MEET JUSTIN
My name is Justin Perkins.
I am a climate activist, long time public servant, and community advocate running for Albany Common Council in the 6th Ward.
I worked in the New York State Legislature for six years, during which time I served as a Legislative Director in the Senate and Clerk for the Small Business Committee in the Assembly. I gained invaluable experience navigating New York’s state and local governments to deliver real results, including passing into law landmark legislation like the first-in-the-nation New York State John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Clean Slate Act.
Today, I manage legislative affairs for the Center for Climate Integrity, where I fight to hold multinational oil and gas companies accountable for the damage they’ve done to our clean air and water. I have dedicated my life and career to environmental advocacy, and I am committed to bringing that same energy to the Albany Common Council.
New York has long been a beacon of freedom for oppressed people. I am the descendant of slaves and slave owners who produced a family tree that sprouted from the Carolinas to Upstate New York during the “Great Migration” of the 1950s. My family found refuge here, and with federal attacks on our civil rights mounting every day, I can’t help but think of the oppression my own family faced and how important it is that New York remains a safe haven for all.
It’s more important now than ever that we stand together and use our collective voices to make real change. As the grandson of one of the first Black police officers in the City of Syracuse, I grew up learning how real change needs to start right here in our neighborhoods. I want to live that legacy of public service in my neighborhood, and pass it on to my future children.
That’s why I am running for Albany Common Council — I love my community and I believe in its potential. Local governments are critical to the basic quality of life needs that define our livelihoods. I know that by working together, we can make positive change for all. As Common Councilmember, I will prioritize meeting directly with community organizations, tenants, unions, and local residents - particularly working people disenfranchised from the political process - to ensure their voices are always represented in rooms where decisions are being made.