“New York City’s Working Class Has Been Left Out”
Jaslin Kaur is a socialist running for New York City Council. In an interview with Jacobin, she talks about the desperate need for debt relief for New York taxi drivers, cutting the New York Police Department’s massive budget, and the spurious attacks on socialists as “white gentrifiers.”
Jaslin Kaur is a candidate for New York City Council’s 23rd district. She is the daughter of a taxi driver and a unionized grocery store worker, and a lifelong Queens resident.
After recent victories at the state level with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) for the Many slate, New York City democratic socialists are now turning to city hall, having announced the DSA for the City slate of six democratic socialists running for New York City Council. One of these six is Jaslin Kaur, an organizer, activist, and, if elected, the first woman, person of color, and Sikh to represent her city council district in Eastern Queens.
Running to replace retiring city council member Barry Grodenchik, Kaur has garnered support from organized labor, community organizations, and progressive elected officials and has surpassed most of her competition in fundraising and organizational strength.
An organizer and advocate on a wide range of issues from taxi drivers victimized by predatory lending schemes to victims of gender discrimination and sexual violence on college campuses, Kaur is the daughter of a taxi driver and a unionized grocery store worker, and a lifelong Queens resident. Her campaign has been endorsed by the New York City DSA.
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