Caribbean L 6 ife, APRIL, 2-8, 2021
Small business owner, Trisha Ocona. Joel Stewart, Sr.
Trisha Ocona announces run
for Brooklyn Borough prez
By Nelson A. King
Community leader and small business
owner, Trisha Ocona has officially
entered the Borough President race,
saying that she is “qualified to lead with
empathy and courage.”
In making her announcement on
Friday, Ocona, whose mother is Jamaican
and her father Venezuelan, told
Caribbean Life that she was “prompted
by the need for representation and advocacy
for all Brooklynites and having the
experience to fight for the people.”
Ocana, a registered Democrat, said
her team comprises “a council of professional
and community experts.”
“As a Brooklyn girl, I want to preserve
Brooklyn’s brand as one of the
greatest cities in the world,” she said.
“Many people are leaving Brooklyn due
to gentrification, high rent, crime, loss
of jobs, poor housing. The success of
Brooklyn is as important to my family
and me as so many others.”
Ocona said she has dedicated her life
to improving others’ lives, adding that
she is using what she has learned over
the years from the Brooklyn Chamber
of Commerce and knowledge gained,
with over a decade of experience on the
Community Board.
She said her main agenda is combating
predatory housing practices.
Ocona said she has already created
“councils” within her cabinet to address
issues ranging from clergy to mental
health, the New York City Housing
Authority (NYCHA) and the pandemic,
to the aging, prison reform and racial
equity.
Ocona said she grew up in Brooklyn
in a multicultural household, and that,
as a mother to school-aged children,
with senior citizen parents, she understands
“the importance of amplifying
the underserved voices.”
As one of the youngest people on the
Community Board, when she started,
Ocona said she established “real connections
early in life.”
She said she leads “with compassion”
and helps by sharing available
resources.
In addition to her tenure on Brooklyn
Community Board 17, she also served as
chairwoman for the Housing Committee
and committee member for Land
Use and Youth.
Ocona said the Brooklyn Borough
president role positions her “to
address problems and create actionable
change.”
With her experience working with
city agencies and nonprofit organizations,
paired with the ability to influence
diverse representation on appointed
community boards, Ocona said she
is “well equipped to navigate neighborhood
level projects and initiatives.”
“This year, there is a new voting
system called Ranked Choice Voting,”
she said. “Instead of choosing just one
candidate that they want to win, voters
have to pick their first, second, etc. candidate
of choice. Vote Trisha Ocona Jun.
22nd as 1st Choice, #teamocona.”
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