Minita Sanghvi, a well-known advocate for equal rights and a respected community leader, has officially announced her candidacy for the New York State Senate. She is set to challenge the incumbent, Republican Senator Jim Tedisco, who represents the 44th District. Sanghvi has long been involved in local politics, driven by her passion for advocacy and social justice.
Her political journey is closely tied to her activism, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. After coming out in 2002, Sanghvi fought against Arizona Proposition 107, which sought to ban same-sex marriage, and became a board member for both the Human Rights Campaign and the Guilford Green Foundation. These experiences deepened her engagement with politics as she began lobbying Congress for equal rights. Reflecting on her activism, Sanghvi remarked, “Advocacy for equal rights brought me into politics and ignited my desire to create change.”
Her public service expanded when she represented Indian concerns at City Hall in Greensboro and was appointed to a human relations commission. Upon moving to Saratoga Springs, she began her political career in earnest, serving five years on the Saratoga Springs Public Library Board of Trustees before being elected Commissioner of Finance in 2021.
Now, Sanghvi’s campaign for the state senate represents a pivotal step as she seeks to bring her voice as a woman of color and an LGBTQ+ advocate to Albany. As a Democrat, she aims to unseat Tedisco, who holds significant conservative support in the district. If elected, Sanghvi plans to focus on economic development, fostering community engagement, and ensuring equality for all. Her candidacy has garnered attention from Saratoga Springs’ diverse community and second-generation Indian Americans, who are increasingly stepping into the political arena.
