Meet the Candidates: Kimberly Jean-Pierre For Assembly District 11

LONG ISLAND, NY — Suffolk County residents will be lining up at the polls for Election Day on Nov. 8, where they will be voting for candidates who align with own their values.

Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre who has served the 11th Assembly District since 2015, is running again this November. She is challenged by Republican candidate, Christopher Sperber.

The 11th State Assembly District covers Lindenhurst, Copiague, Amityville, North Lindenhurst, Wyandanch, parts of East Farmingdale, and parts of North Babylon.

Patch reached out to both candidates to hear where they stand on important issues affecting the community. Here are the responses for those who participated. The answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Check out Jean-Pierre's full Q&A below:

Name

Kimberly Jean-Pierre

Campaign website

https://kimjeanpierre.com

City or town of residence

Wheatley Heights

Office sought

Assembly District 11

Party affiliation

Democratic

Education

Master's Degree in Public Policy, Stony Brook University, Bachelor's of Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing, Brooklyn College

Occupation

State Legislator, 8 years

Family

Yes, raising daughter Gianna and son Neal with my fiancée.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Age

38

Previous public office, appointive or elective

Yes, State Assembly, 2015-present

Why are you seeking this office?

To continue fighting for Long Island working families and delivering real results for the residents of the 11th District. I have introduced, passed and enacted dozens of important bills since being elected to the Assembly and have brought back millions of dollars in funding for our local entities and organizations, and I want to continue building on this work, especially in the areas of school funding, environmental protection, housing discrimination and child care.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

While I am sure there are policy areas where we strongly disagree — such as the critical, constitutionally-prescribed need for state government to help protect public health during global pandemics, and the inequities of a criminal justice system that used to rely on personal wealth to determine whether you could be detained pre-trial — I think the core difference between the two of us is our relevant work experience and records. I am proud of my eight-year record of legislative and budgetary accomplishments, as well as the plethora of grassroots, community events and services my office and I have provided to our residents over the years.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Protecting New Yorkers from gun violence, ensuring working families have access to quality, affordable child care, continuing to root out housing discrimination on Long Island and beyond, and continuing to help families and small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I was amongst the most effective members of the Assembly in the last legislative session, passing and enacting over 30 bills addressing several areas of importance including boating safety, access to mammogram screenings, school lunch ingredient transparency for our school parents, the most comprehensive package of housing discrimination legislation in New York's history, modernizing the funding formulas for public libraries, property tax relief for homeowners impacted by Superstorm Sandy, record investments in public school funding, child care and pre-K programs, and millions of dollars in capital grants for the Villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville, our local fire departments, our local school districts and nonprofit organizations delivering critical needs to our local communities. I am proud of my record and look forward to building upon it in the next two years.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair. Being Chair of the Legislative Women's Caucus with a record number of female legislators in the State Legislature, I know this advice rings true for so many incredible women who have made history in effecting real change in Albany.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I pride myself on community service, transparency and accessibility and look forward to earning the trust of the voters of the 11th District to continue serving in the Assembly for two more years.