Preferred Candidate ★ Stefani Zinerman
Age: 59
Occupation: New York State Assembly Member, 56th District
Education: Rochester Institute of Technology (B.A)
To read this candidate’s responses to Citizen Union’s questionnaire, click here.
Stefani Zinerman has represented Bedford-Stuyvesant and northern Crown Heights since 2021, having grown up in NYCHA’s Gowanus Houses and moved to Bed-Stuy 17 years ago. Her family has resided in the district for three generations, and she stated that their civic involvement was an inspiration for her to become involved in politics. She previously served as chief of staff to Council Member Robert Cornegy and as special projects manager to former State Senator Velmanette Montgomery. In Albany, she chairs the Subcommittee on Emerging Workforce; eight of her bills were signed into law. One of those bills required ballot questions be written in plain language for more voters to understand them. She also co-sponsored other election-related reform bills. She opposed several CU priorities on the questionnaire, including same-day voter registration, merit-based hiring in boards of elections, and removing the legislature’s power over final district maps. However, she offered more nuanced answers during her interview and expressed openness to discussing and modifying some of her positions. Citizens Union prefers Zinerman in this race because of her experience and effectiveness in office, thoughtful discussion, and civic engagement work in the community.
Eon Tyrell Huntley
Age: 39
Occupation: Sales Representative, Bergdorf Goodman
Education: Parsons School of Design (degree unknown)
To read this candidate’s responses to Citizen Union’s questionnaire, click here.
Eon Huntley is a retail worker, former union organizer, and former Parent-Teacher Association president who grew up in East New York in NYCHA and Mitchell-Lama housing. He has lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant for 15 years and was most recently president of his daughter’s school’s PTA. During his time on the PTA, he worked with a local nonprofit to start a community food bank at the school in order to help neighbors in need amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Huntley supported all of CU’s reform agenda and stated that if elected, his first reform priority would be campaign finance reform to dissuade the influence of large donors. Citizens Union is impressed by Huntley’s political drive, community involvement, and support for reform, and encourages him to continue his work on these issues.