Maya Kornberg, a senior research fellow and manager at the Brenan Center for Justice at NYU, is making her bid for the City Council in District 39.

She is challenging current Councilwoman Shahana Hanif. Kornberg told News 12 that the call to run for City Council felt urgent.

“Democracy is more in danger than at any point it has been since the Civil War. The City Council is going to be our best line of defense right now in protecting funding for things like education and health care and transportation," said Kornberg.

She says affordable housing is an important issue to her.

“Building affordable housing, increasing tenant protections and holding predatory landlords and leasing companies to account and expanding good cause eviction legislation and rent stabilization are important alongside addressing the affordability crisis for young families like my own," said Kornberg.

Also a mother, she says quality education is also an issue that hits home.

“We need to double down and…increase funding for education. We need to make sure that we're addressing the affordability crisis also by implementing more affordable child care, alongside protecting K-12 education in our public schools,” said Kornberg.

She adds she needs the community's input just as much.

“I want to learn, I want to be curious, and I want to care about other people’s stories and that is exactly what I do as a candidate. And I want to use that to make the world a better place and to serve my community, I’ve done that my entire career," said Kornberg.

The Democratic primaries will be on June 24. District 39 represents parts of Kensington, Borough Park, Windsor Terrace, Park Slope, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, and the Columbia Waterfront.