Name of Council Candidate: Mireille P. Leroy Name and Title of Person Completing Questionnaire: Mireille P.

Leroy, Candidate Campaign Website:

2013 CITY COUNCIL HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Many in the United States think of international affairs when they think of human rights. Our work emphasizes the applicability of the human rights framework here in the United States. Please share your thoughts on the domestic applicability of human rights, and discuss why human rights are important to you in the context of New York City and the City Council. Two human rights issues that concern me, and are visible not only in New York, but particularly in Queens, are sex trafficking and the exploitation of children. For instance, one need only see the young ladies walking the streets in Jamaica in the middle of the night, or the children being forced to panhandle or sell candies on the subway. These are children and young women who should be in school, preparing for a bright future, but instead they are forced to make money under deplorable conditions for the benefit of others. 2. How have you used current or previous professional positions to advance human rights? As a community activist, I have an unwavering commitment to standing with local organizations working to make lasting visible differences. I have spoken out against various issues communities are enduring, I am not one to stand by and point fingers, and make unfounded accusations that fall on deaf ears. I always ask myself, How can I make positive differences that can be beneficial to others? Although I have decided to actively enter the political realm, I also believe one does not need to be an elected official to make a difference, but, rather, one can be a voice that can have a major impact, making real, visible lasting differences. Ive rallied with others for fully-funded elections to end a political system that caters to special interests, for there is strength in numbers. Ive worked to push banks with their loan modifications to step up, and do a better job of structuring mortgages and to curb home foreclosures, so people do not lose their homes. Ive spoken out for seniors who have been living for decades in their homes, and are, now, left with no alternative but to move into already overpopulated shelters due to predatory lending. Queens has the highest rate of foreclosures, which Ive sought to address. (a) Advocate and work with workers from car washes, supermarkets, and airports, throughout New York City to demand better pay and working conditions, showing solidarity with these hard-working people who are underpaid and under-represented. (b) Advocate against uprooting families by deportation, non-criminal deportation must end. Upstanding individuals work here all their lives, contribute to the system, raise their children here, and then face the pain of deportation. (c) Advocate for affordable, well managed and adequately staffed health clinics in our communities. The closing of hospitals has drastically hurt our communities. Access to local health care has been curtailed: overcrowding,

understaffing, and lack of attention in neighboring facilities have, in fact, endangered the lives of the people in our communities. 3. What will your top 3 legislative priorities be in your first term as Council Member? 1. To have an inspector general to oversee the NYPD. 2. Create incentives for developers to create affordable housing 3. Push for a strong and effective plan to clean up the Westside Toxic Waste Sites to remediate flooding problems. 4. What will your top 3 budget priorities be in your first term as Council Member? 1. Make funds available to oppose the closing and budget cuts for senior centers and day care centers. 2. increase after- school programs and community centers for our youth. Push for structured Community centers which will offer programs to help young people from falling through the cracks. 3. Create an effective plan to create good jobs (professional jobs, technical jobs, and manufacturing jobs), as well as supporting small businesses. In addition, we need to create incentives to discourage outsourcing. 5. Do you plan to use participatory budgeting to allocate your discretionary funds? Why or why not? Yes, since my party line is called Communities United, we need the community member to have a voice in how allocated funds are spent. Hence, people in the community should be given the opportunity to participate in budgeting, thereby giving real people real power to be involved in the political process. Who can better decide on the needs of a community than the actual people who live there? This process will allow community members the opportunity to propose projects that can best benefit them. Let the community members participate in the decisionmaking of fund allocation. As a result, community members will be empowered, inspiring them to work together to improve our communities. 6. Please provide examples of recent legislation in Council that you believe promotes human rights.

the recent move to create an inspector general position to oversee the NYPD to monitor and review police procedures, conduct investigations, and recommend changes to the Department

7. Legislation is only one of many ways in which Council Members can work to advance human rights. What ways other than through legislation will you advance the human rights of New Yorkers as a City Council Member? We need to start program or change existing programs to empower parents and children through education and awareness programs for issues like domestic violence, self-esteem building, nutrition, etc. Also, create disaster relief education programs and create permanent, standing emergency relief centers to facilitate community relief efforts during and after natural and/or other disasters and emergency situations.

8. Some advocates contend that the position of the Council Speaker has too much power over the progression of legislation. Please use this space to respond to that critique. I dont feel the Council Speaker has too much power over the progression of legislation; there is guideline in place that should be adhered to, to benefit and protect the peoples human rights.

For more information, please visit www.urbanjustice.org.