Gibson eager to fi ght for the Bronx as next beep
BY ROBBIE SEQUEIRA
Vanessa Gibson’s rise in local
politics — a journey that
started when she succeeded her
late mentor Aurelia Greene as a
state assemblywoman in 2009 followed
by a run as a city councilwoman
beginning in 2013 — continued
Tuesday as she scored a
historic win on election night to
become the fi rst female and fi rst
Black Bronx borough president.
Gibson, the incumbent District
16 NYC councilwoman,
received 79% of the vote while
cruising by her nearest challenger
Republican Janelle King’s
13%, according to the city Board
of Elections, just after midnight
Wednesday morning. Gibson, a
Democrat, said her substantial
margin of victory is humbling
and a sign of how far women of
color have come in making an
impact in local politics.
“Women of color are smashing
ceilings in (politics), and every
time we’re winning seats
that weren’t meant for us,“ Gibson
said. “So each win means
that Blacks girls, Latina girls,
Black and brown kings can aspire
and hope to run for any offi
ce they set their mind to.”
Gibson will take over for
New Plans
three-term Borough President
Ruben Diaz Jr., and is the fi rst
non-Latino borough president
in 35 years. She said that her administration
hopes to amplify
the “hidden gems” of the northernmost
borough while making
strides to improve the lives of all
Bronxites no matter their identity
or orientation.
“The Bronx can expect us to
lead with commitment, action,
consistency and dedication, and
that we expand on existing offi
ces like (Bronx Overall Economic
Development Corporation),”
said Gibson, who added
that she wants to also create
Bronx-based offi ces for immigration
services and public safety.
“We’re also going to look at new
opportunities to build on our
infrastructure, which is aging,
and deal with resiliency issue to
make sure the Bronx is booming
like never before.”
The role of borough president
is largely a symbolic one, having
little binding power in city government.
However, Gibson is expected
to provide input on both the
city’s annual budget and local
land use initiatives and will be
tasked with appointing members
to community boards, Community
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Education councils, the
city Planning Commission, and
the Panel for Educational Policy.
Other roles for borough president
include the ability to cosponsor
City Council legislation,
have a budget to allocate money
to local nonprofi t organizations
and to capital projects.
Gibson’s campaign focused
on affordable housing development,
violence prevention and
intervention, and police accountability.
She said she also wants to ensure
that new developments are
built sustainably and has pushed
for more city Housing Authority
funding and bolstered public
housing tenants’ rights, while
advocating on a federal level for
altered cost of living and area
median income estimates that
refl ect the “reality of living in
the Bronx.”
In her own words on Tuesday
night, Gibson is looking forward
to working with all Bronx elected
offi cials — all Democratic city
and state lawmakers split between
moderate and progressive
camps — to face the challenges of
being borough president of a borough
that is facing severe inequities
in housing, food access and
socioeconomic stability.
“We are going to lead this
borough to the next chapter,” she
said. “We don’t want to divide
this borough. We want to build
up and unify the Bronx.”
Gibson was one of three sitting
city councilmembers to be
elected to a higher post on Tuesday
night, as Democrats Mark
Levine and Antonio Reynoso
won their bids for Manhattan
and Brooklyn borough president,
respectively. Gibson’s District
16 City Council seat, which
includes the neighborhoods of
Concourse, Morrisania, Highbridge,
Morris Heights and
Tremont, will be occupied by
Democrat Althea Stevens, who
was also elected on Tuesday
night.
Bronx Borough President-elect Vanessa Gibson celebrates at a watch
party at Con Sofrito in the Zerega section on Tuesday night.
Photo Adrian Childress
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