2013 City CouncilCandidate Questionnaire

Candidate Information Full Name: Jelani Mashariki District Information District #: 35 Are you an incumbent? No If yes, when were you first elected? Campaign Information From which parties are you seeking a nomination: Democratic Full Name of Campaign Committee: People for Jelani

Additional Candidate Information Endorsements -DC37 Local 983 Candidate Experience - Please explain any activities and/or experiences that demonstrate your commitment to the LGBT movement. As a Director of a Homeless Men Shelter, Ive made it an priority to make sure that LGBT residents are comfortable and safe while staying at my facility. - What experience do you have to demonstrate you are the best person to represent the district office you seek? I believe strongly that I have the right mix of experiences to best represent the people of the 35th District. I have been an activist in these neighborhoods since childhood, when I was a member of the Crown Heights Youth Collective and International African Arts Festival. I am a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School in Fort Greene and Brooklyn College. I am the father of an 11 year old daughter who I am raising in Clinton Hill. I have been an activist in a range of organizations including Black Veterans for Social Justice, Americorp, Occupy Wall Street, and most recently, Occupy Sandy. Professionally, I am the director of a 200 bed homeless mens shelter in Bed-Stuy where I have approximately 50 employees. Additionally, I have traveled to 17 countries as a Cultural Ambassador for the United States Department of State. In my capacity as Cultural Ambassador, I taught workshops on civic engagement, community/police relations, and sustainable living. I believe that my personal and professional experiences combined with a lifetime of activism in the District have prepared me to serve effectively as its Council Member.

- Please detail any specific policy proposals you may have that will affect the LGBT community, that are not addressed in the next section.

Policy Positions Please answer the following questions in full, using your policy proposals and including specific examples of your previous actions on any given topic when possible. Marriage Do you support full marriage equality for same-sex couples? (Y/N If no, please explain) -Yes, as a social Justice activist I believe that no matter who you love you should be able to marry that person.

Will you work with New Yorks congressional delegation to support the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act? (Y/N If no, please explain) Yes, I will work with whoever is willing to work in repealing DOMA which I believe is a senseless law that shouldve never been passed initially,

Adoption: Do you support full adoption rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples? (Y/N If no, please explain) -Yes, If an LGBT couple can provide a safe and loving environment for a child to learn and grow then I believe they should have every right to adopt. Human Rights Do you support equal rights and treatment for people of transgender experience in the New York Shelter System, both adult shelters and youth shelters? (Y/N If no, please explain) -Yes, As a said in the beginning I am the director of an Homeless men Shelter, so I have experience with the transgender community and made it imperative that we provided a safe and comfortable environment for everyone no matter your sexual orientation. HIV/AIDS

In 2011, Mayor Bloomberg proposed cutting 248 case managers and millions in rental assistance from the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA). Individual legislators ended up using discretionary funds to fill the gap. Do you support increased funding for the HASA? (Y/N If no, please explain) Yes, In my opinion the crucial services that HASA provides should be at least base lined or even increased. We saw an increase in HIV\AIDS cases in NYC now is not the time to cut funding to HASA. Please explain your position on using discretionary funds to support agencies like HASA. -If there is a budgetary shortfall, I have no problem using discretionary funding to make sure that the crucial services that HASA provides wouldnt be cut. What actions do you think the City Council should be taking to provide emergency housing for homeless people living with AIDS? The city council should work with all affordable housing providers and homeless shelters in areas with high population of HIV\AIDS cases to make sure that we have an adequate number of beds to services the HIV\AIDS community AIDS funding no longer corresponds to the demographics of which communities represent the greatest number of HIV cases in NYC. Would you support yearly statistics of both the geographic areas where HIV is most prevalent and as well as which populations in those neighborhoods are most effected, and then allocate yearly funding to services and communities based on these results?

 Yes I will coldheartedly support this initiative, I think if we put the resources where it needed it will actually save lives but as well prevent further cases. Community Boards: Many Community Boards routinely oppose applications for liquor licenses in their areas, particularly if the proposed venue is tailored to appeal to the LGBT community. Please explain your position on the appropriate balance between support for nightlife, minority communities and respect for neighborhood concerns. - I think we should have a cap on the number of Liquor licenses that we approve annually, it will be hard with the Barclay center there but we have to work to make sure that we arent a party neighborhood but as well work to preserve our family centered community.

Please outline the criteria you would use in selecting Community Board members. - When selecting members for the community board, I would be looking for community stakeholders who have been in community for at least 10 year but as well integrating new member of the community so that they can become a stakeholder in the community. I will also push for the lowering of the age requirements to become a board member cause I want to start civic engagement as soon as possible in the youth in the community The NYPD often targets bars, restaurants and clubs serving the LGBT community for increased scrutiny. They have used health code violations, allegations of drug use or sale, allegations of prostitution, allegations of serving minors, and a myriad of tools at their disposal. What changes would you implement to ensure LGBT institutions are treated equally by enforcement agencies?- As council member I would sit down with both law enforcement and Leaders of the LGBT community to discuss the issue more in-depth. Do you support reforming Stop-and-Frisk? Please detail any specific changes to the program you believe are necessary. - As being Stop and frisked myself, I believe that there needs to be a dramatic shift in the policy of stop and frisk. I think all that is needed is a new Mayor and Commissioner, when you have an administration that is wetted to a policy that is discriminatory in practice and now is used as a Quota you have to start from the top and work your way down. Do you oppose the use of condoms as evidence of prostitution in criminal cases? Please explain your support or opposition. I oppose the use of condoms as evidence in prostitution cases, I believe that in the society in which we live with a large number of HIV\AIDS cases we should punish someone for practicing safe sex.

NYPD

Runaway and Homeless Youth Will you support increasing the funding for both emergency shelter beds and transitional beds for homeless youth, a huge percentage of whom are from the LGBT community and will you pledge to support capital and expense funding for programs serving this population? (Y/N If no, please explain) Yes, I know all too well the hardships of running a Shelter and working with the city on a daily basis, I will fight for increase funding and pledge to support in any possible including Capital and expense funding.

What will you do to expand access to services for runaway and homeless youth?- I will work with community centers and Local organization in targeting at-risk youth in bringing resources into schools and also doing major outreach in the community

LGBT Services and Funding:

The LGBT community has no direct funding for the arts from the NEA or other funding sources because of institutional homophobia. Would your office help with funding for LGBT Arts? If yes, please explain how.- Yes, I would talk to organizations like the Brooklyn Arts Council and see what they can do in providing funding for the arts.

The LGBT community is in great need of senior housing for many of our aging population. Many seniors experience homophobia in senior facilities making them feel they must be closeted. Would you help with the funding of senior housing for the LGBT community in your district? (Y/N If no, please explain) - Yes, I believe that all Facilities should make their residents feel comfortable no matter their sexual orientation and I would work with all Senior housing providers in possibly opening an all LGBT senior housing facility.

If you are currently in office, have you made member item grants or supported LGBT funding requests? If seeking office for the first time, would you give strong consideration to LGBT social service organizations seeking funding from your office if elected? (Y/N If no, please explain) Yes What actions will you take to help support the LGBT community center in your borough? If there is not an LGBT community center in your borough, what actions will you take to help develop one? - I would work with my colleagues both in local and state government to possibly allocate funding to build a community center of a Dual purpose center for both Youth and the LGBT community

Other: Please state concrete achievements for the LGBT community that you are responsible for in your current, or previous, elected office/s. n\a

Have you endorsed any LGBT candidates? Which ones? None If endorsed will you display the endorsement of the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC in your literature whenever you list other endorsements and will you display the endorsement on your website? Yes Will you hire openly LGBT staff and/or designate a liaison to our communities if elected? (Y/N If no, please explain) Yes