Diane Goins

While caring for her family and her patients, Diane Goins has taken a little time out to make change in her community; ok; maybe it’s a lot of time.

Few Democrat and Working Families Party (WFP) candidates have gotten elected in Long Island without her help.  An 1199SEIU member of 15 years and LPN at Sun Harbor Nursing Home in Roslyn Heights, Diane gave little thought to becoming politically involved until she started attending Delegate assemblies and realized   she should turn her passion for social issues into making actual changes in her neighborhood. After a fellow co-worker suggested that in addition to her Union activism, she should become involved with ACORN, a community group that works to empower low and moderate-income families, Diane figured, “Why not?”

This in turn led Diane to go to join her local tenant’s association to fight for more affordable housing in Hempstead and Long Island; join the WFP to start electing people who fight for the working class and knocking on more doors than just about anyone.

She even campaigned in far eastern Suffolk County  for newly elected Legislator Kate Browning. “Kate was someone that I immediately supported. She’s a working person…she’s down to earth,” Diane remembers. “It was great to see so many of my brothers and sisters helping. Without 1199’s support, I’m not sure if she would have won.”

Closer to home, Diane helped elect Hempstead Mayor Wayne Hall, impressed with his promises to create more affordable housing and institute a local living wage bill that would provide higher wages for Village employees. After Hall’s win, she watched, together with her own 1199SEIU, ACORN and WFP, the Nassau County Legislature vote unanimously to pass a living wage law that would help thousands of homecare workers get a raise.

“Getting involved is the only way to make change. I have seen the progress and I’ve liked being a part of it,” Diane explains. “I hope more of our members will get active in campaigns and in their communities. Communicating with my co-workers is the only way to spread the word and I plan to do it every chance I get!”