Yves Filius Courtesy of Yves Filius
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, A BTR PR. 9-15, 2021 23
political profi les District 16
Why are you running?
I am running for New York
City Council District 16 for
economic inclusion, environmental
justice, and collective
resilience for my neighbors in
the Bronx. However my priorities
are not limited to these
things. Education, Housing,
Employment, Healthcare,
Small Businesses resources
and recovering from the Covid
19 Pandemic are at the forefront
of what matters to me. I
am looking to bring innovative
solutions to long term issues
within the Bronx.
Tell us about yourself,
i.e. what you do for a living,
your relationship to the district,
and which neighborhood
you live in
I was Born and raised in the
Morrisania community and
reside in the Concourse neighborhood.
My interest in public
service began with my parents
who are Haitian immigrants
that taught me that a strong
work ethic and community involvement
will always lead to
success. Currently, I am the
elected Male District Leader
in the 77th Assembly District
however I also volunteer at the
St. Augustine Youth Group and
Food Pantry, and sits on the
Boards of Directors at the Harriet
Tubman/Ella Baker Charter
School, Friends of Crotona
Park, VIP Community Services,
and Jerome A. Greene
and Jackson Democratic Clubs
What are the biggest
challenges facing the district
and how will you solve
them?
Increased emissions and
pollution in our air are causing
increased incidence of asthma
amongst Bronx residents. My
green space initiatives will allow
more vehicular toxins to
be absorbed and eliminate the
strong presence of those emissions
in the air we breath.
Our children may fall behind
due to virtual instruction
challenges but will also
struggle with social and people
skills due to distancing which
is why our children needs for
recreational space.
Housing and employment
will be a challenge as well
which is why I plan to ensure
discretionary funds are allocated
to local Community
Based Organizations that provide
rent relief and legal assistance
to help residents keep
their homes.
What will you do differently
than the incumbent
I will push for more transparency
with our law enforcement,
fi ght to get emergency
grants for our small businesses,
with the help of the constituency,
create new civic groups,
to incorporating a trade school
in the district, adding a penny
bank in our school district,
open a boys and girls club with
in the district, capping existing
highways in the distinct
adding more real estate in the
district and opening up ferry
point access in the South-West
Bronx giving Bronxites a new
form of transportation outside
our borough.
What’s your political experience?
Aside from being the current
male District Leader
in the 77th Assembly Districts
my experience also includes:
Director of Outreach,
NYC 16th Council District
Community Liaison, NYS
Assembly 79th and 77th Districts
Small business & Community
Leader Liaison, NYC
Public Advocate’s Offi ce
Political Director of the
New York State Young Dems
Caucus of Color
Political Director for the
Bronx Democratic Party
Senior Role, New York
Civil Liberties Union
What endorsements do
you have?
Mohammed Mardah
Janice Robinson
Bernard Smith
Anthony Powell
Jerome A Greene Democratic
Club
Jackson Democratic Club
Why are you running?
When I fi rst made the decision
to run for City Council, I
made a commitment to run a
community-fi rst campaign. I
am running with community
support, on a platform based
on the needs of the community,
with a team that is just
as passionate for the future of
this district as I. The fi rst year
of my campaign, I committed
to a listening tour of District
16, really getting to know what
the community needs and
cares about in order to build
an inclusive platform. I am
dedicated to continuing to listen
throughout my campaign
and if elected.
Tell us about yourself,
i.e. what you do for a living,
your relationship to the district,
and which neighborhood
you live in
Althea Stevens is a proud
New York native and a respected
community advocate
for the Bronx. As a dedicated
single mother, she works hard
to create a sustainable future
for her child and for all children
and families who live
in under-resourced neighborhoods.
Althea began her career
in civic service more than 15
years ago working for nonprofi
t agencies and community
centers that focused on
giving a voice to the most vulnerable
populations. She organized
voting rights information
sessions, led strategy
workshops to address gang
policing and created annual
youth forums.
First, housing is a huge
issue for District 16 where
families need pathways to
transition out of shelters into
affordable housing. Council
District 16 has the largest
number of family shelter
units in all of NYC with over
1,100 family shelter units, or
10% of all family shelter units
in the city, according to a report
by The Institute for Children,
Poverty, and Homelessness.
One in four students in
this district have experienced
homelessness in the last fi ve
years. In addition to individuals
and families experiencing
homelessness, 37% of households
in the district are severely
rent burdened (spending
50%+ of their income on
rent).
Second, District 16 needs
more community services and
resources focused around increasing
food security. This
issue is compounded by the
COVID-19 pandemic and its
devastating effects on the population
of NYC, in general,
and communities like District
16 who were already struggling,
specifi cally.
Third, District 16 is in dire
need of engaging and empowering
youth development programming.
What will you do differently
than the incumbent?
My current City Councilmember
is an extremely
hard worker and has handled
the COVID-19 crisis with lots
of grace and dignity. She has
been on the ground serving
her community and making
sure local families had food,
PPE and holistic services,
such as trauma counseling.
I would strive to fi ll these
shoes and respond similarly
to the crises faced by our community,
ensuring my constituents
have the resources and
services they need and know
they have an ally in me.
What’s your political experience?
I have never run or held
elected offi ce, but I have sat
on a number of Advisory Committees,
including the New
York City Mayor’s Offi ce of
Community Affairs, New
York City Housing Authority
Tenants Association, the
NAACP Legal Defense and
Educational Fund (LDF) Inc.
and numerous government
agencies. In 2019, she was also
honored by Council member
Ayala Women History Month
Honoree for her exemplary
community work.
What endorsements do you
have?
Political: Working Families
Party, Diana Ayala (City
Councilmember District 8),
Michael Blake (DNC Vice
Chair and former Assemblymember
District 79), Chantel
Jackson (Assemblymember
District 79), Bronx Democratic
Party, Jim Owles Democratic
Club, Ritchie Torres (Congressman,
NY-15), Samelys
Lopez (Former Congressional
Candidate for NY-15), Alicka
Ampry-Samuel (City Councilmember,
District 41), Justin
Brannan (City Councilmember,
District 43), Carlina Rivera
(City Councilmember,
District 2), Vanessa Gibson
(City Councilmember, District
16), Bronx Borough President
Ruben Diaz, Jr.
Community: 21 in ‘21, Citizen
Action New York, Road
to Justice (1199 SEIU, CVH
Power, Make the Road Action),
Open New York, Run for
Something, AIANY, Women of
Color for Progress, Voters for
Animal Rights
Labor: 32BJ, DC 37, CWA Local
100, NYSNA, Hotel Trades
Council, UFT, New York City
Central Labor Council
Althea Stevens
Courtesy of Althea Stevens
Yves Filius
Althea Stevens