The 504 Democratic Club (504) is one of three, city-wide clubs, and the nation’s first and largest to advocate for the civil rights of people with disabilities. On Monday, March 29, club representatives said its membership intends to endorse candidates in as many 2021 New York City political races as is practicable, and proceeded to announce the club’s first slate of endorsements for a number of races across the city.

 

In the Bronx, the club endorsed Vanessa L. Gibson, who currently represents the 16th City Council district, for the position of Bronx borough president. Mike Schweinsburg, who is president of the club, said Gibson has been a staunch advocate for the disabled community throughout her time in office, and has always worked to promote inclusion in the Bronx. “As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we need leaders who understand the needs of our community so that we are prioritized in the recovery plan,” he said. “We know Vanessa will deliver for our community, and we are excited to support her campaign.”

 

Reacting to the endorsement, Gibson vowed to fight to make the borough more accessible, so that those with disabilities would have equal access to every part of the borough. “As we build affordable housing, we cannot leave the disabled community behind,” she said. “It is critical that we prioritize the construction of more accessible units. Working with the MTA, we will improve our infrastructure to make public transportation accessible to all who need and rely on it.”

 

Norwood News recently reported on the installation of elevators at both Gun Hill Road subway station and Bedford Park Blvd subway station in the Bronx as part of the MTA’s 2020-2024 Capital Plan.

 

Meanwhile, in City Council District 11, the 504 club endorsed candidate and teacher, Eric Dinowitz. The District 11 City Council special election took place on March 23, as reported by the Norwood News. The seat is vacant since the resignation of former Councilman Andrew Cohen who was elected as a judge to the Bronx Supreme Court in November 2020. A further primary election will take place in June. Dinowitz is currently leading in the special election, having won 42 percent of the first choice votes counted to date (excluding absentee ballots). The count continues and the results of the special election will be known in a few weeks according to the New York City Board of Elections.

 

Dinowitz, who is also the Democratic male district leader for Assembly District 81, and son of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, said the 504 club and its membership has worked to incorporate disability justice into the city’s politics and government, and said he was inspired by its members’ advocacy. “I will be a council member for all of the people of my district, and will push forward policies that support people with disabilities, and make sure our city works for everyone,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, Schweinsburg said Dinowitz had made supporting people with disabilities a core aspect of his campaign, and that he viewed all issues through that lens. “In his time as a Democratic district leader, Eric brought together a broad coalition of community activists and elected leaders to bring a much-needed elevator to the local 4 train, providing greater accessibility to the Northwest Bronx,” Schweinsburg said. “He will be a champion in the Council for people with disabilities, and fight for our community.”

 

In the Bronx’s District 13, the seat currently held by Councilman Mark Gjonaj, who announced in recent months that he will not be seeking re-election at the end of his current term, the 504 club endorsed candidate, Marjorie Velázquez, a community activist and member of Bronx Community Board 10. Schweinsburg said Velázquez will be a great representative for her district and a strong advocate for people with disabilities everywhere. “A true social justice warrior, we look forward to working with her to propel disability rights to the forefront and we will support her efforts for her constituents, particularly in the social justice arena,” he said.

 

For her part, Velázquez said having had her own experience with being temporarily disabled, she knew how important it was for people with disabilities to have support. According to her campaign website, Velázquez suffered life-changing injuries from a workplace accident, as well as in a subsequent serious car crash that left her temporarily disabled. “Their endorsement brings me one step closer to being a political voice, fighting for greater inclusion, and providing the needed support on the City Council,” she said of the 504 club.

 

In District 14, the seat currently held by Councilman Fernando Cabrera who is also currently running for the position of Bronx borough president, the 504 club endorsed candidate, Pierina Sanchez, a former intern in the Obama administration and member of Community Board 5, saying that with her government experience, roots in community, and fierce activism, the members know Sanchez will be a powerful ally in championing disability justice. “She recognizes the intersectionality of the disabled community and has embraced the concept that when you fight for us, you are also uplifting women, communities of color, immigrant communities, seniors, veterans – effectively the most marginalized of every marginalized segment of society,” Schweinsburg said.

 

Reacting to the endorsement, Sanchez, whose candidacy has been previously profiled by the Norwood News, said her team were fighting for racial, economic and social justice in the Bronx and that without disability justice, none of that was possible. “504 Dems are changing the conversation around accessibility and equity, and I will work tirelessly to make New York City a national model for what an inclusive city for people with disabilities really looks like,” she said.

 

In District 15, the club endorsed candidate, Latchmi Devi Gopal, who previously worked on the campaign for U.S Senator and former presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders. Schweinsburg said Gopal was dedicated to building a New York that works for all, and that this was why she had spent her career fighting for transit justice, a living wage, and healthcare for all. “She is dedicated to creating true equity, and to reducing discrimination against the disabled by making a commitment to view all pending legislation she introduces or supports through a disability lens first,” he added. “Rank Latchmi number one in the Democratic Primary on June 22nd.”

 

The seat is currently vacant, since former Councilman and now Congressman Ritchie Torres was elected to the 15th congressional district. Similar to District 11, a special election was held on March 23, and a further primary race will be held in June. As reported by Norwood News, tenant lawyer and Hostos Community College adjunct professor, Oswald Feliz, leads with about 28 percent of the first round of vote tallies, excluding absentee ballots. The count continues and the final results are not likely to be known for another few weeks, according to the New York City Board of Elections.

 

Reacting to the endorsement, Gopal said New York City must be made truly accessible for all New Yorkers. “We will never have true equity until people with disabilities are prioritized and centered in our City government’s legislation and investment,” she said. “That’s why I’m dedicated to passing the NY Health Act, which would insure every New Yorker; expanding affordable wheelchair-accessible transportation, investing in express busses, shuttles and more accessible subway stations; and ensuring the disabled are prioritized in New York City’s recovery plans.”

 

In District 16, currently represented by Gibson, as mentioned earlier, the club has endorsed community activist, Althea Stevens,  with Schweinsburg saying, throughout her career and her campaign, Stevens had shown a fierce commitment to uplifting the needs and voices of the entire community. “She will be an advocate and ally of our community and we are proud to support her!” he said.

 

Meanwhile, Stevens said she had centered my career and her campaign around inclusivity and equity for the very communities whose voices are not always heard. “I am excited to work with 504 Dems to amplify their work and make NYC more accessible for everyone!” she said.

 

In District 18, currently represented by Ruben Díaz Sr., father of the Bronx borough president, Ruben Díaz Jr., both of whom are due to step down at the end of their respective current terms, the club endorsed Amanda Farías, a former staffer at City Hall who also worked on former U.S. President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. “Amanda has been an ally to our community as her district’s State Committeewoman, and really understands the inequities and discrimination we face,” said Schweinsburg. “We are excited to help her continue to expand disability justice in the City Council while we will support her efforts and will stand with her on other social justice issues.”

 

For her part, Stevens said she was honored to have the backing of a coalition committed to furthering inclusion, accessibility, and legislation for people with disabilities. “Together we will fight for disability justice and work to create policies that make our city accessible to all,” she said.

 

Founded in 1983, 504 members said they have worked since then with elected officials, policy makers and advocates to bring dramatic, positive change to disabled and non-disabled residents of New York City, while also working to affect state and federal policy matters.

 

According to the members, voters self-identifying as disabled became the second largest voting bloc in the 2018 midterms, and in 2020, the community added to its numbers by 7 percent. Moreover, according to the club, these numbers do not include the families and friends of the disabled nor their co-workers, fellow students, non-disabled allies or caregivers which, they said, make up the larger disability community, and for whom disability rights issues resonate.

 

When counted accurately, the club said the disability community [including its allies] make up the vast majority of Americans. According to the latest available data from the Census Bureau, currently, 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability.

 

Club representatives said their relatively newfound, political strength has intensified the focus on disability justice, and for the first time, they are seeing many, if not the majority of candidates, creating disability rights platforms as part of their campaign. Representatives said the club is seeking to educate candidates about the vast discrimination faced by its members, as well as recommending remedies for such discrimination.

 

They said they were delighted by the overwhelming response to their candidate outreach efforts, which they said resulted in a strong field of candidates from which to choose. According to the group, all endorsed candidates submitted responses to their questionnaire and appeared before screening panels in order to qualify for the club’s coveted endorsement.

 

The club representatives added that while members have been steadily receiving ever-increasing support from elected officials over the last four decades, they are reasonably confident this campaign cycle will produce a far larger contingent of allies committed to reversing the pattern of discrimination which they said still exists 30 years after the ADA was ratified. “We are ready to dig in and work hard to get our endorsed candidates elected and anticipate real progress on disability rights and other social justice issues in the next term,” Schweinsburg said.