Diamant Hysenaj is fighting for a country where every voice matters, not just the privileged elite.

Imagine a story that runs through nearly half of NY-14—immigrant’s, dreamers like me. It begins on a dusty farm in Kosovo, 1982. Thirty-six of us—cousins, aunts, uncles—crammed into three weathered houses, alive with laughter and my nana’s cooking. My parents, hands rough from factory shifts in the old Yugoslav regime, carved out a life that felt golden to me. I was a kid then, chasing chickens, oblivious to the war creeping closer—shielded by love, by family, by a world they kept steady just for us. That was my beginning. 

Then, 1991. Fade to black. A dictator’s grip tightens, and we’re gone—my parents, my sister, me, a suitcase of hope—landing in the Bronx. The streets hit hard: gangs lurking, a skinny kid scrapping to belong. No welfare, just work. Trades High school, Community College, businesses that crashed and clawed back—I rebuilt from zero once, found my passion in real estate. Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan—homes, restaurants, building's —I built them, hired hundreds, made this city my canvas. 

But 2008 broke us again. The financial crisis took our home. That same day—banks at the door—my mother’s sister died in a tragic car wreck, 39, leaving three young teens. No safety net, just us. Through sweat, perseverance, some luck, and God’s hand, I rebuilt a second time—bought a home for myself, and one of my proudest days? A house for my parents. 

Then, 2022 ripped us open. The son of that same sister—my cousin, 26—was assaulted by a corrupt NYPD officer. Three months later, he took his own life. I stepped up, administered his estate, drove the arrest, the criminal case, the prosecution of that rogue cop. I’m pro-police—law and order built this city—but accountability is everything. Corruption, trials, tribulations—I’ve faced them all, and triumphed, again.

For 33 years, I’ve called New York home. With my wife Tereza and our young children, I've been carved by New York’s forge- its struggles, its soul. But it’s my heart that sets me apart— a heart big enough for the city’s youth, dreaming boldly, and it’s elderly, rich with wisdom. I’ve stood by the vulnerable — countless deeds, not for glory, but because it’s who I am. I've inspired many with quiet compassion, selflessness stitched into every step. I’m no college-to-Congress insider. I’m the immigrant who rose from nothing, time and time again, who knows NY-14’s heartbeat: Democrats, Republicans, Conservatives, Independents, Progressives— New Yorkers who don’t just endure, they rise. This is their story too and I’m their voice — I’m their fighter.