Aravella Simotas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aravella Simotas
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| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 36th district |
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| In office January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Gianaris |
| Succeeded by | Zohran Mamdani |
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| Born | October 9, 1978 Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | John Katsanos |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Fordham University (BA, JD) |
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Aravella Simotas (born October 9, 1978) is an American politician. She represented District 36 in the New York State Assembly. This district covers parts of Western Queens, including Astoria and parts of Long Island City. She was a member of the Democratic Party.
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About Aravella Simotas
Her Early Life and Education
Aravella Simotas was born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). When she was a baby, she moved to the United States from Greece. She settled in Astoria, Queens, with her parents and brother.
She went to local public schools in Queens. She graduated from P.S. 17, Junior H.S. 126, and William C. Bryant High School.
Later, she attended Fordham University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in 1999. She then got her law degree (J.D.) from the Fordham University School of Law in 2002. While in law school, she worked as an editor for a law journal.
Starting Her Career
Simotas began her career helping people in government. She worked for Peter Vallone Sr., who was the Speaker of the New York City Council. Later, she worked for his son, Peter Vallone Jr., who was also a New York City Council member.
While studying law, she also worked for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. This department helps protect the environment.
After law school, Simotas worked as a law clerk for a federal court. She then practiced law in New York City. She also served on local community planning boards in Queens.
Her Time in Politics
Becoming an Assembly Member
Simotas was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2010. She ran without anyone opposing her in that election.
In 2012, she was re-elected. She ran as both a Democrat and with the Working Families Party. She won with a large majority of the votes.
However, in 2020, she lost her primary election. This means she was not chosen by her party to run again. She lost to Zohran Mamdani.
What She Did in the Assembly
As an Assembly member, Simotas worked on several important committees. These groups of lawmakers focus on specific topics.
- Ethics and Guidance: She was the Chair of this committee. It makes sure that lawmakers act fairly and honestly. Under her leadership, the Assembly updated its rules against harassment.
- Insurance: This committee deals with laws about insurance.
- Judiciary: This committee handles laws related to the justice system.
- Ways and Means: This committee works on laws about money and taxes.
- Energy: This committee focuses on laws about energy.
From 2014 to 2017, she also led the Assembly's Task Force on Women's Issues. This group worked on topics important to women.
Important Laws and Policies
Simotas worked on many different issues to help her community and New York State.
Health Care
In 2015, Simotas helped pass a law that made New York the first state to make it easier for pregnant people to get health insurance. This meant pregnancy was a reason to sign up for health insurance.
She also introduced a program to help new parents. This program gives out "baby boxes" with essential items and information. It aims to help reduce infant deaths. This bill became law in 2017.
LGBTQ+ Rights
Simotas supported same-sex marriage in New York. She was a key supporter of the bill that made marriage equality legal in New York. She also supported the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA). This law protects people from discrimination based on their gender identity.
Energy and Environment
Simotas was a leader in a group called Smart Power NY. This group worked to find new and cleaner energy sources for Western Queens. One of their goals was to replace old, polluting power plants with newer, cleaner ones.
Other Community Issues
Simotas worked to make voting easier for people. She pushed for more places to vote and for early voting options.
She also spoke out against a Greek Neo-Nazi group called Golden Dawn. This group held a meeting in Queens, and Simotas, who is an immigrant herself, said their anti-immigrant message was not welcome.
Simotas supported the expansion of Mount Sinai Queens hospital. She noted that more people were moving to Western Queens, and the hospital needed to grow to meet their health care needs.
In 2013, she supported special programs for gifted students in her district. She also helped keep local public schools, like Long Island City High School, open and running.
Finally, Simotas worked to make the streets of Astoria cleaner. She asked Mayor Bill de Blasio to help reduce trash and litter in the area.
Personal Life
Aravella Simotas is married to John Katsanos. They have one daughter, who was born in 2012.
