successful in ensuring that the
City actually delivers services
to the community. I am also
an executive board member of
the Chippewa Democratic Club
in the 82nd Assembly District.
During the pandemic, I expanded
my community work
and helped to organize a mutual
aid group that assists local
residents through weekly food
deliveries, PPE drives, testing
sites and spreading awareness
about the vaccine rollout.
What endorsements do you
have?
Former Council Member
Jimmy Vacca, Congressman
Ritchie Torres, Bronx Borough
President Ruben Diaz
Jr., State Senator Jamaal Bailey,
State Senator Alessandra
Biaggi, State Senator Jessica
Ramos, Member Diana
Ayala, Council Member Justin
Brannan, Council Member
Costa Constantinides, Council
Member Danny Dromm,
Council Member Ben Kallos,
Council Member Keith Powers,
Council Member Carlina
Rivera, Council Council Member
Helen Rosenthal, Assembly
Member Khaleel Anderson, Assembly
Member Kenny Burgos,
Assembly Member Catalina
Cruz, Assembly Member Karines
Reyes, 1199SIEU, Road to
Justice, Central Labor Council,
Unite Here Local 100, NYIC
Action, CWA 1180, NYSNA,
HTC, CWA 1, Smart Local 28,
DC37, Tenants PAC, Downtown
Women For Change, Working
Families Party, Bronx Democratic
Party, Jim Owles Democratic
Club.
Monique Johnson
Why are you running?
I’ve been serving my community
for many years, working
with people to help fi x their
problems. During that time,
when there have been issues I
couldn’t solve on my own, I’ve
called my councilman for help.
Now, I’m running to be the help.
Our communities need safety.
We need clean streets and
schools that help our children
grow to be responsible citizens.
We need to feel secure when we
close our doors at night. I care
about the quality of our lives in
this community and I’m running
to preserve them.
Tell us about yourself, i.e.
what you do for a living, your
relationship to the district, and
which neighborhood you live
in?
I’ve been the leader of
the Residents Association at
Throgs Neck Houses since
1992. From there, I’ve worked
to improve quality of life not
just for residents, but the community
as a whole. Neighbors
know me from events against
violence and drugs. During
Courtesy of John Perez
the pandemic, I have opened
my offi ce to serve food and for
prayer every day. Recently,
when neighbors lost their
homes to fi re, our community
stepped up to help fi nd a place
for the family to stay, and to
give food, clothes, and toys for
young children. We don’t turn
people away for more than
25-years.
What are the biggest challenges
facing the district and
how will you solve them?
The pandemic has revealed
how vulnerable our communities
are, especially when the
federal government (Trump)
wasn’t interested in dealing
with problems on the national
level. At all times, we have to
stick together to fi ght for our
fair share of funding and resources.
When elected, I’ll
be a councilwoman focused
on bringing jobs back to our
community, bringing us out
of this pandemic and keeping
our streets and schools
safe and clean. This district is
naturally beautiful and different
from the rest of the city. It
should stay that way.
What will you do differently
than the incumbent?
Just by being elected, I will
bring great change to the way
our district is represented.
But that’s not enough for me.
I want to change the way our
city is represented. The City
Council spends a lot of time
working on things that don’t
seem to actually help people
living in the Bronx. All I will
do is work to help our people,
whether the rest of the Council
likes it or not.
Courtesy of Monique Johnson
What’s your political experience?
Over the years, I’ve been
honored by Assemblyman Michael
Benedetto, former Councilman
Jimmy Vacca, Councilwoman
Vanessa Gibson,
former Congressman Joseph
Crowley, and former Senator
Jeff Klein, besides being honored
by PSA #8 and speaking
to graduating classes of NYPD
offi cers and Assistant District
Attorneys. Some might call
working with those current
and former leaders “political
experience” but I call it serving
the community. I don’t
care about politics and infi
ghting. I care about honesty,
compassion and service and
that’s the experience I’ll bring
to this job.
What endorsements do you
have?
My opponent has been running
for this offi ce for fi ve
years. I’ve been running for
about fi ve days. Wait and see,
baby!
John Perez
Why are you running?
Primary reasons, I can do
a better job. I am running for
offi ce to challenge a dysfunctional
system that preys upon
the hard-working people of our
city and expect more for less.
As a single father raising a
young daughter, I support civil
service and am a strong advocate
against sexual assault
and harassment.
Tell us about yourself, what
you do for a living, your relationship
to the district, and
which neighborhood you live
in?
I have spent 18-years of honorable
and distinguished military
service, including 10-years
as a United States Army Ambassador.
My relationship in
the district goes as far as 1975,
I attended P.S 14 on Bruckner
Boulevard and Crosby Avenue
from the 3rd grade to 5th
grade, I was in P.S 14 when I
fi rst learned and proudly recited
the pledge of allegiance
every morning and where I
competed in the annual Bronx
wide sports competition at Pelham
Park winning two gold
medals for individual 50-meter
race and team relay baton race
during my 5th year.
What are the biggest challenges
facing the district and
how will you solve them?
Community Level Vision:
My platform is centered on education
by developing future
leaders.
The biggest challenge we
are facing in the 13th Council
district is preserving the
heavy populated veterans’
communities, our patriotism,
culture, and history that are
deep rooted.
My goal is to give the Bronx
its fi rst high school military
academy. Such academies like
Wentworth, Hargrave, Carson
Long, New York Military Academies
often brag about their
100 percent college acceptance
rate with an average of 1500’s
SAT score give us a fairly good
idea of what we can be.
Also, Job Security. I call on
creating trade schools that will
certify and license individuals
in masonry, HVAC, plumbing,
electrical, and similar trades
to build a better tomorrow.
What will you do differently
than the incumbent?
Collectively freeze any rezoning
that will allow affordable
housing until such plans
include and are approved for
an increase in public transportation,
residential private
parking, sanitation, FDNY services,
and more importantly
police assignments.
Also Provide a year-round
community engagement mobile
unit to focus on assisting
and resolving simple to complicated
issues that may become
more of a problem if not attended
within a certain time.
What is your political experience?
Council aide to Councilmember
David Rosado, Co-
Founder of We stay/ Nos Quedamos
currently known as N.Q
and 10 year as a Domestic Ambassador
to the United States
Army and contract negotiator.
Also 95B/31B military police,
I am a Brigade Level Training
Offi cer and Commander.
What endorsements do you
have?
I have not reached out to
any group, union, or organization
for support, I strongly believe
that an elected position
must be gained on merits.
The only caveat is that I do
appear on the circulating petition
along with Bronx Borough
President and front runner Dr.
Fernando Cabrera.
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