Mary Jobaida

Mary Jobaida was born in Bangladesh. Jobaida's professional experience includes working as in healthcare. She earned a bachelor's degree from New York University in 2012.[1][2]

Regular election

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have been fighting for democracy, representation and equity for all my neighbors in Astoria & Long Island City since 2001. I am a Bangladeshi-American running for State Assembly so that working families, immigrants, tenants, and small homeowners have a true voice in Albany. I have been actively organizing for social, political, and racial justice in western Queens and beyond since I arrived in America 25 years ago.

I am well-known for my anti-gentrification, pro-social housing, and equitable policymaking stance. For ex., Astoria & LIC have world-class health facilities but limited access for our neighbors. We must put an end to tax incentives for luxury housing that sits empty, while the economic outcome of those projects displaces people from lifelong homes.

I bring experience in community health outreach, grassroots organizing, and collaboration with the New York State Senate. My first-hand knowledge of the resource disparity and need for public school funding reform comes from both being a parent of three New York City school children and working as a teacher throughout the state. I am also a former founding Program Manager of the first Bangladeshi HD television channel in New York City.

My mission is to create an inclusive state where everyone is respected for who they are and has access to basic human rights without discrimination.

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?

We need truly affordable housing by eliminating housing income requirments for new affordable units and adding state-supported social housing, community land trusts & new deeply-affordable units.

The current housing development system is worsening our housing affordability crisis by prioritizing > 80% of newcomers who are wealthy and raising median income, pushing out neighbors & worsening homelessness.

Gentrification pushes up avg. income statistics and inflates the price of housing, food, and everything else. The end result is those who have made lives here are less able to live on the same budget and get squeezed out, both through rent and other expenses.Healthcare is a human right. It should be available to every person with no co-pay, including women's health and gender-affirming services, because individual and community health rely on each other. I support the NY Health Act and Medicare for All.Education is a key driver of equity. Schools must be funded not by ZIP code / income, but what's needed to meet childrens' fundamental needs as well as resources for differentiated learning. Teachers must be well-paid and students with varied needs supported.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Homelessness is CREATED by greedy, unchecked housing speculators. They even prevent us from applying to units which sit empty so they can monetize the crisis. EVERYONE deserves dignified housing as a human right. Empty apartments must be filled within six months.

Our district is one of the clearest examples of racially segregated housing and services. Oppressed groups face structural, social and financial barriers, and greedy interests play us off against each other. I believe in reparations for Black Americans and in equitable resources.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Senator John Liu; BAPP; BAAG; ASAAL

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a first generation immigrant, public school parent, public transit commuter, community advocate and healthcare worker. I am also a tired resident who has seen the struggles of the residents with poor quality of life and massive displacement of low and working class people in this district. I am tired of the lack of democratic representation and I am running for office to bring back democracy and true representation back. I will work to create an inclusive state that will value racial justice, equity and inclusion.

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?

New York has an opportunity to advance a progressive agenda, through greater voter participation and increased turnout, by decreasing the influence of special interest groups, promoting transformative criminal justice reform, high quality public education for every child regardless of zip code, true affordable housing from Buffalo to the Bronx, and investing in climate friendly green projects. We deserve a New York State government that works for all of us, that fights so we can all thrive and succeed. Mary, a working mother of three children, who has been a proven advocate for social, political and economic justice throughout her adult life is the right candidate for this moment.Western Queens is suffering from a lack of affordable housing, pollution from the Ravenswood power plant in LIC, and inadequate community resources. While many new buildings have empty apartments in Western Queens, our families are becoming homeless because they cannot afford those apartments. People in NYCHA Housing are disproportionately suffering from respiratory diseases. Schools and transportation are insufficient and overcrowded. All of these problems are related to the absence of real representation; and lack of democracy. Mary has lived in this district for all her American life. She is running to return democracy and to create a district where everyone is entitled to higher quality of living. Our community is facing unprecedented threats from loss of employment, unaffordable housing, and a deficit of resources in healthcare and education. We must also address the urgent need for police reform and social justice for communities of color; our district needs an Assembly representative who understands the struggles of our residents and who will work effectively on their behalf. Mary Jobaida has already taken on this responsibility, by helping our residents to access unemployment benefits, food and healthcare resources during the Covid 19 pandemic. Vote for Mary in the June 23rd democratic primary.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Housing, healthcare, education, economic, racial, environment and climate justice. To know more, please visit, https://www.maryforassembly.com/issues

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

In my opinion, an elected official should assume the role of a guardian, a servant and a counselor. Like a guardian, while she feels happy to see some of her children are doing well, she will also be concerned about her other children who will need extra help to catch up. She will believe in her vulnerable children, and be ready to provide the assistance and resources to help them succeed. Like a counselor, she will use her knowledge and experience to let the constituents know all the options to solve an existing or upcoming problem. Like a servant, she will always bear in mind that she has taken a job to serve the people, and to stand by their sides.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

A patient disposition, a people's person who carries a passion to help the community, a mother who deeply cares to leave a better planet for her children, a low income working woman who wants to enact the policies that will guarantee equal opportunity for all to pursue a life with dignity.

What legacy would you like to leave?

A Peaceful Happy State that for once all people will feel confident to call home.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The 1990 mass uprising movement in Bangladesh. People took to the street to end the nine year military rule of General Hussain Mihammad Ershad. I was ten years old. People were tired of the dictator President Ershad and defied the fear of the military, and took it to the street to demand his resignation. I have seen the power of people against the power of a military backed president. And till now I strongly believe that true power belongs to people. When people are united, no power is strong enough to defeat them.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Tuesday with Morie ;

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I never indulged in being a fictional character and I cannot find one who I want to see myself to be.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Imagine all the people by John lenon

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Many. One of them is, I messed up education in Bangladesh, then went to college here with a child and needed to learn American English to begin with. I got pregnant again while I was in senior year, and had a due date coinciding with my childbirth. As I missed the exams and wasn't able to make it up in a year, I lost a part of the scholarships. However, each experience has left me with more understanding of people going through difficult times, and compassion for people who are living with tuition debt. I have experienced how it feels and now I am determined to propose to drop tuition for CUNY and SUNY students.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

Yes, I do. But that relationship should be bridged by the people friendly policies. It is important to have good relationships with all other elected officials to help each other advocate for policies that will help people, and to restrain each other from passing a bill that goes against the people.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

No. I do not prefer to make any individual lawmaker as my model although I am very inspired by many of the progressive lawmakers. I am also very open to borrowing any great quality from any current or previous elected official to follow their footsteps to pass laws that will benefit people, and/or to learn from their flaws to avoid repeating the consequences.