Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Jordan J.G. Wright for NY Assembly District 70
Candidate Name: Jordan J.G. Wright
Office Seeking Election for: NY Assembly District 70
Campaign Website: https://www.wright4harlem.com/
With the possibility of Donald J. Trump winning (stealing) the next Presidential election and ending democracy and civil rights in the United States, it is more important than ever that we elect progressive, dynamic leaders to the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly.
1. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments why should we believe you would be a dynamic, progressive leader who would stand up for Civil Rights and Democracy?
As a lifelong Harlemite and dedicated advocate – a longtime Community Board member and current Chief of Staff to Councilmember Yusef Salaam – I am committed to
addressing today’s pressing challenges, including affordable housing, education, public safety, environmental justice, and immigrants’ rights through a legacy of service with a vision for the future. The Village of Harlem is a touchstone in the fight for civil rights and a free & fair democracy; and as the next Member of Assembly, I’ll fight everyday to ensure that legacy continues towards our modern battles. With my comprehensive understanding of our district's needs, I will be a next generation leader to ensure that every member of our community has the opportunities they need to find success while remaining in Harlem.
2. What is your involvement in the LGBTQ Civil Rights movement? What candidates have you or are you supporting who are openly LGBTQ? What legislation have you/do you support to further LGBTQ rights? Do you /will you have an LGBTQ liaison in your office? What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer or professional basis?
As a member of the Assembly, I will fight passionately for LGBTQ rights and protection. In the past, I have taken part in the NYC Pride Parade and the Harlem Pride Parade, supported Queer candidates like Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and others, and I was Campaign Manager for an LGBTQ Dem club-endorsed City Council campaign (Yusef Salaam). As Salaam’s Chief of Staff, I include LGBTQ stakeholders in all discussions
with community relevance, as I will when I am an officer holder myself. I’m also the 2023 recipient of the NAACP Mid-Manhattan Branch - LGBTQ Ally Award and support the policy agenda of New York State’s leading Queer advocacy organizations.
3. What demonstrations, rallies, and protests have you participated in support of LGBTQ issues, African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American Civil Rights, pro- choice legislation, criminal justice issues, and Resist Trump?
I have taken part in the NYC Pride Parade and the Harlem Pride Parade, and countless other rallies and marches for civil rights – including for racial justice and a woman’s right to choose; and I support Harlem’s Queer community in their issue advocacy, earning me the 2023 NAACP Mid-Manhattan Branch - LGBTQ Ally Award. As campaign manager for now-Councilmember Yusef Salaam, we took Trump on directly for his decades-long smear campaign of the Exonerated Central Park Five; and as the next representative of New York State’s 70th Assembly District, I’ll never back down from taking on Trump and his brand of politics.
4. Do you support reparations to compensate African Americans for the history of slavery, Jim Crow, and systemic racism in this country?
Yes, and as a Member of the Assembly will work with my colleagues in the Caucus who led the effort to pass New York State’s reparations study legislation to ensure proper implementation of the study’s findings.
5. What are your concrete proposals to address current systemic racism in terms of employment, housing, voting rights, and the criminal justice system in the U.S.?
Systemic racism is pervasive, so our solutions must be as well. That’s why my campaign is focused on a few different priorities that will work to address systemic barriers in some very major areas. My top three issues on this campaign are housing, jobs, and youth services/education. As I fight for more affordable housing and tenant protections, I will ensure that more Harlemites – particularly our BIPOC & Queer communities – have accessible homes. As I fight for enhanced youth services and education, I will ensure that our communities are offered opportunities so that we can chip away at the gross discrimination historic to Harlem.
6. Will you advocate for elder parole where incarcerated individuals aged 55 and older who have serviced in excess of 15 years obtain parole hearings? Are you a sponsor of the Elder Parole Bill, Senate 2423?
Yes
7. Do you sponsor the Earned Time Act, Senate S774, which strengthens and expands “good time” and “earned time” to support rehabilitation efforts?
If elected, I would sponsor.
8. Do you sponsor Eliminate Mandatory Minimum Bill Act, S6471 which reduces excessive sentences and enables judges to look at individual factors and mitigating circumstances?
If elected, I would sponsor.
9. Do you sponsor the Second Look Act, S7872, which allows for reconsideration of prison sentences based on changes in law and circumstances?
If elected, I would sponsor.
10. Have you participated, and will you participate in demonstrations and protests in relation to the issues of clemency and parole?
Yes
11. Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?
Yes, and worked to elect the first to the New York City Council, and currently serve as his Chief of Staff.
12. Have you and will you visit incarcerated constituents to learn of their conditions?
Yes
13. What are your proposals to have prisons focus more on rehabilitation and less on punishment?
Our prisons need increased oversight, a consolidation plan as New York State continues to reduce its prison population; and we must adequately address the mental health crises in our state as the vast majority of those in prison have mental health issues among other barriers to full rehabilitation. It is vital that we seek real, data-based solutions to ensure our prison system is truly rehabilitative if we are to ever truly maintain trust in our justice system. This is why I support the policy platform of advocacy leaders in this space like RAPP, among others.
14. Do you support ending the cruel punishment of solitary confinement, such as was recently mandated by the New York City Council?
Yes, and have worked to end this practice in NYC.
15. What are your proposals to facilitate individuals who have recently entered the
U.S. to be able to live decently with employment and housing?
America, New York, and specifically the Village of Harlem are built and supported by waves of immigrants over the years. Just as we seek to provide increased opportunities to the most marginalized of communities, so too do I commit to doing more for our immigrant populations – of which we have many in Harlem. Particularly in light of increased migration to our state from the southern border and nations on the continent of Africa, we must direct government resources to assist these new families to acclimate into our state in ways that are mutually beneficial; and as Assemblymember, I will seek to increase access to services and opportunities to work legally in our state.
16. What proposals do you advocate to combat the cruel and inhumane immigration policies that the Trump Administration commenced and which, to some degree, are still in effect?
New York State must become a stronger beacon of our stated American value of being a nation of immigrants. As a Member of the Assembly, I will work to direct government resources to assist new families to acclimate into our state in ways that are mutually beneficial; and will seek to increase access to services and opportunities to work legally in NY.
17. Do you believe in the decriminalization of sex work?
Yes
18. Do you oppose legislation that promotes the Nordic model?
Yes
19. What concrete proposals do you support to lift up women after four years of Trump being President?
Again, we must center the most marginalized in each of our policies. Be it strengthening our MWBE laws, increasing tax revenue to improve services, or strengthening abortion laws, I will be strong representative for all the women of the Village of Harlem. In the Assembly, I will be as strong a supporter as anyone for a woman’s right to choose. Not only will we ensure that New York has the least restrictions to abortion access of any
state in the nation, but we will look to ensure that people in need of an abortion from anti-
choice states can find a safe haven in New York’s abortion providers. If other states are going to be moving backwards in this arena, New York will have to step up.
20. Do you support a single-payer universal health care system? Please elaborate.
Yes, be it nationally or state-delivered – I support a government, single-payer healthcare option for New Yorkers.
21. What have you done to facilitate reproductive rights, including access to contraceptives and abortion services?
In the Assembly, I will be as strong a supporter as anyone for a woman’s right to choose. Not only will we ensure that New York has the least restrictions to abortion access of any state in the nation, but we will look to ensure that people in need of an abortion from anti- choice states can find a safe haven in New York’s abortion providers. If other states are going to be moving backwards in this arena, New York will have to step up.
22. Will you refuse contributions from individuals or Political Action Committees representing the Real Estate industry, from police or correction communities?
Representing these entities, yes – though I am happy to have the personal support of many Harlem residents who happen to work in various fields, including real estate, corrections, and law enforcement. While I’ll be an Assemblymember who answers to residents not interests, I fully respect that Harlem’s residents are free to support me in their personal capacity regardless of the professional industry they work in.
23. Will you refuse and refund any contributions from executives or corporations complicit in the Trump anti-American agenda?
Yes
24. How do you propose that we address the current surge of Islamophobia and anti- Semitism?
While we must ensure law enforcement has the tools to do smart work, government is conducting proper oversight, and residents have accountability; we must also address these issues of hate through positive messaging that lifts up the mosaic of communities
that make up our great state. And we must use the levers of government to educate our youth and our general public about the benefits all communities bring to our shores. Also, it's vitally important that we elect leaders who strongly believe that diversity is a strength. That is who I am as a person; the office I run as Chief of Staff to Councilmember Yusef Salaam; and it’s who I will be as the next Assemblymember for Harlem.
25. Did you or would you have voted for the censure of U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib?
No
26. Do you support an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East?
Yes
27. Should we condition further aid to Israel? What conditions should we stress that Israel abides by?
In order to achieve a ceasefire, the U.S. must leverage its immense international power; though I leave it to foreign affairs experts and officials on which conditions are appropriate and viable options for negotiations for what is a matter impacting many nations.
28. Will you refuse funds from Trump-supporting AIPAC?
Yes
29. What are your concrete proposals to prevent Trump and his cult from taking over this country and ending democracy?
As an active member of the Democratic Party, it will be my mission to not only serve as an exemplary government official, but also as a strong representative of my Party. By working to strengthen the Party, we work to push back on Trump and his kind wherever they gain footing across the country. As an Assemblymember though, I will also support and advance legislation to make our democracy stronger and hold accountable Trump and others who purposefully weaken our democracy.
30. How can we combat the movement in this country to ban books, prevent colleges from discussing issues and demonizing intelligence as “woke”?
In New York, book-banning and attacks against trans folks won’t fly. I will advocate in Albany to rid our state of discrimination, end book-banning, and strengthen protections for trans New Yorkers, especially in schools. If a trans student does not feel comfortable and safe in their place of education, then we have failed as a state, so we must not allow that to continue to happen in New York.
31. As Christopher Columbus caused the death/slavery of thousands, should we replace the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle, and if so, what should replace it? Do you authorize the use of your name for such a purpose?
In order to truly achieve racial and ethnic civil rights in this country, we must be honest with one another about our history. I support efforts to learn and be transparent about our history, as well as remove harmful signals from that history that linger today without full context. I would not prescribe to any community what should replace the Columbus statue, but would support an effort to remove and replace.
32. As Edward I Koch caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people with AIDS and was blatantly racist, should we rename the former Queensboro Bridge? Do you authorize the use of your name for such a purpose?
Similarly, I would not prescribe a new name, but would support an effort to replace and rename, so long as we are also educating and being transparent about our history.
33. What will you do to support nightlife in New York State? Do you commit to speaking with liquor license applicants and restaurant/nightlife industry representatives before taking a position on policies affecting their businesses?
I commit to speaking with relevant stakeholders before taking positions on policies affecting their business, and will work to ensure all businesses in Harlem – including our nightlife businesses – have the support, resources, and government attention they need in order to thrive in our community and continue to attract tourists from across the globe.
34. What is your opinion of Eric Adams as New York City Mayor? Are you involved in finding someone to run for Mayor of New York City?
As Chief of State in the NYC Council and an advocate for my community, I am committed to serving the best interests of Harlem. Therefore I seek ways to work in partnership with the Office of the Mayor of NYC at all times possible, as well as work to implement better solutions when I differ from the administration; differences that have made very public this year.
35. How can we mandate that every community do its share to have affordable housing and care for the recently arrived people?
New York State recently passed measures to address our housing crises. It remains to be seen whether the various provisions will spur the type of affordable housing growth that our state – and particularly Harlem – needs. However, as Assemblymember, I will continue to support ways to increase the housing stock, to drive down costs, increase wages, and protect Harlemites from ever losing their homes. By fighting for these measures and increasing funding for emergency services, we can make sure new arrivals have the systemic and policy supports they need to be strong, productive New Yorkers.
36. Are you a sponsor of Good Cause Eviction S305 legislation?
I support it.
37. Do you support allowing legal Immigrants to vote in local elections?
Yes.