Former Congressman and national progressive leader Jamaal Bowman endorsed Effie Phillips-Staley in her race to become the Democratic nominee in NY17. Mr. Bowman, whose former district was directly south of NY17, represents the first major national figure to support a Democratic candidate in the race to unseat MAGA Republican Mike Lawler. Bowman’s endorsement solidifies Phillips-Staley’s status as the only progressive candidate in the field, and the strongest candidate to motivate Democratic voters hungry for change to turn out in November’s election.
“Effie is the leader the Hudson Valley needs in this moment. Her Suburban Progress Agenda would be a game changer for working and middle class families who are barely surviving the skyrocketing costs of housing, childcare, healthcare and groceries. She also brings a moral clarity that no other candidate in the race has shown – speaking out against the genocide in Gaza, refusing donations from corporate PACs and AIPAC, and pledging to fix our inhumane immigration system. And she represents a historic opportunity to elect the first Salvadoran member of Congress in history. She is the exact type of leader we need in Congress and I am proud to endorse her,” said Former Congressman Bowman.
“It is an incredible honor to be endorsed by Congressman Bowman and I thank him for his support. I launched this campaign to empower working people who are ignored by a system that has been rigged by both parties to support the ultra wealthy. My Suburban Progress Agenda would build tens of thousands of new homes in the 17th district and millions across America. It would cap rent increases on federally subsidized tenants, create universal childcare from birth to kindergarten and enact Medicare for All. I am also committed to supporting and fighting for the Block the Bombs legislation because we should not be sending American bombs and resources to countries who violate international human rights law, especially while families right here in America can barely afford groceries. As a member of Congress, I will fight everyday to put the needs of the people of my district first, not the ultra wealthy and corporations who buy influence in Congress to benefit themselves,” said Effie Phillips-Staley.
Phillips-Staley was the first candidate to release a detailed policy platform which she has named the Suburban Progress Agenda. The agenda calls for:
- Building 5 million new homes across America in 10 years, 66,000 in the Hudson Valley
- Capping Rent Increases at 2% for federally subsidized tenants
- Offering $50,000 cash assistance for qualified first time home buyers
- Creating Universal childcare from birth to kindergarten
- Enacting Medicare for All
- Creating a humane immigration system
- Transforming to a green economy and eliminating dangerous chemicals from our water, air and land
Click here to read the full Suburban Progress Agenda.
Phillips-Staley was the first candidate in the race to announce her support for Rep. Delia Ramirez’s Block the Bombs legislation and refuses to accept contributions from corporate PACs or AIPAC.
Effie Guadalupe Phillips-Staley Biography
Effie Guadalupe Phillips-Staley has spent her career fighting for people who deserve better. A seasoned nonprofit executive and community leader, she brings decades of experience in education, culture, disaster relief, and social justice — and a record of turning that experience into real results.
Now in her third term as a Tarrytown Village Trustee, Effie works to make streets safer and more walkable, to advance housing affordability and rezoning to counter redlining, to strengthen local climate resilience, and to champion small businesses. She knows thriving communities are built by leaders willing to roll up their sleeves.
Effie has fought for justice in tough arenas. As Vice President for Strategic Advancement at the Hispanic Federation, she led fundraising for climate-related disaster relief in Puerto Rico and Hispanic social justice efforts nationwide. As Executive Director of the Foundation for the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, she pushed for expanded educational opportunities in a socioeconomically diverse, majority-Hispanic district through fundraising, community partnerships, and grantmaking. At The Kitchen, as Director of Capital and Institutional Advancement, she helped sustain one of New York’s most important experimental cultural institutions.
A long-time advocate for accessible arts and culture, Effie has helped expand inclusive public programs at MoMA, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Dulwich Picture Gallery in London, and La Raza/Galería Posada (now the Latino Center of Art and Culture) in Sacramento.
Effie lives in Tarrytown with her partner and their youngest child, who attends local public schools, while their oldest is now in college. Her work is grounded in the same challenges and hopes facing working families across the Hudson Valley.
Across every role, Effie has shown what people-first leadership looks like. She doesn’t just talk about equity, opportunity, and justice. She fights for them every day.
