WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES NOVEMBER 11, 2021 15
NYC’s #1 Source for Political & Election News
First-ever women majority poised to take over City Council
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRY@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
When the grassroots advocacy
group 21 in ‘21 was founded in
2017, its goal was to elect more
women to seats on the City Council. Now
the organization is celebrating the fi rstever
women majority in the City Council,
with as many as 31 women heading to the
51-member body — many of them from
Queens — pending certifi cation of the
election results.
“It’s an honor to be among the most
diverse City Council in New York City
history and the fi rst to be a woman majority,”
Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-
Powers said aft er winning re-election
to a full term. “I’m so excited to work
with these leaders to fi ght for policies
that will empower and support women
and working families. From maternal
mortality to equal pay to family leave,
we’re ready to get to work.”
Lynn Shulman of Forest Hills is poised
to lead in District 29 when she replaces
Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz, the
leader of the Queens City Council delegation,
who is term-limited.
“It wouldn’t have been possible without
21 in ‘21,” Shulman said. “This is an
incredible opportunity to make sure
A fi rst-ever women majority is poised to take over the City Council with
many representing Queens. Photo courtesy of 21 in ‘21
New York City works for everyone. We
have important work to do with health
care access, public safety reforms and
investing in education. I look forward
to working closely with my dynamic and
diverse colleagues in making it happen.”
Councilwoman-elect Linda Lee, is
on the verge of being the fi rst woman
elected to District 23, and the first
Korean-American, along with Julie Won,
who is poised to win the District 26 City
Councils seat.
“The opportunity to serve as District
23’s fi rst councilwoman is incredibly
humbling, not only for what it means for
me personally to break the glass ceiling,
but also because I’m sending a message
to other girls and women who aspire to
public service,” Lee said. “I know that
the incoming 21 in ‘21 class will work
particularly hard once in offi ce because
we need to set an example for our communities
and demonstrate excellence in
action.”
Astoria’s Tiff any Cabán, who came
close to becoming Queens district
attorney, is poised to replace former
Councilman Costa Constantinides.
“I am deeply honored to be the next
City Council member for the 22nd
District alongside such hardworking,
compassionate, dope women who were
elected to represent their districts,”
Cabán said. “Together, we’re going to
fi ght for people over profi ts, and communities
over corporations. We’ll continue
organizing together for an economy that
prioritizes our small businesses, schools,
combatting the climate crisis, and our
workforce. And we’ll organize to secure
funding for the services and supports
that keep people housed and safe.”
21 in ‘21 endorsed and supported 25 of
the 31 women who will likely make up
the new majority.
“21 in ‘21 set an audacious goal and
surpassed it,” 21 in ‘21 Executive Director
Jessica Haller said. “The organization
has brought women candidates and now
Council members-elect of New York
what they need at the time they needed
it. We continue to support them and
to strengthen the bonds with the new
majority.”
One-third of the new majority are
mothers; one-third were fi rst-time candidates;
and two-thirds are women of color.
Ariola poised to become District 32 councilwoman
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRY@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Republicans appeared to draw a line in the Rockaway
sand and fended off a progressive onslaught
to defend the last GOP-held offi ce in Queens.
Republican Joann Ariola leads Democrat Felicia
Singh, having secured nearly 67.5% percent of the vote
to Singh’s to 31%, according to unoffi cial results from
the city’s Board of Elections. Ariola, the chairwoman of
the Queens GOP and a civic leader from Howard Beach,
would become the fi rst woman to represent District 32
in the City Council.
Absentee ballots must still be counted, with the process
beginning next week.
Ariola celebrated her apparent victory on the night of
Tuesday, Nov. 2, at Russo’s on the Bay in Howard Beach,
where Councilman Eric Ulrich, who has held the seat
since 2009, said he was happy to pass the torch to the
woman he had endorsed to succeed him.
District 32 comprises several south Queens neighborhoods,
from Rockaway Park, Belle Harbor and
Breezy Point to Howard Beach, Broad Channel, Ozone
Park, Woodhaven and Richmond Hill.
Ariola fi rst ran for public offi ce a quarter of a century
ago when she ran for the Assembly but came up short.
She then ran for City Council in 2001 but lost to current
state Senator Joseph Addabbo. She most recently ran in
the special election for Queens borough president last
year, and now she will take her place in the City Council.
“I know what my neighbors want, as these election
results prove. They want safe streets, clean parks, thriving
businesses and quality education, and I’m going to
fi ght for those things in the Council. They do not want
the progressive socialism that’s hurting our city’s quality
of life and they have resoundingly rejected it this
week,” Ariola said.
She based her campaign on a public safety message
and hammered her opponent for supporting defunding
the NYPD and closing Rikers Island.
Progressives turned out in droves to support Singh,
an educator and daughter of working-class immigrants,
who ran on a platform of education and environmental
issues, supporting taxi drivers and small businesses.
She had the support of the Working Families Party
and a coalition of grassroots and labor organizations
including 32BJ and District Council 37.
“With the results from last night, it is clear I will not
have the honor of serving as the council member of
District 32,” Singh said Wednesday, Nov. 3.
Singh thanked her family, staff , volunteers and endorsers
that came together to form Team Felicia.
“People showed up from all corners of this community
and you’ve become our family. For that I’m grateful,”
she said.
Joann Ariola celebrates her victory over Felicia
Singh with Councilmen Robert Holden (l.) and
Eric Ulrich (r.). Photo courtesy of Kevin J. Ryan
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