David Orkin

David Orkin earned a bachelor's degree from Vassar College in 2013 and a law degree from the CUNY School of Law in 2022. Orkin's career experience includes working as an immigrant workers' rights attorney. Orkin has been affiliated with Make the Road NY, UAW Local 2320, and Democratic Socialists of America.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m David Orkin: an immigrant workers rights attorney, union organizer, and democratic socialist. I’ve dedicated my life to defending workers and immigrants; now I’m running to bring this fight to Albany.

My mother immigrated from Tijuana, and my father’s family has deep roots in the Jewish community in the U.S. As the son of a Mexican immigrant from the border region, I spent two years organizing against the militarization of the Arizona-Mexico border and for humanitarian aid along the Mexico-Guatemala border. Through my Jewish identity rooted in a tradition of social justice, the fight for Palestinian rights has also been central to my life—I helped found the Tucson chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace.

In recent years, I’ve worked as an immigrant workers’ rights attorney at Make the Road NY, winning hundreds of thousands of dollars in claims representing clients facing wage theft and abuse from bad bosses. Through this work, I’ve built deep ties to immigrant communities in AD-38, where many of my clients live and work.

My coworkers elected me to the bargaining committee of our union, UAW Local 2320, where I helped negotiate our first contract, winning $10,000+ raises for the lowest-paid staff, a free healthcare option, and a 35-hour workweek.

These experiences have shaped my belief that government should work for all working New Yorkers, including immigrants, not just the wealthy and well-connected. We can't afford to wait any longer for an affordable New York.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

TAX THE RICH FOR AFFORDABILITY. We live in the wealthiest city in the wealthiest country in history, yet working people in Queens are being squeezed by a cost-of-living crisis. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill was one of the largest upward transfers of wealth in American history, handing tax cuts to the ultra-rich while slashing programs working people rely on.

As the richest New Yorkers and biggest corporations make more than ever, I’ll fight for a state budget that asks them to pay their fair share in taxes to fund the services working people deserve: deeply affordable housing, universal childcare, guaranteed healthcare, fully funded public schools and free CUNY, world-class public transit, and more.PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS. More than half of AD-38 residents are immigrants. As the son of a Mexican immigrant and an immigrant workers’ rights attorney, I’ve seen how the fear of ICE destabilizes families and silences workers facing exploitation.

I’ve helped hundreds of immigrants gain work authorization, connected detained community members with legal resources, and led know-your-rights trainings across NYC. In Albany, I’ll fight to implement New York for All, ending collaboration between ICE & local law enforcement and protecting personal data from federal surveillance. These measures go hand-in-hand with universal worker protections that are especially beneficial to immigrant workers, among the most exploited in our economy.STRENGTHEN WORKERS’ RIGHTS. The other side of the affordability crisis is making sure workers have good jobs with strong pay and protections. As an elected member of the bargaining committee of my union, UAW Local 2320, I helped win higher wages, more time off, and stronger job protections for my coworkers, and now I’m bringing that fight to Albany.

I’ll support policies that make it easier for workers to organize and win better pay and conditions, whether or not they have a union. I’ll champion the EmPIRE Worker Protection Act, which strengthens protections against wage theft, retaliation, unsafe workplaces, and union-busting. And I’ll support a $30 minimum wage in New York so the workers who keep our city running can afford to live here.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

You can view my full policy platform here: https://www.david4queens.com/platform.

It touches on policy areas I care deeply about, including affordability, immigrant rights, workers’ rights, progressive tax reform, universal childcare, healthcare for all, fully funded public education, AI regulation, environmental justice, LGBTQ+ protections, reproductive rights, and more.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Bernie Sanders is a political hero of mine. For decades, he has consistently stood by his belief that working people deserve a society and a political system that works for us, not the billionaire class. Bernie taught me that working people deserve not only basic protections, but a life that is dignified, joyful, and fulfilling. We deserve quality public education and universal childcare. We deserve beautiful public spaces, reliable and affordable public transit, and time to enjoy our lives. We deserve a vacation. In the richest country in the history of the world, these shouldn't be luxuries reserved for the wealthy, but guarantees for everyone.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The most important principle for an elected official is showing voters whose side they're on.

I proudly reject campaign contributions from corporate interests, including those representing real estate developers, fossil fuel companies, charter schools, and AI, crypto, and Big Tech companies. I also reject funding from AIPAC and similar pro-Israel organizations, as well as big landlords and law enforcement associations.

My grassroots campaign is funded entirely by small-dollar donations, with an average contribution of just $50. That means I'll only be accountable to working people in office, not wealthy elites.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility of this role is to give voice to the working people of the district who keep Queens running: making sure the Bangladeshi rideshare driver in Ozone Park can afford the rent, not making it easier for Uber to misclassify and underpay workers; making sure the mother of three in Woodhaven who came from the Dominican Republic and works the night shift at a hotel can rely on universal childcare to give her children the head start they deserve, not making it easier for the Hotel Association to secure another tax break; and making sure the artist in Ridgewood isn't a starving artist forced to work two or more jobs, but a thriving one.

What legacy would you like to leave?

As Zohran Mamdani demonstrated in the Mayoral election, one of the most effective ways to increase political engagement among traditionally disenfranchised voters is to advance a political vision that actually delivers for working people and inspires belief that a better world is possible if we unite and fight for it together.

My campaign is modeled on that approach. If I have a legacy in public office, I hope it will be helping more people believe that politics can improve their lives, and empowering them to organize and demand the future they deserve.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I’m proud to be endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders & Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who are leading the fight for working people against billionaires, oligarchs, and a political system that puts their interests first.

More endorsements:

Orgs: NYC-DSA, NY WFP, UAW Region 9A, CWA District 1, Make the Road NY Action, NY Immigration Coalition Action, DRUM (Desis Rising Up & Moving) Beats, Hindus for Human Rights Action, Jewish Voice for Peace Action, Muslim Dems of NYC, Latino Dems of NYC, Churches United for Fair Housing Action

Individuals: Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, NYS Senator Julia Salazar, NYS Assemblymembers Claire Valdez & Sarahana Shrestha, NYC Councilmembers Jennifer Gutiérrez & Shahana Hanif