE, and as an elected official, I’d continue that tradition making my district office a resource for immigrants seeking asylum and safety from ICE.
I also believe strongly in supporting homeless New Yorkers. My district office would be a resource connecting housing insecure New Yorkers directly to city services, assisting with housing subsidy applications (like CityFHEPS or FHEPS), and partnering with local organizations for outreach. In Albany I would advocate for improved living conditions at shelters such as expanded wifi, while pushing to address route causes of housing insecurity, expanding tenants rights and strengthening eligibility for rental assistance to prevent evictions. I would not oppose a shelter in my district, and would be pleased that this resource would be available to my constituents.
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?
Protecting Immigrant New Yorkers is a personal issue for me. I would not be here if my father had not immigrated illegally from Guyana. He did so to build a better life for me and my siblings, our family, our community. Because of the choice he, and millions like him, made, our city is stronger, enriched by diverse communities from all over the world. To protect the immigrants who have built this city, state, and country with their hard work, dedication, and belief, I will fight hard to expand on New York’s existing sanctuary policies by passing the New York For All Act. The idea that people must “follow the rules” or immigrate the “right way” is a classist and racist fallacy, as even immigrants who are following the legal pathways are at risk of ICE detention and deportation. By passing New York For All, we can cultivate safer communities for all New Yorkers, regardless of status, by prohibiting state and local government agencies from colluding with ICE, disclosing sensitive information, and diverting personnel or other resources to further the horrific practices of federal immigration enforcement.
I’m also proud to support the Dignity Not Detention Act. The fact that existing law allows private corporations to profit off of detaining immigrants is deplorable. It does nothing but continue to feed the system of mass incarceration while also undermining the basic human dignity of immigrants. By passing the Dignity Not Detention Act, we can change that, by forcing state agencies to cut ties with companies profiting off of the detention of immigrants.
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?
Yes, I support these bills. The unfortunate reality is that, for neighborhoods like mine, the criminal legal system that’s supposedly meant to keep us safe has instead functioned far too often as an instrument of violence and family separation. Black New Yorkers are incarcerated at a rate 8 times that of white New Yorkers and Bed Stuy faces an incarceration rate more than twice the city average. Each of these bills would be an important step forwards towards helping to reduce the number of people incarcerated in our overcrowded prisons and knitting back together communities that have been ripped apart by unfair sentencing practices.
We need real solutions to issues of public safety in our community, including gun and other interpersonal violence, that are both effective and grounded in racial justice. We must end the scourge of mass incarceration in New York, whether in local jails or in state prisons. And we must dramatically increase resources supporting our communities by funding schools, housing, healthcare, and jobs and shift resources away from policing, jails/prisons and detention centers, and other agencies that separate families and destabilize communities. I believe anti-poverty work is the best anti-violence work.
14. Do you oppose the death penalty?
Yes, I oppose the death penalty. The death penalty has always been, and continues to be, disproportionately wielded against Black people and other people of color. I strongly oppose the death penalty as part of my broader platform to reform the criminal legal system.
15. Do you support outlawing solitary confinement?
Yes, I support outlawing solitary confinement. Study after study has shown that solitary confinement causes traumatic and lasting psychological harm that can result in increased risk of self-harm and suicide. Prolonged solitary confinement is one of the cruellest things a human being can be subjected to, and it pains me that black men are disproportionately subjected to it. The criminal legal system far too often functions as an instrument of violence against Black communities, and solitary confinement is another example of this harmful pattern.
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?
Yes, absolutely. As an Assemblymember, I personally commit to visiting incarcerated constituents, and my office will work to secure release and freedom for those subjected to incarceration.
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. As a member of the Assembly, my district office would be a hub for neighbors in need of support, providing services for asylum seekers and immigrants. I can absolutely commit to making applications for clemency available to neighbors that need them.
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 am a proud ally and friend of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and I supported his campaign from day one. Beginning a week after the Mayor’s election, I took the mic at a "Tax The Rich" rally to show that I'll be standing with this Mayor every step of the way, in his fight to make New York affordable for all. It's been a real honor to begin work, and I look forward to further advancing the affordability agenda in Albany, as part of the broader political movement to meet the needs of working people.
I absolutely did not rank Andrew Cuomo anywhere on my ballot.
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?
Yes.
20. Do you support naming the soon to be reconstructed 42nd street bus terminal the Bella Abzug Port Authority?
Yes.
21. What is your legislative remedy to secure the building of low and moderate-income housing around the state?
In order to tackle New York’s housing crisis, it is imperative that we expand the supply of affordable housing. However, experience has shown that we cannot simply rely on profit-seeking developers in the private market to build housing that actually meets the needs of working people. That is why the proposed legislation to create a Social Housing Development Authority (S5674 Cleare / A6365 Gallagher) is a centerpiece of my campaign’s platform. Decades’ worth of failed policies like 421a — where NY state has given out billions of dollars worth of tax breaks to some of the richest real estate companies in the world — have resulted in the creation of new housing that is “affordable” in name only, locking out the majority of my neighbors who don’t make enough money to apply in the first place. Bed Stuy needs actual, permanently affordable housing — where rents are set proportionally to peoples’ incomes, just like the NYCHA public housing that provided my family with the stability we needed growing up. Only the government has the capacity to build the kind of housing that my working class neighbors need – all that’s missing is legislators with the political will to push for it.
22. Will you refuse donations from AIPAC, SolidarityPAC, police and corrections associations, the fossil fuel industry, and the charter school industry?
Yes, absolutely. I do not accept contributions from any of these lobbies, nor from any other corporate interest. I am proud to run a campaign THAT is unbought, and will fight for working people of AD 56 in Brooklyn, not the billionaires.
23. 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).
Yes, I absolutely support passage of Cecilia's Act for Rights in the Sex Trades. Sex workers deal with not just the threat of violence in their line of work, but also the lethal risk of ending up in Rikers. Neither of these outcomes are acceptable. Decriminalizing sex work for consenting adults and allowing for the expunging of past records are some critical first steps. These would allow workers in this industry to lead safer lives free from the looming threat to their future housing, employment, and educational prospects. I will commit to fighting for this bill’s passage.
24. 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?
Yes, absolutely. The “insurrection” was a significant historical moment in the United States, reflecting our increasingly polarized political landscape and the mainstreaming of political extremism. Our public schools should teach this important history.
25. What additional information would you like the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club to consider when we are making our endorsement decision?
26. If you receive our endorsement, do you agree to identify the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club on all appropriate literature and electronic materials?
Yes, absolutely. I would be proud to identify the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club in appropriate campaign materials.