Felicia Singh, Indo-Caribbean Democratic candidate for the New York City Council District 32, has given its support to the yellow taxi driver who protested the crippling debt faced by many of them.
The market for medals – permits issued by the NYC government for taxi drivers, which they can take loans – have fallen with the increase in travel sharing applications.
Drivers, and their families, have been negatively affected, with many of them even taking their lives.
The ongoing protest by the owner of the New York City taxi medal is to highlight the debt burden faced by the driver and collect support for the cause.
“I support protests because my father too, is a taxi driver in New York City and many families like we have been hit with a medal crisis.
I understand the difficulties they face and the experience they share even because more people join them,” said Singh .
While his father, Dalip Singh, is currently the taxi owner, he is still driving a taxi.
Over the past few weeks, the driver of the NYC Yellow Taxi has received support from some prominent people, including Mira Nair filmmakers.
In an exclusive interview with Timesofindia.com, Singh also talked about the great support he got from the Indian community for his campaign for general elections to the Council seat NYC on November 2, when he faced the Republic of Joann Ariola.
“Community members, including Indo-Caribbean, Punjabis, South Asia and Guyana, support me in many ways, including helping to install posters and banners, making phone calls and knocking on the door,” he said.
Also, Indian-American lawyers Shekar Krishnan and Shahana Hanif, daughter of Bangladeshi immigrants – Both democratic candidates for the Council of NYC also support their campaign.
“They were very supportive and helped me reach South Asian voters by knocking on the door.
However, some community members have not supported me, which I think hurts us all, because without our own candidates on the board, we will not have a voice,” Singh said.
He has received a lot of significant support, including from the majority leader of the United States Senate Chuck Schumer; Working family party; Life black caucus; South Asian labor alliance; Bangaldeshi America for political progress; The New York and Democratic Immigration Coalition Young County Queens.
He believed that his victory was very important for the Democrats and for the minority community.
“I have been supported by several grassroots organizations and important workers, who play an important role in the life of the citizens of the NYC working class,” he said.
But in the end, winning will depend on how many people come out and choose it, Singh believes.
“And we work hard to get more and more people to choose me.” If he wins, Singh will make history as one of the first Indian and South Asian Americans on the Council of NYC.
The race is widely regarded as the most important one in NYC, with District 32 to be the chair of the remaining city council in the remaining republic in Queens, an important Borough NYC.
Good-funded schools with more resources available for students to help them become successful, is one of the main campaign problems.
“If selected, I will also work for a climate resilience plan for New York, which is close to the water body and can face floods.
The city must adapt to climate change and we need leaders who understand environmental resilience,” Singh said.
He also plans to work for better quality of life for his district and feel that many environments in NYC, especially those who have a large minority population, need more resources.