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Human Rights Campaign Endorses Mondaire Jones for Congress
Nation's Largest LGBTQ Advocacy and Civil Rights Group backs Mondaire Jones for Congress in NY-17
SLEEPY HOLLOW, NY — Human Rights Campaign (HRC) today endorsed NY-17 Democratic Congressional Candidate Mondaire Jones, emphasizing Jones’ lifelong commitment to equality and justice in its endorsement. This endorsement comes after endorsements from leading progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sec. Julián Castro, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“Mondaire Jones has used his life to make our nation a more equal and just place. Today, we’re proud to endorse him to bring his voice to the halls of Congress,” said Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign. “While this week marked a historic Supreme Court win for LGBTQ people and our rights, we must pass the Equality Act to ensure that LGBTQ people have full, federal equality. Jones will be a crucial member of the pro-equality majority to help ensure that every LGBTQ worker, child, parent and person has an equal opportunity to succeed and live their lives to the fullest. The Human Rights Campaign is proud to endorse Mondaire Jones for Congress.”
“This endorsement is deeply personal for me. I’ve been running this campaign unapologetically proud of who I am from the start and I’m so honored to be supported by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group that fights tirelessly for the basic right of equality,” said NY-17 Democratic Congressional Candidate Mondaire Jones. “After the Supreme Court’s recent decision to protect LGBTQ workers from discrimination, this endorsement could not have come at a better time. This was definitely a win, but the fight for LGBTQ equality is far from over. I hope to take office as the first openly gay, black member of Congress and can’t wait to join HRC in this fight.”
Mondaire Jones has also been endorsed by The New York Times, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Deb Haaland, Rep. Mark Pocan, Rep. David Cicilline, End Citizens United, Daily Kos, the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, Equality PAC, NY Working Families Party, United Auto Workers, Hispanic Democrats of Westchester, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Democracy for America, The LGBT Victory Fund, The Collective PAC, and more than 40 elected officials and community leaders in Rockland and Westchester Counties. He recently announced that his campaign had raised over $1.127M as of June 3rd. Unlike his opponents, Jones is not accepting corporate PAC money in his campaign or self-funding, and he has signed the No Fossil Fuel Pledge. When elected, Mondaire will make U.S. history as the first openly gay, black member of Congress.
About Mondaire: Mondaire Jones is a 33-year-old former litigator in the Westchester County Law Department and former Department of Justice staffer during the Obama Administration. A resident of South Nyack, he is running to represent New York's 17th Congressional District. A product of East Ramapo public schools, Mondaire was raised in Section 8 housing and on food stamps in the Village of Spring Valley by a single mother who worked multiple jobs to provide for their family. He later graduated from Stanford University and Harvard Law School. He is a co-founder of the nonprofit Rising Leaders, Inc. and has previously served on the NAACP’s National Board of Directors and on the board of the New York Civil Liberties Union. Mondaire is a progressive running to fight for bold solutions to our biggest problems: a Green New Deal, tuition-free public college and student debt forgiveness, Medicare for All, and a full restoration of the SALT deduction for families in Westchester and Rockland.
