political profi les District 17
BY GLENNIS SANCHEZ
As New York City prepares
for one of its largest election cycles
in recent memory, there is
one city council race that will
directly impact the northwest
Bronx’s District 17, which encompases
the neighborhoods of
Concourse Village, Crotona Park
East, East Tremont, Hunts Point,
Longwood, Melrose, Morrisania,
Port Morris, and West Farms.
There are three candidates
poised to replace Councilman
Rafael Salamanca, Jr. who has
served since 2016; that trio who
will be running in the Tuesday,
June 22 primary are: Helen
Hines, Lattina Brown, and Glennis
Sanchez.
The Bronx Times asked each
candidate a few questions to get
to know them. Each profi le has
been edited for clarity and space
Why are you running?
I am running for me, for my
children, and for my grandchildren.
I am running because I live
in the community; my friends
and family live and work in the
community. I want to see better
for our District which is often
said and it’s diffi cult to make
happen but this is my neighborhood
and I want to make it better
for us.
I want to see better programs
for domestic violence survivors,
I’ve been there too. I want to see
better community centers for the
youth like PAL. I want to see more
job opportunities and I want to
see more access to certifi cation
programs to help those within
the community gain job opportunities.
I want to see more NYPD
presence to ensure the safety of
our community members.
Tell us about yourself,
what you do for a living, your
relationship to the district,
and which neighborhood you
live in?
I am Glennis Sanchez and I
am running for the 17th District.
I am a single parent of 3 beautiful
women. I am also a grandparent
of 2 amazing little boys and a
girl. I live in the community of
the Mott Haven area of the South
Bronx ; I am a bronxite too.
I fi rst came to the United
States when I was 8 years old and
though my journey did not begin
in the Bronx I have been a proud
bronxiet for over 20 years.
What are the biggest challenges
facing the district and
how will you solve them?
The challenges our community
faces are poverty, lack of
job opportunities, defunding of
community centers (for the elderly
BRONX TIMES R 18 EPORTER, APRIL 2-8, 2021 BTR
and for the youth) and high
crime rates.
If we fund our community
centers we can build in experiences
for many and create job opportunities
to aid in our poverty
issue. Creating opportunity for
our youth to deter from criminal
behaviors and activities.
I hope to aid in our housing
and shelter system to address the
issue of homelessness. We see it
because we live day in and day
out; we try our best to progress
especially now during this pandemic.
There are not many jobs
in the community at the moment,
this is also a factor in the crime
rates. I believe we can regain and
maintain funding for the NYPD
to reduce the criminal element.
I want to see our district prosper
as well as the entire Bronx
and NYC as a whole. I want to be
part of the change in the community.
I am willing to take all the
Nos until I get a Yes with any
benefi cial opportunities to help
build a better Bronx for us all.
What will you do differently
than the incumbent?
Every politician promises the
same about making a difference.
I don’t just want to say I will make
a difference; I want to be a part
of the difference. I want to interact
with the community not only
for community events. I want to
make sure my community knows
I am here “in the fi ght” to make
our District better.
What’s your political experience?
My political experience may
not be as extensive as most but
I know about 3 sides of the campaign
especially as a voter, and
now candidate. In 2010 I worked
as a poll watcher (investigator)
for District 86. What that entailed
was to ensure voters were
not conducting any fraudulent
activity. As well as document
and tally votes and generate a
daily report.
I have been a poll clerk inspector/
scanner for the Board of
Elections in the City of New York
since 2012. I also campaigned
4 years ago for the District 17
council seat. I hope to win and be
part of the change we need in our
community.
What endorsements do you
have?
The endorsements I have
secured thus far are mostly
from our communities.
The Juicer Shack located at
1086 Southern Blvd
Cristina J. Felix Beauty Salon
located at 1082 Southern Blvd
Chocolate located at 1402
Saint Nicholas
H2One care (hand sanitizer)
Francisco Spies (Retired Minister)
As I continue to campaign for
the District 17 council seat I hope
to gain even more support from
the hard workers in our community
and more.
As New York City prepares
for one of its largest election
cycles in recent memory,
there is one city council race
that will directly impact the
northwest Bronx’s District 17,
which encompases the neighborhoods
of Concourse Village,
Crotona Park East, East
Tremont, Hunts Point, Longwood,
Melrose, Morrisania,
Port Morris, and West Farms.
There are three candidates
poised to replace Councilman
Rafael Salamanca, Jr. who
has served since 2016; that
trio who will be running in
the Tuesday, June 22 primary
are: Helen Hines, Lattina
Brown, and Glennis Sanchez.
The Bronx Times asked
each candidate a few questions
to get to know them.
Each profi le has been edited
for clarity and space.
BY MICHAEL BELTZER
Why are you running?
I am running to make sure
we comprehensively plan our
community against gentrifi -
cation. That means building
more social and senior housing,
limited equity co-ops,
community land trusts and
using the local income levels.
We are running to exert
worker power, by supporting
and expanding unions, creating
worker co-ops, universal
retirement accounts and
raising the minimum wage
to $20/hr. We are fi ghting for
public power, banking and
internet to help reduce those
fees or make free all together.
Of course I am running to
make housing, education and
healthcare human rights in
NYC.
Tell us about yourself,
what you do for a living, your
relationship to the district,
and which neighborhood you
live in?
I am a proud working-class
public school parent who lives
in Unionport. I have lived in
the district since 2007 and
have served on the local community
board and community
education council and
have formed the Southeast
Bronx Community Council
as well.
What are the biggest challenges
facing the district and
how will you solve them?
We have challenges
around housing, transportation
and education. First, we
need to come up with a community
based plan so we can
build in protections for people
while building for the future.
We need to re-prioritize
our streets to promote public
transit and defund the NYPD
to get more money for education
and other social services
.What will you do differently
than the incumbent?
The incumbent is retiring
and I would do everything
completely different from
him. First, I will actually
show up for the community.
I would bring people in and
have them be part of the decision
making process, such
as participatory budgeting.
I also will stand up for all
people and help the many different
types of ethnicities we
have in the district.
What’s your political experience?
I am currently a County
Committee member and have
helped dozens of people win
seats as well. I ran for this
seat in 2017 and have helped
get people like John Liu, Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez and
Alessandra Biaggi elected.
What endorsements do you
have?
Voters for Animal Rights
Paw of Approval and local
tenant presidents.
Candidate profi les continued
on p. 34
Glennis Sanchez
Michael Beltzer
Courtesy of Michael Beltzer
political profi les District 18
Courtesy of Glennis Sanchez