Nomiki has a proven track record of work in and solidarity with Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican Diaspora community. Boricuas in New York know that Nomiki has fought with them, investigated abuse by the federal government after Hurricane Maria, and has kept raising the alarm over the crypto-crooks and other tax avoiders moving to do to Puerto Rico what many of these shady financial interests do to us here in New York – gentrify and displace local communities.
What happens in San Juan is intrinsically tied to policies that affect Astoria, Long Island City, and other parts of NY59. Our solidarity with Puerto Ricans in our district extends to Puerto Rico. In fact, Albany has a special policy-making role because it sets the rules for many of the world’s largest financial firms, many of whom own much of Puerto Rico’s debt and are regulated by our State Government.
Once Nomiki is elected Senator for New York’s 59th State Senate District, she will fight for:
Holding accountable hedge funds and other New York-based bondholders that own Puerto Rico’s debt.
Support legislation authored by Senators. Gustavo Rivera and Maritza Dávila to crack down on hedge funds’ sovereign debt tactics to avoid the pitfalls of Puerto Rico’s financial crisis from affecting other places in the world.
As a reporter, Nomiki covered the Center for Popular Democracy’s (CPD) advocacy supporting New York state legislation that affects Puerto Rico and sovereign debt jurisdictions and cracks down on abusive financial practices, and she supports their efforts.
As a state senator, Nomiki will use her voice to advocate for federal policies that affect Puerto Ricans in NY59 and on the island. That’s why as senator Nomiki will continue to push for many of the priorities in Power 4 Puerto Rico’s #ShowUsYourPRPolicy agenda, such as: a just recovery and green reconstruction, self-determination, restitution and environmental restoration in the former military practice ranges on the Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra- including building a proper hospital in Vieques- holding the Financial Control Board or Junta accountable for its crippling austerity and pro-Wall Street debt deals, among other priorities for the island and the Diaspora.
During her work in Puerto Rico, Nomiki saw how the pandemic can provoke the right community responses. The island’s people by and large responded responsibly during the worst moments of the pandemic by wearing masks, socially distancing and holding each other and outsiders to the rules. We can also learn a thing or two about how their vaccination rates were the highest per capita in the US. Nomiki’s public health plan would protect Puerto Ricans and all residents of New York by following the science and implementing tried and proven common-sense policies to protect workers, help small businesses, and ensure the health and safety we all deserve.
To learn more about Nomiki’s record on Puerto Rico and why she has the best policies for Puerto Ricans, check out this English language version of Nomiki's Op-Ed for El Nuevo Día.