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NYC Councilwoman-elect Pierina Sanchez at a rally against domestic
violence. Photo Jason Cohen
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, D BTR EC. 3-9, 2021 15
Continuing its 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 JASON COHEN
NYC Council District 14
has been led by Democrat
Councilman Fernando Cabrera
since 2010. But, in January,
new blood will fi ll his
shoes as Democrat Pierina
Sanchez succeeds the longtime
term-limited councilman.
District 14 covers a stretch
of the west Bronx along the
Harlem River, including the
neighborhoods of University
Heights, Fordham, Morris
Heights and Kingsbridge.
The councilwoman-elect,
who attended Harvard and
Princeton and worked at the
Obama White House and
City Hall, spoke with the
Bronx Times about the need
to improve education and the
rise in crime.
According to Sanchez,
there are many issues in her
district, but in order to create
a better future the school system
must be improved. The
best schools should not only
be in Manhattan, she said.
“There are so many barriers
in this neighborhood and
parts of the Bronx,” Sanchez
said.
The lawmaker understands
certain affl uent communities
will always have
more resources, but the NYC
Department of Education
must make all schools equitable.
People should not have
to ride a bus or subway an
hour to go to a public school
or sell drugs because a school
lacks after-school programs.
Making matters worse, is
that many buildings are dilapidated,
have old books and
lead paint.
“What does it look like
to make all schools that are
within a fi ve-minute walk of
you a good school?” she said.
Sanchez, who feels like
she won the “lottery” with
the path her life has taken,
has seen fi rsthand how the
criminal justice system can
fail people. As she entered
the doors to Harvard University,
one of her friends
was walking into prison. Additionally,
she knows many
young people who were
locked up for marijuana offenses.
Now, those people
can’t get jobs, have records
and their lives have never
been the same.
“What we are facing here,
is a system that sets us up to
fail,” Sanchez said.
While she grew up “ducking
bullets” as a kid, Sanchez
said it was only a handful of
people involved in criminal
activity. However, the openair
drug dealing and constant
shooting today is quite
alarming. She hopes with
better funding in schools
and more programs, things
will improve.
“We want to have all
those opportunities that
change the trajectory of
the lives of our kids and
help our parents and work
to make our communities
safer,” she said.
Snapshots | Pierina Sanchez: From the
West Bronx to Harvard to City Council
PIERINA SANCHEZ
AGE: 33
NEIGHBORHOOD: FORDHAM
POLITICAL IDEOLOGY: PROGRESSIVE
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