City/Town of Residence
Throggs Neck
Education
BA, Barnard University
Experience and Qualifications
I have over 35 years of experience as a leader, advocate and negotiator for workers with the labor movement. After college, I worked as a child welfare caseworker and quickly became involved in my union, SEIU Local 371 DC37. During my 21 year tenure at Local 32BJ SEIU, I stood up to big developers and corporate bosses and won higher wages, health benefits, and improved pensions for workers and their families.
Community Involvement
I was born and raised in the Bronx and have always felt a strong connection to my neighborhood in Throggs Neck, from my teenage years through adulthood, which ultimately led me to buy a home here 12 years ago and raise my son in this community. I’ve volunteered, collaborated with local businesses and organizations, and actively participated in community events to make a positive impact and build stronger connections with my neighbors.
Party Affiliation
Democratic
Key Endorsements
Bronx Democratic Party, 32BJ SEIU, 1199 SEIU, HTC, LiUNA!, Mason Tenders, CWA, NYSNA
Campaign Telephone Number
917-274-7819
Instagram
@shirley_4council
Affordability Crisis: The high prices of daily necessities like groceries are continuing to go up, while housing, healthcare and childcare become more and more unaffordable. People are being priced out of our neighborhoods, and of NYC all together. I’ve seen how the American Dream my family achieved has become out of reach for so many hard working people.
Public Safety & Quality of Life Issues: Our communities deserve better than dirty streets, car thefts and disappearing small businesses. Many people in our neighborhoods are feeling unsafe and insecure. Public safety is a huge issue all around our district and cannot be ignored.
Education & Jobs: I am a proud public school mom — I raised my son in this district and he went to public schools here. I know firsthand how underfunded our NYC Public Schools are, and the need for more programs for our young people. I’ve also experienced how many of our school buildings are falling apart.
Affordability Crisis: As a labor organizer, I fought big landlords and developers to secure higher wages and benefits and fought for responsible development that creates good jobs and invests in the community. I have a proven record in the labor movement of fighting for working families and winning, and I will do the same on the City Council.
Public Safety & Quality of Life Issues: On City Council, I will make sure our community is not forgotten, and that we get the resources we need to improve quality of life for all. I will push for more cops and patrols in our neighborhoods, improved response times and more serious investigations into prosecuting crimes like car theft and break-ins.
Education & Jobs: On the City Council, I will fight to fully fund our NYC Public Schools. I’ll push for funding early childhood education and expanding after school programs and vocational programs in our schools so that those who don’t want to go to college can learn a trade and get a good job.
In the first 100 days, my top priority will be to meet with people throughout the district to hear directly from the community about the issues we are facing. I will always make sure my work is guided by the people I represent. Short term, the most important work I will be securing as much funding and resources as possible for the district.
The most ambitious goal I’d like to achieve on the City Council is to make our streets cleaner and our communities safer, by decreasing petty crime rates and increasing investment in sanitation.
The largest impediments to achieving this goal are the costs, and the multiple factors that affect each issue. In order to improve our quality of life, we need to address issues of crime, sanitation, affordable housing, mental healthcare, and youth services. However, it is a fight worth having and I believe I am the best person to make progress on these issues on City Council. In my nearly 4 decade career as an effective organizer, I fought big landlords and developers to secure higher wages and benefits for workers. I have a proven record in the labor movement of fighting for working families and winning. I will do the same on the City Council.
City/Town of Residence
City Island, Bronx NY
Education
Bachelors degree
Experience and Qualifications
David Diaz is a dedicated community leader, lifelong Bronxite, and proud son of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage. Raised in Throggs Neck and now a longtime resident of City Island, David has built a reputation for showing up for his community—whether through food distributions, clothing drives, or local advocacy efforts. He has worked in the private sector at a boutique investment firm in Manhattan, giving him a strong understanding of finance and economic development, while maintaining deep t
Community Involvement
David Diaz has been deeply involved in uplifting his community through hands-on service and grassroots advocacy. A proud Bronxite, David has led and supported numerous initiatives across City Island, Throggs Neck, and surrounding neighborhoods. He played a key role in sustaining the Anchor Fridge on Schofield Street, organizing regular food deliveries to combat food insecurity. In response to the growing needs of migrant and asylum-seeking families, David launched a successful clothing drive to
Party Affiliation
Democratic
Key Endorsements
Working Families Party
Campaign Telephone Number
0000000000
Campaign Office Address
NA
CampaignWebsite
daviddiaz2025.com
Quality of Life and Public Safety
From illegal dumping to rising hate crimes and street cleanliness, residents are concerned about everyday safety and livability. David is committed to improving sanitation services, expanding lighting and camera infrastructure, and ensuring our parks and public spaces are clean, safe, and welcoming.
Housing Affordability and Responsible Development
Longtime residents are being priced out, while unchecked development is changing neighborhood character. David will fight to preserve affordability, push for transparency in land use decisions, and ensure that new development serves the needs of existing communities—not just outside investors.
Education and Youth Opportunity
Public schools in District 13 need greater investment, including modern facilities, after-school programming, and resources for students and educators. As a product of the NYC public school system and the son of a public school teacher, David is passionate about ensuring every child ha
Quality of Life and Public Safety
I’ll push for a district-wide plan to improve street cleanliness, expand camera coverage in problem areas, and increase DSNY enforcement against illegal dumping. I’ll work with local precincts and community organizations to tackle hate crimes and support community-based safety efforts, including violence interruption and youth engagement programs that address root causes.
Housing Affordability and Responsible Development
I’ll advocate for community-first development by demanding that new rezonings include real affordable housing based on neighborhood income—not citywide AMI. I’ll support legislation to protect tenants from harassment and displacement and fight for stronger community board input on major land use decisions. We need a housing strategy that centers residents, not developers.
Education and Youth Opportunity
I’ll work to expand funding for our public schools, modernize aging school buildings, and secure more after-school and summer progra
Launch a District-Wide Listening Tour
I’ll hold community forums in every neighborhood—Throggs Neck, City Island, Pelham Bay, Morris Park, and others—to hear directly from residents. These listening sessions will guide my office’s legislative priorities and ensure that we are governing with, not just for, the people.
Clean Streets and Safe Blocks Initiative
I’ll partner with DSNY, DOT, and NYPD to identify and clean up chronic dumping sites, expand public waste bins, improve lighting, and advocate for more NYPD Argus cameras in high-need areas. I’ll also establish a public dashboard to track quality-of-life complaints and hold city agencies accountable.
Fight for Education and Youth Services Funding
I’ll immediately push for increased funding for District 13 schools and after-school programs during budget negotiations. I’ll work with school principals, PTAs, and educators to assess critical facility and staffing needs, and fight for equitable investment in our public schools and yout
The most ambitious goal I’d like to achieve is to transform how local government serves the East Bronx—by making it radically more responsive, transparent, and centered on working people.
That means building a truly community-first model of governance:
Empowering neighborhood councils to help shape the city budget and land use decisions
Creating a real-time public dashboard of constituent services and agency performance
Delivering measurable improvements in housing affordability, school outcomes, and quality of life indicators
I want residents to feel that City Hall works for them—not just developers or special interests. That shift in power, accountability, and trust is the long game—and it’s what I’m fighting for every day.
The largest impediments to achieving this goal are bureaucracy, political gatekeeping, and the influence of big-money interests.
City government too often moves slowly, protects the status quo, and prioritizes well-connected developers or donors over everyday New Yorkers. Community voices are sidelined in critical decisions, and transparency is treated like an afterthought.
But I believe that with grassroots pressure, bold organizing, and leadership that refuses to play politics-as-usual, we can break through that gridlock. I’m not running to be another rubber stamp—I’m running to be a fighter for real, structural change in how our city operates.
Candidate has not yet responded.
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City/Town of Residence
Bronx
Education
Theona earned a Certificate in Humanitarian Studies from Bard College and holds degrees in Political Science and International Relations from Clark University. She also completed a Certificate in Immigration Law at CUNY Graduate Center and is a certified ESL instructor.
Experience and Qualifications
With more than 22 years of experience in community organizing, education, immigration law, and public service, Theona Reets-DuPont has dedicated her career to uplifting and empowering others. Her journey began with meaningful work in both government and nonprofit sectors, advocating for equity and access. Theona went on to serve as Chief of Staff in the New York City Council, where she led critical efforts in policy development, budget strategy, and constituent support—delivered real results.
Community Involvement
Theona Reets-DuPont, your elected State Committee Member for the 80th Assembly District, has long been a tireless advocate for our communities. From addressing food insecurity and homelessness to providing children with essential school supplies, Theona has always led with compassion and action. As a public health advisor and community engagement specialist with NYC Health + Hospitals, she served on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic—supporting testing efforts, educating residents, and
Party Affiliation
DEMOCRAT
Campaign Telephone Number
508-963-3709
Campaign Office Address
2413 Tiemann Avenue
CampaignWebsite
sites.google.com/view/theona4citycouncil/home
Instagram
theonareets4nyc
1-Public Safety and Quality of Life
2-Affordable Housing and Homelessness
3-Services for Seniors and Veterans
1-Public Safety & Quality of Life
-Invest in Community-Based Public Safety Programs: Support violence interruption initiatives, youth mentorship programs, and mental health crisis teams to prevent crime before it starts.
-Strengthen Police-Community Trust: Advocate for regular community forums and neighborhood policing models that focus on accountability, respect, and collaboration.
2-Affordable Housing & Homelessness
-Support Deeply Affordable Housing Projects: Champion new developments that are actually affordable to working families and seniors — not just “affordable” in name.
-Protect Tenants & Homeowners: Expand legal protections, fight illegal evictions, and cap property taxes for longtime homeowners and seniors.
3-Services for Seniors & Veterans
-Support Veterans’ Benefits Access: Establish local veteran navigators to help residents connect with VA benefits, healthcare, housing support, and job training.
-Expand Senior Housing: Advocate for more low-income senior housing
1-Public Safety and Quality of Life
2-Affordable Housing and Homelessness
3-Services for Seniors and Veterans
1-Housing Equity: Leading a bold initiative to create deeply affordable, mixed-income housing without displacing current residents — using city-owned land, nonprofit partnerships, and community land trusts.
2-Youth Empowerment Pipeline: Building a comprehensive pathway from early education through job placement — combining college prep, skilled trades, tech training, and internships across local schools and businesses.
Political Gridlock, transformative change often requires coordination across multiple city agencies and levels of government. Entrenched bureaucracy, slow-moving processes, and lack of political will can stall or water down bold initiatives.
Insufficient Funding, housing affordability, public safety reform, and economic revitalization all require sustained financial investment. Competing priorities at the city and state level often limit the funds directed to underserved communities like the Bronx.
Candidate has not yet responded.
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