NKD is proud to endorse Samy Nemir Olivaries for District Leader in Assembly District 53 and Senator Julia Salazar for State Senate in District 18 -- two candidates poised to proactively fight for progressive reform that will make the Democratic Party more accountable to its constituents.

Samy Nemir Olivares is an organizer, both within and outside of his neighborhood, and he plans to bring that lens to the District Leader role, amplifying his constituents’ concerns at the Party level and making sure policymakers hear them, too. Samy is already working closely with the organized County Committee members in his district. We're pleased that he has promised to hit the ground running with an Assembly District Committee (ADC) as soon as he takes office. Samy is thinking creatively about how to make the Party more accountable and inclusive, particularly the judicial process, and is unafraid to stand up to Party leadership and push for reforms he believes in. Samy is the kind of bold District Leader the Party needs going into 2020.

State Senator Julia Salazar has been working side-by-side with advocates to pass progressive legislation since the first day of her first term (she was elected in 2018 and NKD endorsed her in that race as well). In particular, Julia has been one of the leaders of the fight for stronger rent regulation in the state legislature. She has quickly developed a strong understanding of both policy and strategy. She has also built deep relationships and partnerships with other progressive legislators, and has a clear-eyed view of how they can do better in the coming session. Having gone up against the machine herself, Julia has also continued to be a powerful voice for Party reform in Brooklyn.