Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas joined gender equity advocates and fellow elected officials on the steps of the Capitol last week. Photo: Office of Jessica González-Rojas
March 13, 2025 By Shane O’Brien
Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas joined fellow elected officials and representatives from a number of non-profits advocating for gender equality at the State Capitol in Albany last week to call on Gov. Kathy Hochul to center gender equity in the FY26 Budget.
González-Rojas, the chair of the Assembly’s Task Force on Women’s Issues, joined several members of the task force on the steps of the Capitol on Wednesday, March 5, for a rally in support of increased funding for universal child care, gender-based violence services and transgender services among other initiatives.
Assembly Members Sarah Clark, Grace Lee, Claire Valdez, Gabriella Romero, Emily Gallagher, Larinda Hooks and Anna Kelles, who are all members of the 48-person task force, rallied in support of a number of budgetary increases along with advocates from Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts, The Collective, New Pride Agenda, Girls for Gender Equality (GGE), National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, Citizen Action New York and the Schuyler Center.
Advocates urged Hochul and leaders of the state legislature to support funding increases for several gender equity initiatives. They called for a $1.2 billion investment to raise workforce wages in the childcare sector to sustain and expand capacity, arguing that doing so would help eliminate barriers preventing low-income families from accessing childcare.
The coalition of politicians and advocates stated that child care is unaffordable for most working New Yorkers. They cited a report by the Fiscal Policy Institute that found that New York families with young children are 40% more likely to migrate out of New York than those without children.
Hochul made several commitments to expanding access to child care in her recent State of the State, announcing a $110 million Child Care Construction Fund and launching several programs to help make New York the “most affordable” place in the US to raise a family, including free maternal health and newborn supply boxes for 100,000 babies.
However, advocates stated that the creation of a robustly funded permanent public childcare workforce pay equity fund is the most urgent element to keep the state moving toward universal child care.
González-Rojas represents New York’s 34th Assembly District, encompassing Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, Woodside, and parts of Corona—vibrant, immigrant-rich communities where increased funding for childcare, gender-based violence services and reproductive health initiatives would have a profound impact.
While she acknowledged Hochul’s commitment to building “wonderful facilities,” González-Rojas cautioned that without proper wages and incentives, childcare workers might leave the industry, leaving classrooms empty despite expanded infrastructure.
“Our childcare workers are very low-paid. Many of them are leaving the workforce. Some of them can make more money in McDonald’s and other places of business,” González-Rojas told the Queens Post.
The group additionally called on Hochul to provide $247.5 million in funding to create a pilot program for 15,000 eligible new mothers living below the federal poverty line in New York, providing a total of $16,500 to individuals over a 21-month period. Advocates described the funding as an opportunity for New York to invest in its “most vulnerable residents” and help fight against childhood poverty.
Photo: Office of Jessica González-Rojas
The coalition also called on Hochul to expand funding for gender-based violence services by $23 million, calling for the expansion of Victim Assistance Program grants offered by the New York State Office of Victim Services. The group called for culturally and language-specific sexual violence services for immigrants and communities of color across the state.
Furthermore, the coalition called on Hochul to increase her proposal for the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Fund by $10 million, bringing the fund to a total of $35 million. The group stated that the Trump Administration has threatened abortion access and providers, adding that increased funding would provide additional assistance to abortion providers to provide care and support to all who need it.
Finally, advocates criticized Trump for “criminalizing” free gender expression and called on Hochul to increase funding for the Lorena Borjas Transgender & Gender Non-Conforming Equity Fund by $5 million, providing organizations that serve transgender, non-binary and intersex communities with additional funding. They added that increased funding is crucial to showcase New York’s commitment to LGBTQ+ communities across the state.
The rally took place at the beginning of Herstory Month, which takes place throughout March and honors the vital contributions made by women throughout history. The coalition expressed hope that the fact that Hochul is the first woman and mother to serve as Governor of New York State means that she will support initiatives aiming to support diverse and low-income women.
González-Rojas said it was “symbolic” that the group held the rally at the beginning of Herstory Month and expressed hope that Hochul will support the initiatives before the budget is due on April 1.
“We’ll continue to fight until the budget is passed,” González-Rojas said. “She (Hochul) has been a champion for reproductive rights and ensuring that we are a safe haven for abortion care. So it’s, you know, it’s been a positive to have a governor that has expressed her commitment to children and families as a mom.”
González-Rojas said the coalition is demanding that Hochul take action and invest in critical areas of the lives of New Yorkers, accusing the Trump Administration of going “on the hunt” to destroy all progress that New York has made as a state and the US has made as a nation.
“We cannot sit idly by, watching and waiting for a miracle. We have to take charge and take action this budgetary season and protect our most vulnerable populations across New York. We have a commitment to every New Yorker to do all that we can to protect their freedoms and ensure their safety,” González-Rojas said in a statement.
State Sen. Lea Webb, chair of the Senate Committee on Women’s Issues, described the initiatives as essential and urgent.
“We have the opportunity to invest in New York’s most vulnerable families, expand access to reproductive care, support the LGBTQ+ community, and fight childhood poverty,” Webb said.
Kei Williams, interim executive director of the NEW Pride Agenda, said New York remains a “beacon of hope” for LGBTQ+ Americans, especially for those who are transgender and gender nonconforming.
Williams stated that expanding funding for the Lorena Borjas Transgender Wellness and Equity Fund would help organizations provide critical care to the transgender community, including housing, health care, and workforce development.
“Expansion of the Fund is critical to counter federal hostility, address growing safety concerns of TGNCNB (transgender, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary) individuals and their families, and ensure that all New Yorkers can access the resources they need,” Williams said.
González-Rojas also told the Queens Post that it is “critical” that New York State diverts tax dollars to protect “our neighbors, out women and our trans siblings” that reside in the state during the Trump presidency.
“We cannot accept the hate and the vitriol and the stigma that the federal government is putting out, and they’re directly harming the lives of us all.”
Featured Events
