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Carlina Rivera
2018 - Present
2026
7
Carlina Rivera (Democratic Party) is a member of the New York City Council, representing District 2. She assumed office on January 1, 2018. Her current term ends on January 1, 2026.
Rivera (Democratic Party, Working Families Party) ran for re-election to the New York City Council to represent District 2. She won in the general election on November 7, 2023. She advanced from the Democratic primary on June 27, 2023.
Biography
Carlina Rivera earned a B.A. in communications from Marist College in 2006.[1][2] Her experience includes working as the legislative director for District 2 Councilwoman Rosie Mendez, as the director of programs and services for the community services and public education organization Good Old Lower East Side, and as a program and administrative assistant for the Lawyers Alliance for New York.[1]
Elections
2023
See also: City elections in New York, New York (2023)
General election
General election for New York City Council District 2
Incumbent Carlina Rivera won election in the general election for New York City Council District 2 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Carlina Rivera (D / Working Families Party) | 92.9 | 10,137 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 7.1 | 780 | ||
| Total votes: 10,917 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Juan Pagan (Medical Freedom Party)
Democratic primary election
Democratic Primary for New York City Council District 2
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Carlina Rivera in round 1 .
|
Total votes: 7,744 |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican Primary for New York City Council District 2
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Juan Pagan (R)
Working Families Party primary election
Working Families Primary for New York City Council District 2
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Carlina Rivera in round 1 .
|
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Endorsements
Rivera received the following endorsements.
2022
See also: New York's 10th Congressional District election, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. House New York District 10
Daniel Goldman defeated Benine Hamdan and Steve Speer in the general election for U.S. House New York District 10 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Daniel Goldman (D) | 83.5 | 160,582 |
 | Benine Hamdan (R / Conservative Party) | 15.1 | 29,058 | |
| Steve Speer (Medical Freedom Party) | 0.8 | 1,447 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 1,260 | ||
| Total votes: 192,347 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Mondaire Jones (Working Families Party)
- Matthew Goldstein (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 10
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 10 on August 23, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Daniel Goldman | 25.9 | 18,505 |
 | Yuh-Line Niou | 23.6 | 16,826 | |
 | Mondaire Jones | 18.1 | 12,933 | |
| Carlina Rivera | 16.5 | 11,810 | |
 | Jo Anne Simon | 6.1 | 4,389 | |
 | Elizabeth Holtzman | 4.4 | 3,140 | |
 | Jimmy Jiang Li | 1.6 | 1,170 | |
 | Yan Xiong | 1.0 | 742 | |
 | Maud Maron | 0.9 | 625 | |
 | Bill de Blasio (Unofficially withdrew) | 0.7 | 519 | |
 | Brian Robinson | 0.5 | 341 | |
| Peter Gleason | 0.2 | 162 | ||
 | Quanda Francis | 0.2 | 129 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 100 | ||
| Total votes: 71,391 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- John Herron (D)
- Patrick Dooley (D)
- Ian Medina (D)
- David Yassky (D)
- Elizabeth Kim (D)
- Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D)
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Benine Hamdan advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House New York District 10.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Helen Qiu (R)
- Michael Ragusa (R)
Conservative Party primary election
The Conservative Party primary election was canceled. Benine Hamdan advanced from the Conservative Party primary for U.S. House New York District 10.
Working Families Party primary election
The Working Families Party primary election was canceled. Incumbent Mondaire Jones advanced from the Working Families Party primary for U.S. House New York District 10.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- John Herron (Working Families Party)
Endorsements
To view Rivera's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.
2021
See also: City elections in New York, New York (2021)
General election
General election for New York City Council District 2
Incumbent Carlina Rivera defeated Allie Ryan and Juan Pagan in the general election for New York City Council District 2 on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Carlina Rivera (D) | 79.8 | 18,716 |
 | Allie Ryan (Neighborhood Party) | 11.5 | 2,684 | |
 | Juan Pagan (Independent Party) | 8.2 | 1,925 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.5 | 116 | ||
| Total votes: 23,441 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic Primary for New York City Council District 2
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Carlina Rivera in round 1 .
|
Total votes: 21,342 |
|||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
2017
New York City held elections for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, and all 51 seats on the city council in 2017. New Yorkers also voted for offices in their boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.
Primary elections were scheduled for September 12, 2017, and the general election was on November 7, 2017. Under New York law, candidates who run unopposed in a primary or general election win the nomination or election automatically, and their names do not appear on the ballot.[3] Carlina Rivera (D) defeated Jimmy McMillan (R), Jasmin Sanchez (Liberal), Don Garrity (Libertarian), and Manny Cavaco (Green) in the general election for the District 2 seat on the New York City Council.
| New York City Council, District 2 General Election, 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Carlina Rivera |
82.69% | 20,050 | |
| Republican | Jimmy McMillan | 11.70% | 2,837 | |
| Liberal | Jasmin Sanchez | 2.01% | 487 | |
| Libertarian | Don Garrity | 1.79% | 434 | |
| Green | Manny Cavaco | 1.55% | 375 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.26% | 63 | ||
| Total Votes | 24,246 | |||
| Source: New York City Board of Elections, "General Election - November 7, 2017," accessed January 2, 2018 | ||||
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for the District 2 seat on the New York City Council.[4]
| New York City Council, District 2 Democratic Primary Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Carlina Rivera |
60.54% | 8,354 |
| Mary Silver | 16.54% | 2,282 |
| Ronnie Cho | 8.56% | 1,181 |
| Jorge Vasquez | 7.54% | 1,040 |
| Jasmin Sanchez | 4.62% | 638 |
| Erin Hussein | 1.93% | 267 |
| Write-in votes | 0.28% | 38 |
| Total Votes | 13,800 | |
| Source: New York City Board of Elections, "2017 Primary: Certified Results," accessed September 28, 2017 | ||
Campaign themes
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Carlina Rivera did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Carlina Rivera completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rivera's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
Prior to becoming a council member, I served as a community board member and organizer on landmark New York City infrastructure projects that included a major affordable housing development and a flood resiliency project to protect Lower Manhattan.
As a New York City Council Member since 2018, I have a record of smart progressive budget initiatives, landmark legislation, and fierce advocacy wins on climate, abortion access, small business relief, immigration justice, worker protections and labor standards, animal rights, tech-focused workforce development, and community safety that invests in violence interruption, youth programming, and direct health services.
I am a graduate of Marist College with a B.A. in Journalism. I currently spend my spare time with my husband and pet turtle of over 30 years.- New York City is at a crossroads as we emerge from the pandemic. Families are struggling with affordability in housing and health care, as well as basics like food and quality education. I want to fight for our communities in Congress to create a New York that everyone can see themselves in.
- Our rights and democratic institutions are under attack, which is why I will continue the fight in Congress that I started in New York City on expanding access to reproductive care, voting rights, and protecting the safety and dignity of our diverse communities.
- Our country and planet face an existential threat in climate change. I have fought for a more resilient and health city and have a record on climate infrastructure and legislation. It's time for the federal government to take bold action on environmental justice, and I want to lead on those efforts in Congress..
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
Rivera's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Carlina stands unequivocally for abortion access and overall improved reproductive healthcare. In 2019, she championed the creation of the first municipal program in the country to directly fund abortion care for those who are unable to fully cover costs, whether they are living in or traveling to New York, and other cities have followed suit. Carlina also wrote and passed the bill to expand access to long acting reversible contraception in our public health institutions. She has led the charge in the Council to enact more reproductive justice measures like increasing access to doulas and midwives in an effort to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women and women of color. In Congress, Carlina will remain a fierce advocate for abortion access and reproductive healthcare at large.
Carlina has been at the forefront of the fight for climate justice here in New York City. She cosponsored Local Law 97, the Green New Deal for New York, to reduce building emissions citywide to meet New York’s net-zero goals. She has been a champion for mass transit and cyclists to reduce car congestion and pollution. To make New York a leader in the energy transition, Carlina cosponsored a bold plan to transform Rikers Island into a renewable energy hub and supported the divestment of the city’s pension away from fossil fuel companies. Having seen firsthand the devastation Superstorm Sandy brought to her waterfront community, Carlina helped secure nearly $1.5 billion in flood protection and riverfront park reconstruction to protect Manhattan’s Lower East Side from storm surges and rising seas caused by climate change. Carlina recognizes the immediate urgency of climate action and as a member of Congress will support legislation, policies and appropriations necessary for adaptation to, mitigation from, and reversal of climate change.
Every New Yorker deserves the ability to fully participate in society. Carlina believes we must constantly work to improve accessibility to education, opportunity, recreation, and all aspects of life for New Yorkers with disabilities, and she knows that in conjunction with tangible reforms, the fight for disability justice is also in removing stigma. Carlina proudly partnered with disability advocates to write and pass legislation in the City Council removing stigmatizing language from the New York City Charter and Administrative Code, and she works with advocates to educate small businesses on Americans with Disabilities Act requirements to increase access for customers and as a result, their client base. She has also fought to ensure that all upgrades to parks, schools and housing developments in her district included vital equipment and changes in compliance with the ADA, and as a Member of Congress, Carlina will continue to advocate for disability justice and accessibility for all.
Every day, New Yorkers are hurt by rising prices and are struggling to get by in an increasingly unaffordable city. In Congress, Carlina will fight for a fair and just economy that works for every single New Yorker, regardless of their zip code. She will build on her record of delivering billions of dollars to her Council district by doing the same for NY-10, leading with pragmatic and compassionate solutions that put our communities first. Carlina knows that New Yorkers deserve a better economic future, and that’s why in Congress she will focus on the economic development New York City needs to emerge from the pandemic stronger and more equitable than before. Carlina will bring her steadfast support of small businesses to Washington, she will continue to invest in opportunities for traditionally ignored lower-income New Yorkers with equitable job training facilities and programming, and she will help finally reform our broken tax code so the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share.
Healthcare should be a basic human right, no matter what. As former Chair of the Council’s Committee on Hospitals, Carlina helped create NYC Care, a program in all five boroughs that allowed thousands of previously uninsured New Yorkers to access quality healthcare regardless of immigration status or ability to pay.
The housing crisis most requires that we create more housing supply. Carlina knows that we need to build more affordable and accessible housing in all areas, not just a select few, to address soaring rents and housing instability, which can often lead to homelessness. As a Council Member, she’s fought for community land trusts, rezonings that prioritize more affordable housing development, and the full funding of public housing from every level of government. Carlina believes that housing is a basic human right, and that we have it in our power to make sure every person has access to permanent, dignified, affordable housing.
Since her days as community organizer, and throughout the dark days of the Trump Administration’s overt attacks on immigrants, Carlina has stood in opposition to both hateful rhetoric and an expansion of wrongful enforcement tactics by the federal government. Carlina fought to expand access to healthcare and city services for undocumented families, increase language programming and training, strengthen workplace protections, and ensure access to the ballot box in City elections. She believes that Washington must forge an immediate pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals and families, an overhaul of the system to admit more refugees seeking asylum in the U.S., and an end to the cruel practices of ICE, the Border Patrol and nativist Republican governors.
Carlina understands that the only way to have a fair economy is to put workers first. Since entering public service, Carlina has been a champion for labor and workers’ rights, most recently spearheading the effort to pass the first-of-its-kind legislation ensuring workplace protections and basic dignity for app delivery workers, including making sure they have the right to use the restroom in the restaurants they serve. Carlina is the proud daughter of a Local 1549 member and knows the importance of having the support of a union, as it was in part what enabled her mother to raise her and her sister.
The rights of the LGBTQ+ community are under attack across the country. Trans and gender non-conforming people are living in fear as various states pass laws attacking their dignity and safety, and even children are being subjected to probing of and impingement on their identity and self-worth. Carlina has stood with the LGBTQ+ community to expand city and state rights for LGBTQ+ people through direct legislation and advocacy. She fought to end the infamous “walking-while-trans” law, and she has collaborated with our public health system to ensure baselined funding for specialized and culturally-sensitive services for the LGBTQ+ community. She will continue to stand as an ally in Washington to ensure that no person is subjected to scarring and discriminatory state and local legislation.
Every New Yorker has a right to be safe, and to feel safe. Carlina knows that a comprehensive, commonsense, and integrated approach is needed to end the recent rise in crime, and ensure true public safety in the future. Carlina has consistently increased investment in complementary strategies to law enforcement including community-level programs, violence interrupters, and late night youth programming to address the root causes of our current crime spike.
Public transportation is what keeps New York City moving, and Carlina believes that access to transit means access to opportunity. She championed the 14th Street Busway to drastically improve travel times, and was one of the first Council Members to sign on to increase mass transit accessibility throughout the five boroughs. Carlina is also an avid bike rider and has passed legislation requiring that contractors create and maintain temporary bike infrastructure when a protected lane is overtaken by construction work.
Especially after two years of a pandemic shattering what we understood to be the norm, Carlina remains committed to meeting a new generation of issues with actionable solutions. As NY-10’s next Congresswoman, Carlina will translate her love for New York into a future in which every New Yorker can see themselves. From her legislation to make the Open Streets Program permanent and City-supported to her persistence in creating and protecting housing affordability, Carlina’s record demonstrates that as a Congresswoman, she will continue to forge a path making New York more livable for everyone. [5] |
” |
| —Carlina Rivera[6] | ||
2021
Carlina Rivera did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.
2017
Rivera's campaign website highlighted the following issues. Click "show" on the boxes below for more information about her positions.[7]
| HOUSING |
|---|
| "Carlina grew up on the Lower East Side, seeing first-hand the housing challenges in our community. Working at Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES), she organized tenants to fight displacement and stood up to developers, successfully negotiating to bring hundreds of low, moderate, and middle-income housing units into our communities. As a Council Member, OUR housing priorities will be Carlina's priorities:
Tenant Protection – Carlina will hold predatory landlords accountable by increasing enforcement; supporting the Rent Freeze; and demanding Albany pass stronger laws to end unfair rent hikes and evictions. The Right to Counsel – 90% of tenants in Housing Court have no legal representation, putting them at a severe disadvantage against landlords and their attorneys. Carlina will support city-funded legal aid for tenants facing eviction, keeping more families in their homes and reducing homelessness. Zoning – Carlina supports community-based planning because every neighborhood in our City is different and residents of these diverse areas know their needs best. New Housing – The creation and preservation of affordable, rent-regulated and subsidized housing is important at all income levels. We must strive for as close to 100% of new units to be affordable, forever. NYCHA – With almost 10,000 NYCHA units in District 2, Carlina will fight for more city, state and federal funding to reduce repair backlogs and address longstanding health, safety, accessibility and resiliency issues. Supportive Housing – A major contributor to our current homelessness crisis is the lack of housing for individuals and families in need of special, onsite services. Carlina will work with her colleagues to expedite city and state commitments toward this type of development." |
| SENIORS |
|---|
| "Seniors in our community deserve the opportunity to age with dignity in the neighborhoods where they have spent their lives. As a Council Member, Carlina will help our seniors, veterans, and retirees thrive by focusing on:
Safe, accessible neighborhoods – Safer sidewalks, affordable senior housing, large font signs, and outdoor seating at bus stops and in public spaces. Food Programs – Carlina will fight to keep our neighborhood supermarkets open, for expanded access to farmers markets for SNAP recipients, and for food support programs for seniors and families in need. SCRIE – With extensive experience helping seniors remain in their homes through the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE), Carlina will sponsor legislation to make it easier to navigate city agencies and qualify for benefits like SCRIE, SNAP, SCHE and HEAP. Senior Centers –' Carlina created and managed the GOLES Healthy Aging Program, a model for cultural, recreational, and civic engagement for older adults that serves thousands in our community. Carlina will use Council funds to support senior programming and fight for additional senior center funding. Safety and Security – Carlina has a strong relationship with the District Attorney’s Elder Abuse Unit, and will bring multi-lingual education and intervention to prevent and prosecute elder abuse, help victims of fraud scams and provide counseling." |
| EDUCATION |
|---|
| "Carlina has seen the results of imbalances across our school district. As our Councilwoman, she will make supporting our students, parents, teachers, and administrators with the right programs and equipment a top priority.
Reducing Overcrowding and Class Size – Smaller classes result in higher student achievement, so Carlina will demand that the City reduce class sizes while renovating and building new schools. Carlina successfully secured a space for a new school for Community School Districts 1 and 2 and will work to see that this design and construction is finalized. School Leadership & Parental Involvement – Carlina will support the important work of our Community Education Councils, Presidents Councils, Parent Teacher Associations, School Leadership Teams, and Borough Student Advisory Committees, keeping parents involved in school oversight and accountability. Resources – Carlina will deliver funds to upgrade school technology, establish sports programs, and sustain science, math, engineering, arts, and music (STEAM) as core, year-round subjects. Diversity – Carlina will work with our CEC’s to desegregate our schools by expanding an admissions policy focused on diversity, while supporting culturally-responsive education and implicit bias training for school administrators and teachers. Higher Education – As we ensure K-12 programming is preparing our next generation of leaders, Carlina also believes that our public university system should be fully funded by both the city and our state partners. The opportunity to obtain a degree is a path to equity for so many families, and our students and educators must have the resources they need to succeed in their respective roles." |
| JOBS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT |
|---|
| "Carlina served on the Community Board’s Economic Development Committee, where she met her husband, a small business owner. Carlina has seen small business challenges up close and understands how mom-and-pops struggle for survival. In her position at the City Council, Carlina secured funding to support small businesses and job creation, and will continue programs and projects for District 2.
Small Business Jobs Survival Act – Carlina supports the SBJSA to put power back into the hands of small business owners when they go to the negotiating table with their landlord. She helped issue a Small Business Guide to Lease Negotiations while on the Community Board to provide a resource to local operators. Pipeline for Growth – Carlina will bring Council investment to job readiness programs, cooperative work experiences/apprenticeships, and creating space for tech jobs in our district. She will support community organizations with a focus on youth development, legal services, and workforce development. MWBE & Entrepreneurship Programs – Carlina will advocate for more outreach opportunities, info sessions, and webinars on how to grow new businesses responsibly and find the assistance to become a minority- and/or woman-owned business (MWBE) vendor." |
| ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH |
|---|
| "As a lifelong resident of the district, Carlina has seen our local ecosystem change drastically. With cuts to health services looming, a growing senior population, and thousands of families living in Evacuation Zone 1, our health care infrastructure and waterfront must be resilient and we must remain active to protect our environment.
Healthcare – Carlina knows that regardless of what happens in Washington, we have to do all we can locally to protect and expand access to health care. Carlina will continue to provide local healthcare intervention and information workshops, defend funding for Planned Parenthood and other service providers, and strongly oppose plans to close hospitals and reduce hospital beds in our district. East Side Coastal Resiliency Project – After Sandy, Carlina organized residents to demand solutions for coastal flooding along the East River waterfront. As Councilwoman, she will fully support the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, work to improve energy efficiency and demand our city fight climate change. Noise Pollution – Consistent, loud noise has been linked to hearing loss, anxiety and cardiovascular disease. It is frequently at or near the top of 311 complaints, but in many cases cannot be resolved effectively. Carlina will work with her colleagues on legislation that provides DEP greater resources and regulatory power for better noise mitigation. Gardens Rising – Carlina supports a green infrastructure study and plan to increase the permeability and stormwater capture within 50 community gardens located in Lower Manhattan to reduce flooding and protecting our waterways. Solarize and Beyond the Grid – As a waterfront district, we know the importance of reducing our carbon footprint. Carlina will support programs to increase solar affordability, while creating a microgrid to provide local sources of power for public schools, community centers, pharmacies, supermarkets, and residences. Indoor and Outdoor Allergens – Carlina has worked on and supports Intro 385A, the Asthma Free Homes Act, to codify mold and pest abatement and address the constant construction that creates dust and debris." |
| IMMIGRATION |
|---|
| "Carlina grew up in a bustling neighborhood shared by Jewish, Chinese, and Latino communities. As fears of hate crimes, bans, borders, and ICE raids keep families in their homes and kids out of school, Carlina will not cower to discriminatory threats. She has prayed, rallied, and marched with the individuals and groups that stand for tolerance and peace. As a Council Member, Carlina will assist our diverse neighbors with:
Sanctuary Cities – Carlina will fully support New York’s continuation as a Sanctuary City, protecting undocumented immigrants and their families from harassment and unfair deportation simply because they try to access health care, education or our judicial system. Supportive Services – Carlina has worked extensively with immigrant families and undocumented individuals to help them access services, and she will provide funding for social justice groups around targeted attacks and legal services for housing, immigration and civil matters. Adult Literacy – We need more education and enrichment classes available throughout our city. Carlina will work to ensure there is a range of programming that includes job readiness and college preparation for those seeking assistance in multiple languages. Language Access – Carlina worked to ensure housing information for middle, moderate, and low-income families is available in 6 languages, and Carlina will continue to work to expand language access for all residents of our district." |
| CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM |
|---|
| "We should prioritize education over incarceration. Carlina witnessed the school-to-prison pipeline in the courtroom and classroom, and as a Council Member, she will work to reverse this damaging cycle by prioritizing:
Afterschool Programming – Robust afterschool programming leads to higher academic achievement and lowers rates of juvenile crime and drug use. Carlina supports local initiatives like Schools Out New York City, and will advocate for increased funding for afterschool programming. Addiction & Mental Health Services – Carlina will advocate for expanding alternative-to-prison programs that prioritize rehabilitation for low-level, non-violent drug offenders over ineffective and costly prison sentences. She also believes prisons should not be repositories for our mentally ill and will press for quicker construction of additional supportive housing units in our city, as well as better communication of services available to this population. Prison & Police Reform – Carlina believes that police accountability will build stronger police-community relations and further reduce crime on our community. She supports the closure of Rikers, the Black Lives Matter movement, and ending broken windows policing. Carlina will also work to reduce crime through investments in job training programs, anti-gang intervention, and education and afterschool programming." |
| TRANSPORTATION |
|---|
| "As a pedestrian, motorist, and cyclist, Carlina understands the challenges of sharing our roads and sidewalks. Commuter options in District 2 are limited and those existing are in need of improvement. Our buses, trains, and bike lanes are packed to capacity and we must ensure that we are safe whatever means we use to travel. As a Council Member, Carlina will address:
L Train Alternatives – Carlina will demand that the City and MTA do a better job informing the community of how they will address the L train shut down for the 100,000 riders who take the line in Manhattan. Bicycle Safety – While bicycling can provide significant health and environmental benefits, Carlina knows that increased bike lanes and programs like CitiBike will require better efforts to protect cyclists and reduce bicycle-pedestrian collisions. She will work for better education, enforcement, clearer identification of bicycle lanes, and mitigation efforts at intersections to prevent future collisions and fatalities. Traffic and Congestion – Carlina will advocate for expanded Select Bus Service (SBS) and further public transportation innovations to reduce our communities’ carbon footprint, improve our commute, and reduce traffic and congestion." |
| CIVIL RIGHTS |
|---|
| "Our City has a strong history of leading many civil rights reforms for non-majority communities. Carlina has stood with Black Lives Matter, marched with our LGBTQ neighbors, rallied against intolerance towards the Muslim community, and denounced vandalism aimed at our Jewish neighbors. She has consistently stood up for those whose civil rights are violated. As Council Member, Carlina will work to preserve the dignity of all New Yorkers
Disability Rights – Carlina believes we can do more for New Yorkers with all types of disabilities, including oversight of adequate private and public housing opportunities, transportation accessibility, and special considerations for the disabled community in disaster preparedness scenarios. Appropriate Gender Pronouns for City Agencies – Carlina will demand that our government agencies respect the gender identity of our residents by correctly asking, and then appropriately using, an individual’s correct gender pronouns in all interactions. School Segregation – Carlina believes that we cannot continue to lead on social justice issues if we fail to address the fact that we have one of the most segregated public school systems in the country. Carlina will work with the City’s Board of Education, PTAs and administrators to integrate schools and institute necessary reforms so that children of color in our City get the same opportunities as every other child. GENDA – Shamefully, New York State does not provide non-discrimination protections for transgender people. Carlina strongly supports the Gender Expression Non-discrimination Act (GENDA), a law that would provide the same legal protections for transgender people in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and credit that exist for other communities." |
| ARTS AND CULTURE |
|---|
| "Music, art and cultural diversity were a daily part of Carlina’s local upbringing. District 2 has a rich history of housing artists and is home to hundreds of murals and iconic cultural spaces and districts. With potential cuts in federal aid to this realm, Carlina is committed to standing up to save the arts by fighting for:
Cultural and Community Spaces – Our community is home to the Fourth Arts Block Cultural District (FAB), which supports a dozen arts groups and 100,000 square feet of cultural space. This vision to secure funding to make FAB permanent was made possible through community collaboration. FAB is a model for how City Councilmembers can work with local cultural organizations to help them. Carlina looks to craft legislation that creates a database of underutilized public space giving orchestras, ensembles and emerging artists somewhere to grow. Arts in Education – Carlina is committed to keeping arts as a core subject in a STEAM curriculum and supporting programs that provide opportunities for expression and exposure to cultural institutions. Labor Oversight – Local artists have contributed to making New York City the cultural capital of the world and are often underpaid. Carlina will advocate for fair wages and workplace protections and ensure public funds do not go to employers or venues that intentionally misclassify the position of working artists and ignore best practices. Local Film Production – While filming in in [sic] our city remains as popular as ever, post-production work and scoring are frequently outsourced. Through organizing and agency communication, Carlina will work to ensure that film industry workers are not exploited and that productions, from start to finish, are truly made in NY. A Cultural Plan – We have an opportunity to enhance access to arts and culture in all five boroughs. Carlina will continue working in coalition on this first-ever comprehensive initiative which will give residents a greater role in deciding what arts and culture looks like in their neighborhoods." |
Endorsements
2017
Rivera received endorsements from the following in 2017:[8]
- 32BJ SEIU
- 1199 SEIU
- AFL-CIO, New York City Central Labor Council
- Communications Workers of America
- District Council 37
- Doctors Council
- Empire State Humane Voters
- League of Independent Theater
- Make the Road Action
- Musicians Local 802
- New York City District Council of Carpenters
- New York Hotel Trades Council
- New York State Immigrant Action Fund
- Planned Parenthood NYC Votes
- Progressive Caucus Alliance
- Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union
- Transport Workers Union Local 100
- United Federation of Teachers
- Working Families Party
- U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez
- New York City Public Advocate Letitia James
- New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer
- New York State Sen. Brad Hoylman
- New York State Sen. Daniel Squadron
- New York State Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou
- New York City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez
- Former New York State Sen. Thomas Duane
See also
2023 Elections
External links
|
Officeholder New York City Council District 2 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 LinkedIn, "Carlina Rivera," accessed July 20, 2017
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 25, 2022
- ↑ New York Election Law, "Sec 6-160. Primaries," accessed July 14, 2017
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff, "Email correspondence with the New York City Board of Elections," July 14, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Carlina Rivera's campaign website, “On the Issues,” accessed July 6, 2022
- ↑ Carlina Rivera, Democrat for New York City Council District 2, "Issues," accessed July 20, 2017
- ↑ Carlina Rivera, Democrat for New York City Council District 2, "Endorsements," accessed July 20, 2017
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Rosie Mendez (D) |
New York City Council District 2 2018-Present |
Succeeded by - |
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