Democrat Nikki Lucas surrounded by her supporters celebrate her victory for the 60th Assembly District seat in
Brooklyn. Michael Lambert
Caribbean Life, February 18-24, 2022 3
By Nelson A. King
New York City Mayor Eric Adams
and NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham
Health on Friday opened the third of
three COVID-19 Centers of Excellence
— all three in communities of color hit
hardest by the pandemic.
The new community health clinic
located in Bushwick, Brooklyn will
support recovering COVID-19 patients
beginning the week of Feb. 14, 2022,
and will provide comprehensive ambulatory
services to the community.
Adams also announced that 14 landmark
city cultural sites and 27 branches
of The New York Public Library,
Queens Public Library and Brooklyn
Public Library will receive at-home
COVID-19 test kits to provide to New
Yorkers free of charge.
Weekly walk-up distributions will
begin this week, and a list of locations
and hours will be available and updated
daily on Test & Trace’s testing page.
“The opening of this third COVID-
19 Center of Excellence is amazing
news for New York City’s comeback,”
said Mayor Adams. “It was in these
neighborhoods that this pandemic hit
New Yorkers the hardest and I’m proud
that as we recover, the neighborhoods
hit the hardest will have access to
world-class health care and support.”
“We are so excited to open our third
COVID-19 Center of Excellence in a
community that has suffered so much
during this pandemic,” said President
and Chief Executive Officer of NYC
Health + Hospitals, Mitchell Katz, MD.
“As we continue to learn more about
the long-lasting health impacts of this
pandemic, we’re being proactive to
create medical homes for New Yorkers.
This site will not only provide critical
health support to those still recovering
from COVID-19, but will also provide
new opportunities for this community
to access high-quality, ongoing primary
care.”
By Nelson A. King
Democrat Nikki Lucas — a 30-year
resident of Starrett City and a staunch
community advocate for residents of
East New York, and the surrounding
neighborhoods of Starrett City,
Brownsville and Canarsie, among others
– on Tuesday declared victory, by a
massive landslide, in the Special Election
for the 60th Assembly District seat
in Brooklyn.
The 60th Assembly District includes
the East New York, Brownsville and
Canarsie sections of Brooklyn.
“Our community has spoken loud
and clear, and I am so humbled to now
be elected Democratic representative
from East New York, Starrett City,
Brownsville and Canarsie,” Lucas, a
former female Democratic State Committee
Member in the 60th Assembly
District, and the founder of the People
First Democratic Club, and the People
First Education Fund, told Caribbean
Life Tuesday night.
“Tonight is the result of what happens
when we center real change, build
coalitions, and demand a just future
that includes truly affordable housing,
quality public schools and accessible
health care for all,” she added.
“I thank everyone who believed
in me, especially my family, clergy,
NYCHA (New York City Housing
Authority) and tenant leaders, laborers
and working-class New Yorkers, my
political club and staff,” Lucas continued.
“It is my honor to continue to
serve the people of this district, here
and in Albany.”
With 98.82 percent of the scanner
reporting, the city’s Board of Elections
reported on Tuesday that Lucas won by
a landslide in the unofficial results.
Lucas obtained 2,074 votes, or
78.32 percent, to her closest challenger,
Keron Alleyne, of the Working
Families Party, who only received 519
votes, or 19.60 percent.
Marvin J. King, who ran on both the
Republican and Conservative parties’
line, received 38 votes as a Republican,
or 1.44 percent, and 15 votes as a Conservative,
or 0.57 percent.
There were two write-in votes, or
0.,08 percent.
On Friday, Mayor Eric Adams
announced his enthusiastic endorsement
of Lucas.
“Nikki Lucas is a strong, effective
leader we can count on at this crucial
moment,” he said. “She has shown up
for the residents of East New York and
Brownsville — communities close to
both our hearts — time after time, and
I know how hard she’ll work to get the
job done.”
Lucas said she was “honored and
humbled” to receive Adams’ endorsement.
“We both care deeply about reducing
gun violence and homelessness,
increasing affordable housing, making
education accessible for all and ending
the digital divide, closing the homeownership
gap and expanding quality
health care,” she said.
Lucas had also received strong
endorsements from Brooklyn Democratic
Party Chair, Haitian American
Rodneyse Bichotte Hermely; Congressman
Hakeem Jeffries; Guyanese-born
Sen. Roxanne Persaud, who represents
the 19th Senate District in Brooklyn;
and local unions 1199SEIU, District
Council of Carpenters, HTC and DC 9.
Lucas became the Democratic nominee
for the 60th Assembly District,
when she secured victory, by an overwhelming
margin of votes, in a January
meeting of the 60th Assembly District
County Committee.
The community activist has advocated
for, among other issues, addressing
“the inhumane conditions prevalent
across New York City Housing Authority
buildings,” access to healthcare,
affordable housing and home ownership,
senior housing that provides
social services and increased funding
for Community Based Organizations,
and economic development initiatives
that were “designed to create business
opportunities and create jobs for local
residents.”
Mayor Eric Adams and Council
Member Mercedes Narcisse cut
ribbon for new COVID-19 Center
of Excellence in Brooklyn. Offi ce of
the Mayor of New York City
Nikki Lucas wins by massive
landslide in Special Election
NY Mayor
opens new
COVID-19
Center