I come from a family of eight on public assistance, my parents were separated. My mother struggled, my father struggled.

The Office of Attorney General should be independent and the Office of Attorney General should have the power to investigate without the approval of the governor of the state of New York. It's absolutely critically important.

I know what it's like to be on public assistance and to be unemployed. And I know what it's like to be evicted.

Walmart markets its gun department as 'sports and outdoors,' but let us get one thing straight: They are not just selling hunting rifles.

No NYCHA resident should have to worry about the walk home at night through their neighborhood after they finish work. Yet for some NYCHA residents, worrying is a part of daily life.

The ADA prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities receive the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstreams of American life, which includes participating in government programs and services.

The vast majority of our teachers, our principals and our PTAs are well informed and well meaning, but even those with the best intentions can benefit from cultural competency training.

It is imperative that we set the national example and make it clear that companies seeking to do business in New York City cannot be allowed to treat their workers like second-class citizens.

Retirement shouldn't be making the choice between buying much-needed medication or putting food on the table; making the choice between heating an apartment in the cold winter months or paying rent; making the choice between paying a phone bill or seeing a doctor.

What's historically been referred to as 'gerrymandering' can more aptly be labeled an incumbent protection program.

Some contractors force workers to provide paybacks to keep their jobs. Others intentionally misclassify workers in order to underpay them - by, for example, paying a skilled construction worker as a general laborer.

Our schools should be sanctuaries of learning, not nightmares of cruel and racist behavior.

I am proud of the advances we have made in New York where we have continued a legacy of substantive HIV/AIDS policy, but we must continue the fight to end the epidemic and ensure an AIDS-free generation.

Gunfire tracking technology is improving every day and has been successful in many jurisdictions around the country.

We must stand vigilant to protect our voting access.

Legally, many contractors are required to pay a prevailing wage. However, bad actors often find ways to get around this requirement.

Telling the truth about domestic violence - and those who shield it - should not be punished.

Home Stability Support is our best shot at creating an all-encompassing and effective system to ensure that our at-risk children and families can remain in the homes they deserve.

Our system of government works best when there are checks and balances led by independent entities that are empowered to conduct fair and rigorous oversight. These are the same principles enshrined in the founding document of our country - our Constitution.

As Public Advocate for the City of New York, I have a duty to speak truth to power and do what is best for our City and its residents.

Any district attorney knows that an endorsement from law enforcement unions is vital to earning voters' trust. As a result, police unions play an outsized role in district attorney elections.

I just try to fight for the underdog, and try to fight for those who are locked out of the sunshine of opportunity.

As Public Advocate for the City of New York, I will be working with the Administration for Children's Services and others to bring about necessary reforms - and ensure that our city meets its most solemn responsibility - protecting the welfare of our children.

Children of domestic violence, of course, suffer terrible consequences.

I say that our economic future is in the new technology that will lead to more fuel efficient cars and cleaner energy.

For generations America and its institutions have refused to acknowledge the true severity of the harm that domestic violence imposes on our society.

It's clear that the NYPD has prioritized creating a force as diverse as the vibrant city it protects.

While New York City cannot prevent other jurisdictions from selling firearms, it has taken a powerful stance against guns by divesting pension funds from gun manufacturers.

New York City must divest the hundreds of millions of dollars we have invested in Walmart for far too long, dollars that are only fueling violence and undermining the greater public interest. Once our nation's largest city does so, I know other states and municipalities will follow suit.

More cops on our streets and in our neighborhoods mean safer streets and neighborhoods.

Without a doubt, the most fiscally responsible way to increase the number of officers on our streets is to mobilize uniformed officers in administrative jobs and to use civilian employees to fill those jobs.

Is truth about domestic violence and those who enable it more important than a company's corporate partnerships? I think so.

We have a moral responsibility to help veterans avoid homelessness and displacement.

We must simply do every single thing in our power to protect our children from abuse and help them live healthy, prosperous lives.

New Yorkers would be shocked to learn of the conditions some construction workers in our city toil under.

When it comes to climate change and the environment, President Donald Trump is plain wrong.

I've been independent all of my life.

I've got a moral center.

I come from humble beginnings myself.

I've known struggle.

All of my life and particularly throughout of my public career, I have been talking about the feminization of poverty. And one of the manifestations of the feminization of poverty is the issue of pay inequality in our society.

We have these events, 'Talk to Tish.' They're basically kitchen-roundtable discussions about issues in the City of New York, because you can learn more by listening.

I come from a long line of very strong, tough women. We stick to our principles and stand up for what we believe in, which is fundamental fairness, which is my raison d'etre.

The scales of justice often, in my head, are unbalanced. And so my job is to try to balance out those scales.

Part of the reason why I wanted to be involved in politics was to create and be a part of policy changes.

Like with all other crime, we must, of course, treat the perpetrators of these actions as the criminals they are. But unlike with the vast majority of other crime, justice is not delivered simply by punishing the perpetrator. This is because the harm associated with domestic violence extends far beyond the point of contact.

The workers who get hurt by corner-cutting often do not realize they are being wronged. Even when they do, they do not have the support and resources to fight back. Without a union to stand behind them, these workers are forced to stay in bad jobs, or face no job at all.

Dysfunction in Washington has stalled any meaningful federal action on gun control. So it's increasingly up to big cities like New York to take bold steps to get weapons off our streets and change the national discourse.

Under the not-so-watchful eye of ACS, children continue to die avoidable deaths. This is beyond unacceptable and betrays our moral conscience.

Before any family is placed in any type of shelter, there must be a thorough, top-to-bottom, building-wide inspection. These inspections must be ongoing and publicly accessible. There is no excuse for any person to be blindly put into an apartment without a guarantee that the space is safe.