Jenifer Rajkumar, a Democrat currently representing the 38th Assembly district, which includes the neighborhoods of Glendale, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood and Woodhaven, officially kicked off her campaign to be New York City’s next Comptroller.
A coalition of hundreds of supporters from all five boroughs came out to The Palace in Woodside on Wednesday, Nov. 20, to support Rajkumar’s bid for the role. Rajkumar is running to make history as the first South Asian and first woman of color to be Comptroller.
Activists from diverse communities, religious leaders of all faiths, local business owners, female leaders and New Yorkers from all walks of life—many of them immigrants—cheered on Rajkumar as she spoke to the crowd.
“No one thought I would be standing here today,” Rajkumar declared. “But nothing can stop a determined South Asian woman. For every New Yorker who has been underestimated and counted out, this campaign is for you.”
Among the coalition were members of New York’s Indian, African American, Latino, Jewish, AAPI, Muslim, Dominican, Colombian, Nepali, Bangladeshi, Tibetan, Filipino, Caribbean, Pakistani, Sikh, and LGBTQ+ communities. The crowd reflected the overwhelming momentum for her people-powered campaign, which raised more than any other Comptroller candidate in the latest filing period.
Rajkumar outlined her potential plan as Comptroller to address pressing issues facing New Yorkers. She vowed to develop solutions to address the 9,000 people committing the majority of crimes, crack down on reckless e-bikes, close the gender wage gap, create a bridge to college for high school graduates, improve access to affordable housing and safeguard $270 billion in pension fund assets for 700,000 current and retired City employees.
She also called for bold leadership and a culture of service to restore trust in City government.
Rajkumar went on to highlight her record of achievements in Albany, at every step ‘accomplishing what detractors told her was impossible’.
She became the first South Asian woman elected to New York State Office, defeating an incumbent by the widest margin of any primary challenger. She also went on to pass the historic Diwali School Holiday bill, so that now and forever 600,000 New Yorkers can celebrate one of their most sacred days of the year without children missing school.
This year, she passed the SMOKEOUT Act, empowering the City to close over 1,200 illegal smoke shops in a matter of months.
Rajkumar is a Stanford Law and University of Pennsylvania-educated lawyer with a long record of public service. She is known for fighting workplace discrimination for 5,000 women, a case recognized by the United Nations as one of the top ten in the world promoting women’s equality.
She served as New York’s first ever Director of Immigration Affairs, managing a $31 million project to provide legal services to immigrants. Rajkumar was also a CUNY professor.
“I am ready to fight for the working people of New York City and remove the obstacles standing in the way of their dreams,” Rajkumar stated.
“Are you ready to make this truly the Greatest City in the World? Let’s win this together!”
