Caribbean candidates win in general elections
Rita Joseph,Council District 40. Marc
Baptiste Photography
Caribbean Life, NOVEMBER 5-11, 2021 3
By Nelson A. King
Several Caribbean candidates who
were victorious in June’s Democratic
Primary romped to victory Tuesday
night in the general elections in the
heavily-Democratic New York City.
New York City Public Advocate,
Jumaane Williams, the son of Grenadian
immigrants, was re-elected, as
well as New York City Council Member,
Farah Louis, the daughter of Haitian
immigrants.
Queens Borough President Donovan
Richards, who traces his roots to Jamaica,
was also re-elected.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric
Gonzales, the son of Puerto Ricans, ran
unopposed.
Crystal Hudson, the granddaughter
of Jamaican immigrants, and Haitianborn
Rita Joseph and Mercedes Narcisse
were elected to New York City Council
for the very first time.
“You gave me your trust, and your
voice when you put me in this role,
and I work every day to live up to that
trust, to raise your voice,” Williams, 45,
told campaign supporters at a rally in
Brooklyn Tuesday night.
“I will never take that for granted —
no matter where I go, no matter what I
do,” added Williams, who is also eyeing
a run for Governor of New York next
year.
With 92.92 percent of the precincts
reporting, Williams, who describes himself
as an activist politician, received
68.47 percent of the votes.
Devi Elizabeth Nampiaparampil, running
as a Republican and on the Save
Our City line, received 23.33 percent of
the votes; Anthony Herbert (Conservative
and Independent) received 6.73 percent;
and Devin W. Balkind (Libertarian
Party) received 1.32 percent.
Earlier, Williams said New York City
“needs a Public Advocate who can effectively
be an activist elected official, with
more than just politics, bringing the
voice of everyday New Yorkers into the
halls of government.
“I pledge to continue to combine
activism and legislation to help make
our city a truly progressive beacon, and
fight for a just and equitable recovery
from the COVID-19 pandemic,” added
Williams, who has already established
an exploratory committee for the governor’s
race.
That race is already getting more
competitive, with New York State Attorney
General Letitia James announcing
last week her candidacy.
Other possible contenders are New
York City’s outgoing Mayor Bill DeBlasio
and Long Island Congressman Thomas
Suozzi.
The candidates will be hoping to
unseat incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul,
who succeeded former Gov. Andrew
M. Cuomo, who resigned earlier this
year amid a blistering report by James,
accusing him of sexual harassment
against 11 women and the alleged creation
of a toxic work environment.
With the unofficial results, incumbent
Richards Tuesday night was enjoying
a very handsome lead over his
Republican challenger for Queens Borough
President.
Richards has received 160,081 votes,
or 65,8 percent, with 79.01 percent
reporting (1133/1434), to Thomas
Zmich’s 83,051 votes, or 34.2 percent.
In the 45th Council District in Brooklyn,
Louis won by a mammoth landslide,
securing 17,933 votes, or 94.3 percent,
to Independent Louis Cespedes’ 1,078
votes. Eighty-seven, or 71.9 percent, of
121 precincts, have reported results.
“I am thankful to the constituents of
Council District 45 for their incredible
support and for believing in our vision
for the future of our city,” Louis told
Caribbean Life Tuesday night. “We will
continue fighting for affordable housing
and education to be a right, not a
privilege.
“We will continue combatting
domestic violence and sexual harassment,
to leave a bright future for our
young women in this city,” she added.
“We envision a system which is both
sustainable and long-lasting, and will
work hard to deliver.”
Louis said her motivation for running
for re-election was her dedication
to seeing the continued growth of the
overwhelmingly Caribbean 45th Council
District in the Flatbush and East
Flatbush sections of Brooklyn.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she
said business owners, homeowners, students
and community members face
“different challenges.”
“I will stand at the forefront for
equity and justice,” the council member
affirmed.
In the 35th Council District in
Brooklyn, Hudson also won by a massive
landslide.
With 97.78 percent of precincts
reporting (132/135), Hudson received
27,330, or 95.1 percent, to Independent
Regina Kinsey’s 1,396, or 4.9 percent.
In making history as the first openly
gay Black woman to be elected to the
City Council, Hudson told Caribbean
Life that “this community made me
who I am, and I am honored to have the
opportunity to represent my neighbors
on the City Council.”
She said that, over the past year, her
campaign built “a broad, diverse coalition
of support from every corner of
this district” — from dozens of labor
unions and progressive leaders to New
York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
residents and religious leaders.
“I’m so grateful for the support of
hundreds of volunteers who knocked on
doors and connected with voters about
our vision for a stronger, more equitable
New York, and to every voter who made
their voice heard in this election,” Hudson
said.
“I know and love this community
deeply, and, as the granddaughter of
Jamaican immigrants, a caregiver who
has navigated our complicated healthcare
system, the daughter of a nurse,
and a Black, queer New Yorker, I will
fight even harder for historically marginalized
people to have a seat at the
table,” she added.
“Our community is hurting from
this pandemic, and, more than ever, we
need our leaders to step up and advocate
for real relief for working families,
immigrants, frontline workers, small
business owners, and the low-income
communities of color that were hit
hardest this year,” the activist politician
continued. “From the start, this campaign
was rooted in love and principles
of justice, equity and dignity for all; and
that’s exactly how I plan to lead on the
Council.
“I’m so proud of our victory today
and ready to fight for our vision of truly
affordable housing for all, meaningful
criminal justice reform, equitable
schools, investment in Black and brown
communities, and a fair recovery from
COVID-19 that sets us on a stronger
path forward,” Hudson said. “Let’s get
to work.”
In the 40th Council District, which
also includes parts of Flatbush and East
Flatbush in Brooklyn, school teacher
Rita Joseph also registered a landslide
victory over her Haitian Republican
compatriot Constantine Jean-Pierre.
With 88.46 percent of precincts
reporting (92/104), Joseph received
18,631 votes, or 93.1 percent, to Jean-
Pierre’s 1,373 votes, or
6.9 percent.
“In the past years, policy decisions
have been made for working people, not
with us,” Joseph said on Election Day.
“I’m running to change that and be
your voice.”
She also said that “Black Lives Matter,
housing is a human right, and every
child deserves a world-class education.”
With all of the precincts (115/115)
reporting in the 46th Council District
in Brooklyn, encompassing parts of
Canarsie, Mill Basin and Marine Park,
among others, Registered Nurse Narcisse
resoundingly trounced her Republican
challenger, Donald Cranston.
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams speaks at a rally against
Asian hate crime following the May 31, 2021 unprovoked attack on another
Asian person, a 55-year-old woman, in Manhattan’s Chinatown district in
New York City, U.S. June 2, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Segar, fi le
City Council Member Farah Louis at
City Hall. Offi ce of Council Member Farah N.
Louis