Attorney
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White House Fellow
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Journalist
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Community Board Member
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Working Mom
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Attorney • White House Fellow • Journalist • Community Board Member • Working Mom •
All things considered, the only choice for change.
New Yorkers are feeling squeezed, scared, and silenced.
I Hear You. Let’s Fix It. Together.
My Mission:
To make Manhattan a place where families and businesses can thrive, not just survive.
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My plan to Put You At Ease. Let’s bring down your grocery bill, build more housing, establish safeguards for seniors, and secure big breaks for small businesses. Read more here.
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My plan to Make You Safe. Let’s secure more money for more cops, regulate dangerous E-Bikes, fight hate in every form, and protect our kids online and off. Read more here.
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My plan to Amplify Your Voice. We must return to one person one vote instead of the mighty dollar owning our politics. We must expand voting rights and end gerrymandering. Politicians should be term-limited. And, above all, cancel culture should be cancelled so we can speak our minds and solve problems, not silence debate. Read more here.
The New York City Dream
Meet Jami
When my parents married in 1954, their love and marriage were still illegal in much of America. So they came to New York, like generations of dreamers before them, looking for a place to build a life without fear or judgment. This city welcomed my father, an artist, and my mother, a schoolteacher, offering them refuge and the chance to shape a future together.
A decade later, they carried me home from Mount Sinai to a tiny studio in Kips Bay, where we quickly learned that dreams demand grit. Rising rents eventually pushed us beyond the borders of this district, but I never stopped finding my way back to the neighborhood that first felt like home.
Growing Up With Grit
By 15, I was waiting tables on the Upper East Side, selling sweaters at Bloomingdale’s, and pulling double shifts at the Elaine Powers gym on East 57th. My parents still worked harder, and I took pride in contributing to the family pot. The grit I built right here in this district carried me through college and law school. It’s in my DNA—and it’s exactly the drive I’ll bring to the fight for NY12.
Experience that Counts
I’ve clerked for a judge, practiced law, and served as a Fellow in the Clinton White House. But what moved me most wasn’t the inside game of politics—it was elevating the voices of real people. So I left Washington and came home to tell their stories.
For the past two decades I’ve reported on the challenges New Yorkers face for outlets like MSNBC, WNYC and ABC News. You may recognize my voice as the long time host of All Things Considered on WNYC. Now, I tackle infrastructure and quality of life issues as a leader on Manhattan Community Board 7, where I oversees the Public Safety Task Force and previously co-chaired the Transportation Committee.
Love and Marriage
Along the way, I met my husband Kurt and gained a second family. My father-in-law, a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany, welcomed me into his family with warmth and generosity. His quiet strength and open heart taught me that family is something we build through the willingness to see and listen to each other completely.
Listening to New Yorkers
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from all my time talking with New Yorkers, it’s this: we want a City that works. That means good jobs, housing that’s affordable, quality healthcare, strong schools, and safe communities. Democrats used to deliver on that. But these days our party leaders would rather fight culture wars and hand out purity tests. I'm running to restore the party’s focus to the basics—the things that make Democrats the real party of real people.
Why I’m Running
When I was a kid, the Democratic Party worked hard to ensure that every New Yorker had a chance to secure a slice of the American dream. But today, New Yorkers just don’t believe it. Squeezed by the cost of living and scared, not only on the streets and subways but also of rising hate and antisemitism, 50% of New Yorkers are considering leaving. New Yorkers tell me they’ve had it with with the scolding, sniping, and finger-wagging. I’m running to restore the Democratic Party so we can take back power and get back to basics for voters. More affordable housing for young families and seniors. More money for public safety. And a party that listens to people without getting caught up in identity politics. All things considered, people want a representative in Congress who is focused and a fighter—who’s lived a real life in the real world and knows how to get real results. That’s me.
I want to hear what’s important to you.
Let’s Talk.
This campaign is about hearing New Yorkers' stories and taking them to Washington to improve the lives of you and your families. Your submissions are confidential and will not be used publicly without your permission.