Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Vanessa Aronson for NY Assembly District 73
Candidate Name: Vanessa Aronson
Office Seeking Election for: NY Assembly District 73
Campaign Website: https://www.vanessaforny.com/
1. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments, why do you believe you are best qualified to represent your district?
I am a leader and mobilizer in New York City progressive Democratic politics and activism. I ran for the District 4 City Council seat in the June 2025 Primary election and came in second out of six candidates. I built a strong coalition and will use the momentum of that campaign in this State Assembly race. Outside of politics, I most recently served as Senior Director of Strategy for the ASPCA for seven years. Before that, I was a NYC public school teacher dedicated to students, families, our community, and organized labor. Prior to teaching, I spent a decade serving our country as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer. While working at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, I led a project to bring laptops to students in rural Indonesia. At the U.S. Consulate General in Vietnam, I cut through red tape and bureaucracy to reunite children with their forever families. At the United Nations, I helped negotiate multi-million dollar agreements bringing food assistance to 795 million people. I am a New York County Judicial Delegate and Democratic Committee member, and avidly recruit to integrate more community members into these foundational roles in the political process. I served on Community Board 8 and co-chaired the Tikkun Olam ("repairing the world") committee at Park Avenue Synagogue. I live on the Upper East Side with my husband and two children.
As a Member of the State Assembly, I will fight for a brighter future for our city and community. Affordability, safety, education, accessibility, and access to healthcare are top issues facing my community. I will protect existing affordable housing in my community that is too frequently illegally deregulated and fight so that middle and low income tenants have access to stable, affordable housing. I will work to ensure that there are truly enough 3-K and pre-K seats for all, which is not the current reality in my neighborhood. I will work tirelessly to ensure sidewalks and curb cuts and public transit are accessible for people using wheelchairs, scooters, strollers, or shopping carts. I will fight antisemitism and Islamophobia. As a former member of the UFT and AFSA, I understand the critical role unions play in keeping our City strong and economy fair. I will fight to ensure that all people have access to affordable healthcare.
As a former candidate, I believe it is important to model resilience, as studies show that one of the reasons we still have not achieved gender parity in elected positions is because women are less likely than men to run again after a loss (and most candidates don’t win their first race). Once elected, I will lead by example, starting with the hiring practices in my own office, where I will prioritize hiring individuals often locked out of the rooms of power despite their qualifications entering the workforce in leadership.
2. What LGBTQ+ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?
I grew up in a conservative district (represented by Henry Hyde - the author of the infamous Hyde amendment restricting federal funding for abortion access) and a Catholic community. I was raised by a single mother who was completely apolitical. She didn’t even vote, because she knew politicians didn’t represent the interests of low-income families, like ours. Because my sister and I loved to sing and dance, we started performing in local community theater productions when I was only four years old.
Over time, our passion for theater introduced us to new areas of the city and an amazing community of artists and performers who became our chosen family. This was the late 80’s/early 90’s, and when we learned about a disease killing millions of people in our community, we knew we had to get involved. We sang in AIDS benefits, rallied for healthcare funding, visited patients, and helped make quilt squares. None of this felt like political activism, it was human activism.
When I was a preteen in the late 90s, I started feeling tension between our catholic religion and the values I knew I wanted to espouse. Specifically, I couldn’t understand why my own religion didn’t accept my loved ones. While it was difficult for my mom who also grew up catholic, I convinced my mom to let me leave the catholic church. I also started the first LGBTQ+ club at my middle school.
LGBTQ advocacy has been a constant in my life. When I was serving as diplomat in the Foreign Service, and was barred from any political activity, I was a part of the movement to support same-sex couples in the Foreign Service, who were still not granted the same benefits as heterosexual couples (until marriage equality in 2015).
In my post-Foreign Service life in New York City, I have tried to support as many LGBTQ candidates/electeds as possible - Chris Quinn, Erik Bottcher, Corey Johnson, Danny Dromm, Crystal Hudson, Tiffany Caban, Lynn Schulman, Deborah Glick, Brad Hoylman-Sigal (but I supported a different candidate for BP), Clarisa Ayaleto, Minita Sanghvi - this list is not comprehensive, just a list of folks I know I have supported off the top of my head!
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?
There are too many to remember over the years! Since childhood in the late 1980s, I have rallied, protested, and advocated for awareness and government action for the AIDS epidemic. As mentioned in earlier parts of this questionnaire, at the time, I didn’t realize that advocacy was political because my family was apolitical- it just was the right thing to do for humanity. As a teen and young adult, I rallied to end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and for Marriage Equality. During the 2016 election season, I rallied and worked very hard against Donald Trump and his disgusting agenda. Since 2016, I have rallied, marched, protested, many, many times against Donald Trump.
Most recent events include: both of the No Kings rallies, vigil for Alex Pretti, Trans Day of Visibility, rallying against NYU Langone’s ILLEGAL and spineless decision to acquiesce to the Trump administration’s discriminatory executive order and cancel gender-affirming care appointments for individuals under 19, the People’s March, and in my capacity as a candidate, issuing statements against his Executive Orders against Trans rights, including removing trans service members from the military.
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?
The renewed attacks from the Trump Administration on women, LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, immigrants, and communities of color are deeply alarming. At a time when federal protections are being weakened, New York State must act as a firewall to protect civil rights, public safety, and access to essential services. As a State Assembly member, I will focus on strengthening state protections, educating communities about their rights, and building coalitions to resist harmful federal policies.
First, I will work to strengthen and defend New York’s legal protections, including fully implementing and enforcing the New York Equal Rights Amendment and expanding statutory protections for reproductive healthcare, gender-affirming care, and immigrant rights. I will support legislation that protects access to healthcare regardless of immigration status, safeguards providers and patients from out-of-state legal attacks, and strengthens anti-discrimination protections in housing, employment, and public accommodations.
Second, I will prioritize protecting immigrant communities and ensuring New York remains a safe and welcoming state. I will support legislation that strengthens due process protections, limits unlawful cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, and ensures that immigrants can safely access healthcare, education, housing, and public services without fear. My office will proactively partner with community organizations, faith leaders, small businesses, and worker centers to distribute know-your-rights information and connect residents with legal and social service resources.
Third, organizing and coalition building are essential to resisting harmful federal policies. I will maintain close partnerships with organized labor, civil rights organizations, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, reproductive rights organizations, and immigrant advocacy groups to ensure that state policy reflects the real experiences of impacted communities. I will also use my office as a platform to elevate community concerns, support grassroots organizing efforts, and help coordinate rapid response when federal actions threaten New Yorkers.
Finally, I believe New York must continue to lead nationally by advancing proactive, inclusive policies that strengthen economic security, healthcare access, housing stability, and educational opportunity. Protecting civil rights is inseparable from addressing affordability and quality of life, and I will fight to ensure that all New Yorkers can live safely, openly, and with dignity.
5. Will you seek or accept endorsements from individuals who oppose LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights?
I would not accept the endorsement of individuals who oppose LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights. I denounce homophobia and anti-choice positions.
6. Do you support the unrestricted right to reproductive care and abortion?
Absolutely.
7. Have you hosted, funded or otherwise supported Drag Story Hours in your community?
Yes! I hosted a family-friendly Drag Story Time for my 2025 City Council campaign for parents, grandparents, and children. Our Drag Queen Nancy Nogood read What Can a Citizen Do? By David Eggers and led a group activity with the kids to create a community tree filled with civic actions we can all do to help each other. It was honestly the most incredibly special event we have hosted thus far! Nancy is incredibly gifted at engaging children and it was a wonderful inspiring event. My own 4-year old was enamoured and asks about Nancy often. I’ve heard from many attendees that their kids have asked when they can see Nancy again!
While advertising the event, we received feedback from some constituents that they were against trans rights. We even had a reporter from the New York Post try to sneak into the event. This only highlighted the need for more LGBTQ+ advocacy in our district and we doubled down on our commitment to hosting the event and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights (while protecting the performer and attendees from the Post, of course!).
We hope to plan another Drag Queen Story Time for my State Assembly campaign.
8. How will you work to enhance protections for immigrants and uphold New York’s role as a “Sanctuary City”?
I support the New York For All Act, which would prohibit state and local resources from being used to further federal immigration enforcement, limit local cooperation with ICE, and protect immigrant New Yorkers’ basic rights by ensuring state and local authorities don’t detain or funnel people into federal removal proceedings; as well as the BUILD Act, which would provide workforce development and capacity-building grants to organizations expanding access to representation for people facing deportation.
I will ensure that my office proactively provides the residents of my district and businesses that traditionally have higher immigrant populations with educational resources about sanctuary city laws, how to get help, and how to best protect themselves from unlawful detainment. I will also maintain open dialogue with organized labor to solicit feedback about if and how their members are being discriminated against in opposition of sanctuary city laws.
9. Do you support New York becoming a Transgender Sanctuary State?
Yes.
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?
I commit to supporting tax reform where people and corporations contribute equitably based on income and wealth. We cannot afford to cut funding to important programs like SNAP, Medicaid, special education services, and more to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. These programs are critical to a healthier population and economy, which in turn benefits everyone.
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 never and would never oppose a shelter in my district. Homelessness is driven by a variety of root causes - two of which are lack of available housing, and lack of accessible mental health treatment, especially in-patient beds.
I am a strong supporter of Housing First policies, including the expansion of private rooms and stabilization beds for the short-term. These policies reduced homelessness among veterans in our City by 90% over ten years, and they should be expanded to cover all people experiencing homelessness. In the longer term, the best thing we can do is address the housing crisis. There’s a reason the most expensive cities are the ones with the most significant challenges with homelessness.
I will prioritize developing a fully-funded mental healthcare system, supportive working conditions for mental healthcare providers, crisis response teams of social workers and mental healthcare providers, preserving the City’s affordable housing stock, and job training programs.
I am also very supportive of asylum seekers and believe we need to better support families seeking asylum in New York City. As someone who previously worked as a Consular Officer issuing immigrant Visas, I know firsthand how broken our US immigration system is. Although this would not be in my legislative purview in the City Council, I believe we need to reform the process for seeking asylum to more efficiently put seekers on a path to employment opportunities to support their families. As a City Council member, I will seek ways to better support these families as they wait in administrative limbo.
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?
Yes.
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 legislative efforts because New York’s sentencing and parole laws should promote accountability and public safety, while recognizing rehabilitation and personal transformation. I believe that a justice system that is fair, evidence-based, and focused on successful reentry is one of the most effective ways to prevent crime and protect New Yorkers. Research shows that overly rigid sentencing structures, mandatory minimums, and limited parole opportunities often fail to improve safety outcomes, contribute to mass incarceration, and separate families and communities unnecessarily. Thoughtful reform can strengthen public safety and improve justice outcomes.
These reforms also restore thoughtful judicial and parole review, ensuring that sentencing reflects individual circumstances and evolving standards of justice. None of these proposals guarantee release, but create opportunities for careful review that prioritize public safety, victim input, and rehabilitation outcomes. By focusing resources on rehabilitation, reentry support, and prevention, New York can reduce repeat offenses, strengthen families, and build safer communities.
14. Do you oppose the death penalty?
Yes.
15. Do you support outlawing solitary confinement?
Yes.
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.
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.
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?
No, I did not rank Andrew Cuomo on my primary ballot. I did not endorse a Mayoral candidate given my focus on my own race.
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. What is your legislative remedy to secure the building of low and moderate-income housing around the state?
New York is facing a severe housing crisis driven by a shortage of affordable housing, rising rents, increasing building operating costs, and the continued loss of rent-stabilized units. As a State Assembly member, I believe we must take an aggressive, multi-pronged legislative approach that both protects existing affordable housing and creates new housing that working and middle-class families can afford.
First, I will prioritize preserving the affordable housing that already exists. Protecting current units is one of the fastest and most effective ways to prevent displacement and stabilize communities. I support Assembly Bill A1729, which would establish an Affordable Housing Relief Fund Program to provide financial support to affordable multifamily buildings facing serious financial distress. Stabilizing these properties protects tenants, safeguards public investment, and prevents the permanent loss of affordable housing while broader efforts to expand supply move forward.
Second, I support expanding New York State’s direct role in building affordable housing. Over-reliance on the private market has not produced enough deeply affordable units, particularly for working families. I support Assembly Bill A6265, which would create a Social Housing Development Authority to develop mixed-income, permanently affordable housing statewide. By allowing the state to directly finance and develop housing, this approach would increase supply, reduce displacement, and help create a more stable and accessible housing market.
Third, I believe affordable housing programs must be grounded in accurate, locally based affordability standards. Too often, housing that is labeled affordable is still out of reach for local residents. I support Assembly Bill A2224, which would require affordable housing eligibility to be calculated using county-level Area Median Income rather than broader regional metrics. This change would ensure that affordability standards reflect real local economic conditions and that state-subsidized housing serves the residents it is intended to help.
Addressing New York’s housing crisis requires both preservation and production. I will support legislative solutions that stabilize existing affordable housing, expand public and mixed-income housing development, and ensure affordability standards reflect the realities facing New Yorkers. Together, these policies will help secure safe, stable, and affordable housing across the state.
21. Will you refuse donations from AIPAC, SolidarityPAC, police and corrections associations, the fossil fuel industry, and the charter school industry?
I am proud to represent a broad coalition that aligns with my values. I will not accept donations from organizations that do not align with my values, such as AIPAC, which supports Republican candidates who are at odds with democracy. I did accept a donation from Solidarity PAC in my 2025 City Council campaign. I would not accept donations from organizations that I would believe to be supportive of anti-democratic criminal justice activity, a detriment to the environment, or draining funds from our public schools. This is a community-driven campaign. I wish to remain accountable to my voters, not special interests. I encourage coalition partners to hold us accountable by flagging any problematic individual or organizational contributions so that those donations can be refunded.
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).
Yes.
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?
Yes, this horrific event should not be forgotten. Our students should know the facts and be educated on its threat to our democracy.
24. What additional information would you like the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club to consider when we are making our endorsement decision?
I built my reputation in New York City and District 73 as a doer, an activist, a leader with integrity, a connector, an organizer, and a good friend with my own blood, sweat and tears. If I gain your endorsement, I promise that you will have a candidate who believes in the mission of Jim Owles, will share your values with my community, and will do all that I can to deliver for the people of New York.
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 very proud to do so.