The Reason I Will Vote Tuesday

My first memory of Tiffany Caban is not a flash of imagery inside of a criminal court or a race for the Queens district attorney’s office. It is a very personal memory. I was a newly employed advocate for domestic violence survivors at an agency called Connect NYC in their legal advocacy helpline, and Tiffany was an intern law student from New York Law School. She had worked fiercely, preparing a case to petition for immigration relief for a survivor who had been brutally attacked by her ex-spouse. The photographs of the survivors’ injuries left lasting first impressions for those of us who helped her. Immigration relief for survivors oftentimes requires numerous documents, statements, certifications and letters that will confirm a survivor's willingness and efforts to report the violence they were subjected to. When everything had neatly arrived to the office and Tiffany went over the check list with our supervisor, she heard the words: “This was your advocacy work, you know?” I saw her face light up with surprise, realizing that her work had just made a difference in the life of someone facing a system that is oftentimes very unfair. I remember that moment fondly because I was coming to the same realizations myself. The year was 2010 and our path of advocating for the communities and people we cared about had just started. When I think about the insight Tiffany can have as the Queens District Attorney, that is the moment I will think about.

My friendship with Tiffany was established by other moments like discussing moments of advocacy on Connects very comfortable couch with other advocates, discussing law school over beer, puppy sitting for her beagle, personal advice about dating women I received from her—very personal memories that make my enthusiasm of this campaign a very special opportunity. Our friendship lasted for a good year and then we lost track of each other as New Yorkers tend to do when life and busy work schedules get in the way of fun. When I saw Tiffany again, she was making a pitch to the Brooklyn DSA office. Let me tell you that our friendship never lost a beat, because she stopped her speech to announce that she was so glad her friend Shanali was in the room. I’ve never been so proud of her! And let me tell you that I’ve been proud of Tiffany in various moments, including her graduation from law achool.

But what makes me even more enthusiastic about this moment is that very first memory. Let me explain myself. Since Connect, I have dedicated nine full years to anti-violence work/survivor advocacy. The years have been full of grueling realizations. A lot of the realizations are specifically about the lack of accountability and healing process the criminal justice system provides to survivors of intimate partner violence. Specifically, what I want to address is my current work as a domestic violence consultant in child welfare cases. Time and time again, I try to encourage caseworkers to work on building relationships and communications with the district attorney's office. Time and time again, I repeatedly face the continuous frustration that the criminal justice system is not entirely on board with prescribing accountability programs to people who cause harm to their families and partners with violence. Instead of using incarceration to solve the endemic problem of violence against intimate partners, the criminal justice system uses vague settlements with light warnings to the accused on how an order of protection has to be followed after a 48-hour period of incarceration. The root cause of intimate partner violence—the belief of one person that power and control over another is a model for the ideal relationship—is not addressed thoroughly by the criminal justice system. The model the criminal justice system uses is still punitive and not rehabilitative. Therefore, a person causing harm is not held accountable and given the chance to recognize the harm caused to partners and the children who witness these violent incidents. I really believe the only candidate for Queens District Attorney who will fully listen to this feedback is none other than my old friend Tiffany Caban. She is someone who I know for certain will be open to creating new and effective processes.

I just read on Twitter that volunteers and voters are who get candidates elected, and Tiffany has the best volunteers. This was established early in her career in her relationship-building within the advocate community, with the friendships she built, and with the clients she represented. I can guarantee you that there are people who were defended in criminal court and their family member who remember Tiffany in the way that I remember her. These are the enthusiastic voters her campaign manager is referring to on Twitter. People who have been donating money, time, efforts. I believe in my heart, especially after 2016, that enthusiastic voters are the difference. I am enthusiastic to have been blessed with a new apartment in Queens and to tell everyone why I am voting for my friend this upcoming Tuesday.