Aber Kawas for State Senate - District 12

Aber Kawas speaking with community members
Photo: Ali Imam

I'm a community organizer, democratic socialist, & daughter of Palestinian refugees running for Senate in SD-12

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Meet Aber

I'm a community organizer and democratic socialist running to represent parts of Astoria, Sunnyside, Woodside, Ridgewood, Maspeth, Long Island City, Elmhurst, Glendale, and Jackson Heights.

Aber Kawas

I'm the daughter of Palestinian refugees, born and raised in a working class family in New York City. When I was young, my father was detained by ICE and deported from the U.S. by the same cruel immigration system that is harming the people of Queens today. While he was in detention, my family struggled to make ends meet. These experiences shaped how I see the world, and made me the organizer I am today — determined to build power for poor and working people, so that everyone can live a life with equal dignity.

Aber canvassing for Zohran Mamdani

For more than 15 years, I have been at the front lines of the fight for working class New Yorkers — from the Fight for 15 to raise the minimum wage, to countering police surveillance and harassment, and organizing for immigration reform. I helped to develop and launch the Not On Our Dime Campaign alongside mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to stop NY-based organizations from exploiting their non-profit status to fund Israel's human rights violations against Palestinians.

Aber at Not On Our Dime rally

Coming from a community that has long been disillusioned by politics, I'm running for office to challenge the status quo. Right now, the federal government is hollowing out funding for our social safety net, ramping up their attacks on immigrants, and continuing to fund Israel's genocide in Gaza with our tax dollars — all while New Yorkers struggle to make ends meet during a historic affordability crisis.

As State Senator, I will continue to organize and build power in Queens and Albany - so that together, we can fight for a just, equitable future for all of us.

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Our District

Senate District 12

District 12 spans vibrant, diverse neighborhoods in Queens including parts of Astoria, Sunnyside, Woodside, Long Island City, Ridgewood, Maspeth, Elmhurst, Glendale, and Jackson Heights. Our communities are home to working families, immigrants from around the world, and people fighting every day for a better future.

These are our neighborhoods - and together, we'll fight for them.

Our Platform

Affordability for All

Tax the rich to fund public goods New Yorkers rely on, so working-class families have access to housing, healthcare, and free childcare.

Fast & Free Buses

Make buses in our district fast, affordable, and reliable by funding the MTA fairly, improving both rider and worker safety, saving time and money for thousands of working class New Yorkers who ride the bus every day.

Protect Immigrants

Protect Queens families from ICE, expand access to legal support and language services, and pass the New York For All Act to strengthen immigrant rights, dignity, and safety.

Clean Energy, Affordable Utilities

Fight for a green future and lower utility bills by holding corporations like Con Edison accountable for price-gouging New Yorkers. Build public power, so that the state owns the green energy we need to fight climate change.

Public Safety through Dignity

Work with Mayor Mamdani's Department of Community Safety to expand housing stability and mental health response teams, and fight to end NYPD abuses like data-sharing with ICE that harm Queens families.

Working Class Power in Office

Govern as an organizer by supporting tenants and workers, and providing forums for Queens residents to have a say in the policies, budgets, and decisions that affect their lives.

Endorsed By

Organization NYC-DSA
Organization Make the Road Action NY
Organization Jewish Voice for Peace Action
Organization Muslim Democratic Club
Organization CUFFH Action
Organization Met Council Action
Organization JRFEJ Action
Organization DRUM Beats
Organization US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action
Union UAW Region 9A
Fmr. Congressmember Jamaal Bowman
Assembly Member Diana Moreno
Assembly Member Emily Gallagher
Assembly Member Sarahana Shrestha
Council Member Tiffany Cabán
Council Member Alexa Avilés
Council Member Chi Ossé
Council Member Shahana Hanif

In The News

March 2026

Interview: State Senate Candidate Aber Kawas Touts Support for Affordability Agenda

"As an organizer, I always saw myself being on the outside. I had to be the person bringing people to speak to the people in office. But actually there’s a possibility that as an elected official, I can continue to have a relationship with the organizers on the ground, that we benefit more when this is not an isolated process. I witnessed it as a possibility, and want to build on it to be a model we should continue."

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December 2025

Aber Kawas's Pro-Worker, Pro-Palestine Campaign

"There's a lot of fearmongering to discourage people like me, who come from a working-class, immigrant background, who advocate for police accountability and fair pay for workers, from running. But campaigns like mine are not an aberration. It is part of a wave of people who want to bring the fight for human dignity to public office, and that's challenging the status quo and the political establishment that wants to hold on to power."

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