Who we are
What happens when a Jew and a Muslim come together to organize together in an effort to counter the divisiveness that so many are trying to thrust upon our communities? You get us, the East Queens Democratic Club ("EQDC"). Founded by Taiba Ahmad and Andrew Engel in May of 2025, the goal of this Club is to provide a space for Democrats in Eastern Queens to centralize their concerns and advocacy of their communities. We believe a new generation of Democrats need to be fostered in Eastern Queens. Right now, the Democratic Party has all but abandoned this area, leading to the rise in popularity of MAGA extremists, with zero pushback from our elected Democratic "leaders." We aim to build an inclusive club, that includes voices all along the Democratic ideologic spectrum.
The EQDC will have some non-negotiable positions however; we believe in the need for prison and justice reform, to fight for policies that will address homelessness, the climate crisis, more housing, expanding public transit and safe streets. How we achieve that is always up for discussion and friendly debate. Our objectives are to promote local civic engagement in the Eastern Queens community, to increase the transparency of and participation in the Queens County Democratic Party, to shape public discourse about the political process in Eastern Queens and to encourage and support the candidacies of progressive, reform-minded Democrats with the courage to run and the capacity to win.
About the Founders
Taiba has been an educator in the New York City public school system for 15 years and is a proud member of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT). As an Afghani immigrant, teacher, and mother, she brings a deeply personal perspective to her advocacy for stronger public schools, justice and immigration reform, affordable housing, and more. Taiba is also a passionate advocate for women’s education on a global scale. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the New American Voters Association (NAVA), where she leads efforts to register new voters, elevate immigrant community concerns to elected officials, and build meaningful connections between immigrants and their representatives.
Andrew has lived in East Queens for his entire life. He is an attorney for the NYC government and is on the Board of Directors for his union, the Civil Service Bar Association, which is part of Teamsters Local 237. Andrew started organizing several years ago with the NYC Chapter of Sunrise Movement, where he served as the Legislative Team Lead for two-years, helping to craft City and State legislation for Sunrise endorsed elected's to champion. He also trained members on the intricacies of City and State government, as well as how to effectively lobby electeds. Andrew also organizes for the Working Families Party. His passion for advocacy comes from his grandparents, who dedicated their lives to fighting for a more just America; his grandmother travelled down South to be a freedom rider and stand in solidarity with those fighting to be granted their civil rights and marched with MLK Jr. Andrew's grandfather was one of the founders of the NYCLU and its Nassau County Chapter.