Continuing our series of political
“Snapshots,” the Bronx
Times sat down with each of
the Bronx’s recently elected offi
cials for a discussion on their
2022 legislative agendas and issues
of importance to their districts.
BY ALIYA SCHNEIDER
Councilwoman Marjorie
Velázquez this year replaced
Mark Gjonaj as the representative
for City Council District
13, which includes 18 neighborhoods
spanning the east
Bronx.
Her priorities are job creation,
transportation and equitable
health care.
Velázquez’s district recently
welcomed the new
Ferry Point Park ferry stop in
Throggs Neck, which she sees
not just as a transportation option
she advocated for coming
to fruition, but also a way to
attract shoppers to the district
who can support small stores
on East Tremont Avenue. She
also sees an opportunity for
local restaurants to have popup
stands in the park so ferry
riders can get a taste of the district.
The councilwoman wants
to work with the city to make
sure the park is “actually refl
ecting the needs of the community,”
from transportation
to the ferry to park hours and
proper lighting.
“You’ve got a baseline, now
how do you add on to it?” she
said.
Velázquez wants to merge
her mission to support small
businesses — like ensuring
they get a shot at grants —
with workforce development
and apprenticeship opportunities
for high schoolers.
The new councilwoman,
who has struggled with injuries
in the past that made it
hard to get around the city,
wants to hold the MTA accountable
for accessibility
projects, such as subway elevators.
“When we’re talking about
transit options we have to
make sure that we’re including
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everyone,” she said.
As for health care in New
York, she has four words:
“We can do better.” Velázquez
said she wants to work with
state and federal partners to
hold insurance companies
accountable and improve a
health care system that leaves
people in crippling debt.
Both in her own experience
and those of loved ones,
the Latina has seen women of
color not being taken as seriously
as their white counterparts
when it comes to pain.
“When we’re talking about
structural changes that need
to happen, it’s digging into
why does this happen and how
can we address this in a holistic
manner?” she said. “Because
I can’t afford to lose another
friend.”
Velázquez said the Bronx
should have a women’s and
children’s health center, as
Manhattan and Queens each
have two.
As a councilwoman, she
plans to continue to hear from
health care workers about
their experiences and partner
with state lawmakers to tackle
policy changes.
“Nothing is easy,” Velázquez
acknowledged. “It’s
nuanced and it’s going to take
a lot of work together.”
But with an increasingly
diverse City Council, along
with a new speaker and new
mayor from outer boroughs,
council members can actually
address disparities instead of
having to simply prove they
exist, she said.
Marjorie Velázquez to use healthcare,
accessibility experiences to inform policy
MARJORIE VELÁZQUEZ
AGE: 40
NEIGHBORHOOD: THROGGS NECK
POLITICAL IDEOLOGY: DEMOCRAT
Fun Fact: Velázquez shares an Aug. 11 birthday with hip-hop.
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