New York State Assembly District 68
Bronx Community College—Associate's in Human Services; Lehman College—Bachelor's in Sociology
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Diana Ayala most recently served two terms on the New York City Council representing District 8 and rose to Deputy Speaker. Before elected office, she worked in public service and community advocacy, including as Program Director at Casita Maria Carver Senior Center and in Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito's office as Director of Senior Services and Deputy Chief of Staff. In 2026, she is running for New York State Assembly District 68.
Committee Assignments: No committee assignments available.
Diana Ayala's healthcare platform emphasizes strengthening public hospitals, expanding community health clinics, protecting affordable healthcare access, and increasing community-based mental health, addiction treatment, and harm-reduction services. She also states support for reproductive healthcare protections and highlights prior work securing investments for Metropolitan Hospital in East Harlem.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Ayala states that in the Assembly she will work to strengthen public hospitals, expand community health clinics, and protect access to affordable healthcare, citing prior investments for Metropolitan Hospital in East Harlem.
SourceAyala states that she will push to expand community-based mental health care, strengthen crisis response systems, and increase funding for addiction treatment and harm-reduction programs.
SourceDiana Ayala’s economy and jobs platform emphasizes lowering costs for working families, stronger worker protections, prevailing wage laws, union rights, workforce training, childcare, and support for small businesses in Harlem and East Harlem. Her prior City Council record includes co-sponsoring a law to establish minimum payments for app-based food delivery workers.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Ayala’s Assembly campaign says she will defend prevailing wage laws, strengthen worker protections, support the right to organize, and expand job training programs connecting residents to stable careers.
SourceAyala’s campaign biography says that as a Council Member she expanded support for small businesses while investing in working-class neighborhoods and bringing resources back to her district.
SourceDiana Ayala supports pro-immigrant policies, including limiting state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, expanding immigration legal representation, and increasing access to city and state resources for immigrant families. Her campaign frames immigrant protections as part of civil rights and public-safety policy for Harlem and East Harlem.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Ayala says she supports and would help advance the New York for All Act to bar state and local agencies from questioning or disclosing immigration status, colluding with federal immigration enforcement, or diverting local resources to deportation efforts.
SourceAyala's Assembly campaign says she will expand legal representation for immigrants and supported programs in the City Council that expanded access to legal services and city resources for immigrant families.
SourceDiana Ayala supports a climate-and-energy agenda centered on environmental justice for Harlem and East Harlem, including renewable energy investments, green infrastructure, and policies addressing air pollution and extreme heat. Her City Council record includes co-sponsoring enacted measures on building emissions, green/solar roofs, sustainable energy loans, and city-owned solar deployment.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Ayala's Assembly campaign issues page says that in Albany she will support renewable energy investments, green infrastructure, and environmental justice policies to address climate change, air pollution, and extreme heat in Harlem and East Harlem.
SourceDiana Ayala supports fully funding public schools, reducing class sizes, expanding youth programs, and strengthening public higher education through more support for CUNY/SUNY and financial aid. Her record and platform also emphasize student mental health supports and youth pathways tied to school and work.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Ayala's Assembly campaign says she will fight in Albany to fully fund public schools, reduce class sizes, and ensure schools have the resources students need.
SourceAyala's campaign says she will strengthen CUNY and SUNY, expand financial aid, and connect students to career pathways.
SourceDiana Ayala’s Assembly campaign frames public safety around prevention, youth programs, community-based strategies, and accountability, rather than enforcement alone. Her New York City Council record includes bills on police DNA collection from minors, mental-health outreach after violent incidents, and trauma-informed police response to domestic violence, sexual crimes, and human trafficking.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Ayala’s Assembly campaign states that she supports investments in violence-prevention programs, youth initiatives, and community-based strategies that address root causes of crime while ensuring fairness and accountability.
SourceCitizens Union
https://citizensunion.org/voters-guide/2026-primary-election/assembly-district-68/Fetched: biography, education
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/candidate/diana-ayala/paymentsFetched: campaignFinance
New York State Public Campaign Finance Board
https://pcfb.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/06/commissioner-report-for-the-approval-to-disburse-public-matching-funds-06.01.2026.pdfFetched: campaignFinance
New York State United Teachers
https://www.nysut.org/resources/special-resources-sites/voter-guide/endorsementsFetched: endorsements
Professional Staff Congress/CUNY
https://psc-cuny.org/issues/psc-endorsements-general-election-2026/Fetched: endorsements
District Council 37
https://www.dc37.net/take-action/media-center/news-release/2026/district-council-37-delegates-endorse-state-senate-and-assembly-candidates-for-2026-primary-election/Fetched: endorsements
Voters For Animal Rights
https://vfar.org/?vfar_endorsement=2026-candidate-endorsement-questionnaire-for-nys-senate-nys-assembly-and-us-houseFetched: endorsements
Blue Voter Guide
https://bluevoterguide.org/district/NY/New_York_State_Assembly_District_68/51919/830Fetched: endorsements
New York City Council Legistar - syringe and sharps buyback pilot meeting
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/MeetingDetail.aspx?GUID=36F4E642-AE4A-4B7E-98CD-93144F301B97&ID=1388956&Options=&Search=Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar - syringe exchange naloxone meeting
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/MeetingDetail.aspx?GUID=70BFA0C2-649A-4309-84A2-66E5595CFDE4&ID=1388902&Options=Advanced&Search=Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar - maternal health education bill
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?From=RSS&GUID=16D6A6A2-FA98-4B9C-9D80-26E6558C6839&ID=7651594Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?GUID=FCEA3CE8-8F00-4C8C-9AF1-588EA076E797&ID=4927204&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=deliveryFetched: issuePositions
Bronx Community Board 1 Minutes
https://www.nyc.gov/assets/bronxcb1/pdf/minutes/minutes-202110.pdfFetched: issuePositions
Diana Ayala for Assembly campaign issues page
https://www.ayalaforassembly.com/issues-2Fetched: issuePositions
Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club candidate questionnaire
https://jimowles.org/news/candidate-answers-to-joldc-diana-ayala-for-ny-assembly-district-68-2026Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar
https://nyc.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?GUID=2333981E-C587-48AE-8CF3-2E8D28624B81&ID=4116622&Options=&Search=Fetched: issuePositions
The Full Record NY State Assembly District 68 voter guide
https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/ny-ad-68Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar Int 1253-2018
https://nyc.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?GUID=B938F26C-E9B9-4B9F-B981-1BB2BB52A486&ID=3761078&Options=&Search=Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar Int 1032-2018
https://nyc.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?From=RSS&GUID=B4C3A822-2FBB-45FD-8A74-C59DD95246C1&ID=3557657Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar Int 1252-2018
https://nyc.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?G=2FD004F1-D85B-4588-A648-0A736C77D6E3&GUID=6D07BB04-3355-4C2F-AC39-07C636842490&ID=3761079&Options=&Search=Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar Int 0353-2024
https://nyc.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?G=2fd004f1-d85b-4588-a648-0a736c77d6e3&GUID=5D75118D-7184-49EB-AD18-741A54909F7F&ID=6514984&Options=&Search=Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar - Int 0003-2022
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?G=2FD004F1-D85B-4588-A648-0A736C77D6E3&GUID=20FD9B0F-9416-4239-BEB5-A41AB5C6C3CC&ID=5451335&Options=&Search=Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar - Int 0239-2024
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?GUID=45D98230-E37B-4DE1-AD86-98D3B5B37833&ID=6557586Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar - Res 0753-2023
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?GUID=6FE8EBAA-7C5F-4FB3-8836-F7520E3A5580&ID=6350348&Options=&Search=Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar - Int 0125-2024
https://nyc.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?G=2fd004f1-d85b-4588-a648-0a736c77d6e3&GUID=00485905-B8F8-4838-81D8-04951BE2C66E&ID=6557349&Options=&Search=Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar - Int 2439-2021
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?GUID=EF4C672B-1B08-4093-9318-3A5C10217E97&ID=5185972Fetched: issuePositions
New York City Council Legistar - Int 1297-2025
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?GUID=B01473E5-9E7F-4D9D-8845-65C340D67F23&ID=7411818&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=1297Fetched: issuePositions