Sunrise NYC Official Statement regarding our endorsement of Scott Stringer for mayor

We at Sunrise NYC stand with and believe survivors of violence of any kind, and that includes Jean Kim. Any allegations of harassment, assault, and unwanted sexual advances should be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated to demand accountability of perpetrators. Kim’s recent allegations against mayoral candidate Scott Stringer are deeply disturbing, and we support her demands.

Sunrise NYC calls on Scott Stringer to enter a victim-informed restorative justice process, contingent upon Kim’s desires. We hope that she finds healing and support in her decision to come forward and that Scott Stringer is held accountable for the impact of his actions.

After a deep inquiry into the details of this situation and hearing Kim’s brave testimony recounting her trauma, Sunrise NYC immediately rescinds our endorsement of Scott Stringer and calls for him to drop out of the race for Mayor of New York City.

Over the last few days, we have listened carefully as news came out rapidly. As a youth-led, entirely volunteer-run chapter of Sunrise Movement, we wanted to be thorough in our personal investigation and decisions while also moving at a pace that is accessible for survivors within our own organization who have had to relive trauma in order to participate in these conversations. After extensive research and discussions amongst our membership, survivors, and partners, we believe this is the most appropriate way forward.

We will continue to support survivors within our membership all the time, not just when these instances affect our responses to allegations. Over the coming days, Sunrise NYC will meet with various survivor groups to hold conversations about ways we can continue to make our organizing space safe for victims. We believe that attention should be directed to the voices and work of survivor justice groups, like RAINN, who have extensive national resources on their website.

We also want to acknowledge the racialized nature of these allegations, especially given recent instances of violence against Asian women. It is important that we continually uplift and believe the stories of Asian women, Black women, Indigenous women, Latina women, and other women of color. This support should come regardless of whether victims conform to preconceived expectations of how a victim ought to behave in response to their trauma. We must actively work to dismantle these expectations because they undermine the very foundation of restorative justice.

When we talk about climate justice, we often discuss what is possible: creating a livable, clean, and just future for all. Our vision of survivor justice is rooted in those same principles. We know that an equitable future is one where we abolish the corrupt and violent systems that reinforce people who use political power and status as a shield against accountability for sexual violence and non-consensual interactions. It has been clear for too long that significant action must be taken when survivors come forward. In the same way that Sunrise NYC fights for a world free of environmental injustice, we commit to fighting for a world where we do not need to rely on a carceral institution for justice, where sexual violence is not baked into our political systems and interpersonal relationships, and where the voices and needs of survivors are centered so that they can find healing and justice.