political profi les district 15
BY OSWLD FELIZ
Why are you running?
I am a lifelong resident of
the Bronx, a fi rst-generation
Dominican immigrant, and
son of a taxi driver and a home
attendant. Growing up in the
Kingsbridge section of the
Bronx, I learned that opportunity
can be severely limited
based on the neighborhood
that you grow up in – including
access to good schools,
well-paying jobs, safe streets,
and affordable housing. I have
spent years on the front lines
fi ghting for change and more
opportunity in our community
and want to make sure
Bronx working families have
a real voice in the City Council.
Tell us about yourself,
i.e. what you do for a living,
your relationship to the district,
and which neighborhood
you live in
I have spent my whole life
in this district and currently
live on Kingsbridge Road/
Valentine Avenue. As a tenant
lawyer in our community,
I have successfully defended
vulnerable Bronx residents
who were at risk of eviction
and sued landlords who were
in the practice of tenant harassment.
I’m also proud to
work with our young people
as a professor at Hostos Community
College.
What are the biggest
challenges facing the district
and how will you solve
them?
We’re facing an unprecedented
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, M 22 ARCH 12-18, 2021 BTR
moment of crisis in
the Bronx that requires immediate
action. As Council
Member, I will work to guarantee
access for our community
to the COVID-19 vaccine
and recovery funds; increase
access to affordable housing
by requiring large buildings
to reserve 20% for low-income
families; fi ght for equal school
funding so all students receive
the same education regardless
of their ZIP code, and help reform
our police department
while keeping our community
safe.
What will you do differently
than the incumbent
Congressman Torres was
a great Council Member, and
I want to keep building on the
progress we’ve made over the
years to bring even more opportunity
to the Bronx. The
truth is that COVID-19 has
brought unprecedented challenges
that are going to require
bold new leadership in
the City Council. Black and
brown communities have
been hit the hardest by this
pandemic, and I’m going to
make sure the Bronx can recover
and then rebuild stronger
than ever before.
What’s your political experience?
I served on behalf of Bronx
families as a legislative staffer
for State Senator Gustavo Rivera.
I then joined the historic
2016 campaign of Rep.
Adriano Espaillat in the 13th
Congressional District and cofounded
the Northwest Bronx
Democrats for Change, where
I have worked to increase political
participation by organizing
community town halls
and holding voter registration
drives in the Bronx. I am also
the former State Committeeman
for the 78th Assembly district
and served as President
of the Student Government at
Lehman College,
What endorsements do
you have?
I have been endorsed by
Congressman Adriano Espaillat
and Assemblyman Victor
Pichardo.
Oswald Feliz
political profi les district 15
BY BERNDAETTE FERRARA
Why are you running?
I am running to help people
in City Council District
15 overcome political and systemic
challenges that get in
the way of having economic
stability, good schools, neighborhood
amenities, and safe
streets. I am focused on the
needs of the voters I am running
to represent instead of a
political or personal agenda
that won’t improve their
lives. As a community activist
for years, I know what
the problems are in my district
and how to fi x them with
practical, common sense solutions.
Tell us about yourself,
i.e. what you do for a living,
your relationship to
the district, and which
neighborhood you live in.
I am a passionate community
leader and fi erce advocate
for my Van Nest community.
I am a founding member
of the Van Nest Neighborhood
Alliance in 2010, and became
the civic organization’s President
in 2015. I have also been
a member of Bronx Community
Board 11 since 2008, and
have served on the Housing
Committee, Economic Development
Committee and the
Youth and Education Committee.
Presently, I am retired. My
lifelong profession has been
a Graphic Designer, then a
Computer Graphic Designer.
What are the biggest
challenges facing the district
and how will you
solve them?
Absentee Landlords: Oversight
and accountability for
absentee landlords who don’t
maintain their properties,
and destabilize neighborhoods
by renting to tenants
without screening them.
Education: Restore zone
schooling to enroll children
in grades K-8 close to
home, and make sure there
are enough classrooms and
teachers for them.
Community Amenities:
Provide adaptive housing
for Veterans and Seniors;
community centers that offer
recreational options for our
kids; replacing the library
Van Nest lost in 1968.
Property Taxes: Lower
property taxes that have
grown three times faster
than the median income in
our community, which is
pushing homeowners out of
the Bronx.
Safe Communities: Provide
NYPD with training and
resources to handle drug addiction,
homelessness, mental
health issues, rising crime
and other public safety challenges
in our neighborhoods.
Small Business: Regulatory
and tax policies that
support family-owned businesses,
and promote economic
diversity to create
well-paying, permanent, fulltime
jobs in our communities.
Transportation: Increase
mass transit options for our
underserved communities;
equip all subway stations in
the district with elevators for
the elderly and disabled; get
proposed Metro North service
back on track.
What will you do differently
than the incumbent?
As the City Council Member
for District 15, I will be
more accessible to community
leaders; will follow through
on issues with NYCHA that
remain unresolved, like falsifi
ed lead paint inspections;
and will fi ght for amenities
like community centers that
are lacking in the district.
What’s your political experience?
This will be my fi rst held
political offi ce. As a public
servant, community leader
and activist, I have been serving
my Van Nest community
and my Bronx borough for 20
years. Over the years, I realized
that there’s a limit to
how much a citizen can do to
improve his or her community
and the lives of the people
who call it home through
volunteer work.
What endorsements do
you have?
Presently, the FERRARA
FOR FIFTEEN campaign has
none.
Bernadette Ferrara
Oswald Feliz Courtesy of Oswald Feliz
Bernadette Ferrara
Courtesy of Bernadette Ferrara