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ASTORIA COUNCILWOMAN MAKES HISTORY AS
FIRST QUEER LATINA TO SERVE DISTRICT 22
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Councilman I. Daneek
Miller introduced legislation
on Tuesday, Nov. 23, to honor
the late Archie Spigner, a former
southeast Queens councilman
and district leader,
with a park renaming.
Miller’s legislation, Intro.
2462, would immediately rename
St. Albans Park to Archie
Spigner Park, and amend
the official map of the city of
New York accordingly.
“Archie Spigner was a
champion of southeast Queens,
and it is truly an honor to introduce
legislation to rename
St. Albans Park in his honor,”
Miller said. “He was a shining
example of public service and
living life in service to others.
His contributions are too numerous
to count, but those who
knew him knew of his love for
St. Albans Park and the special
place it held in his heart,
having been so instrumental
in its complete renovation.”
Spigner, who was a beloved
leader in southeast Queens
and represented the 27th
Council District from 1974 to
2001, died at the age of 92 on
Oct. 29, 2020.
Known as “The Dean,”
he was an instrumental figure
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.16 COM | DEC. 10 - DEC. 16, 2021
in several high-profile
developments for the betterment
of southeast Queens,
including the location for
York College in Jamaica, as
well as a subway extension
to the downtown area and
the placement of the regional
headquarters of the Social
Security Administration.
During Spigner’s tenure as
a Council member in 2001, he
secured $1,000,000 in funding
for the renovation of St. Albans
Park, working closely with
members of the community
and civic and religious leaders
to sponsor cleanups as well.
Years later, Spigner worked
with his successor, Councilman
Leroy Comrie to secure
an additional $900,000 for the
park, including the installation
of new tennis courts,
handball courts, basketball
courts, fitness equipment,
paths, benches, plantings, additional
drainage and other
upgrades.
BY JULIA MORO
Tiffany Cabán was sworn in Wednesday,
Dec. 1, as the first Latina and queer
woman to serve as the City Council
member for District 22.
Cabán didn’t spare any time after
her swearing-in ceremony and signed
on to co-sponsor 20 pieces of legislation.
The bills cover a variety of issues, including
non-citizen voting rights, banning
solitary confinement and paid sick
leave, among others.
“As Council member, I am committed
to advancing policy that will save
lives and investing in the services, supports
and systems that will ensure every
New Yorker’s right to a healthy and
safe community,” Cabán said.
Cabán took 63% of the votes in the
general election. She beat Republican
candidate Felicia Kalan, who took 31.2%
of the votes, and Green Party candidate
Edwin DeJesus, who had 5.9% of the
votes.
District 22 — encompassing Astoria,
Rikers Island and parts of Jackson
Heights, Woodside and East Elmhurst
— was previously represented by termlimited
Costa Constantinides, who resigned
almost nine months ago to take
on the role of CEO of the Variety Boys
and Girls Club of Queens.
Cabán easily took the race with her
significant name recognition and highprofile
endorsements from Congresswoman
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and
Senator Bernie Sanders. Then-candidate
Cabán ran a progressive campaign
on ideas like ending the carceral system,
establishing a care economy and
implementing a Green New Deal for
New York City.
The councilwoman previously
served as a public defender and ran for
Queens district attorney in 2019, narrowly
losing to Melinda Katz. She also
joined the Working Families Party as a
political organizer to help elect progressive
prosecutors across the country.
“I look forward to working in partnership
with my current and future colleagues,
other partners in government
and community advocates to dismantle
existing inequitable systems of harm
and make sure that every neighborhood
has the resources it needs to truly
thrive,” Cabán said. “This is a time to
reimagine our city. A time to transform
our reality. A time to take a peoplecentered
approach to ending the devastation
of the pandemic and rethinking
public health. And I’m ready to get to
work.”
Tiffany Cabán was sworn in to represent District 22 in the New York City Council on
Dec. 1. Photo by Corey Torpie
ARCHIE SPIGNER
Queens lawmaker introduces
legislation to rename St. Albans
Park in honor of Archie Spigner
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