Sworn in six months ago, and I have already got a lot done

As a candidate for city council, and now as a councilman, I often tell people “your voice will be heard at City Hall.”

I believe that by working together, fighting for our community, and making sure bureaucrats in city government hear our voices, our community, our city and our residents can thrive.

Now, as I have served my first six months in office, I can confidently tell you this: I hear you, and they hear us.

There have been significant gains for our community in the few shorts months I have been in office. In the budget process alone, I secured roughly $15 million in capital projects for the district, which includes millions of dollars for our local parks, libraries, schools and hospitals. Educational technology, additional and improved green space, and accessibility for those with disabilities are just some of the investments our community will see in the coming years.

However, investment in our community is not limited to capital projects alone. I secured millions of additional dollars to meet the varying needs of our neighbors. With these millions of dollars, workers, children, older adults, people with disabilities, those facing mental health crises, immigrants, neighbors facing eviction, survivors of domestic violence, friends who are hungry or struggling financially, and so many more in our community will get the resources they need.

While the budget process was a big win for our community, much of my work has been attending to hyperlocal needs.

One of the first issues I took on when elected was the fight to save Meg’s Garden at the DeWitt Clinton Educational Campus. The campus wanted to restrict access to the weekend farmers market, evict the non-profit running the educational programming, and remove the garden.

By bringing people together and working with community partners, I was able to restore access for the farmers market, save the physical garden space, and preserve the non-profit’s role in providing support and education for our students and community. While this victory for our neighborhood was not reported on in this particular publication, it is undeniable hundreds of folks who patronize the market and countless students and community members will have their lives bettered by the presence of the market, the garden and the program.

When people share concerns, I listen and act. Neighbors wanted cleaner streets, so I worked with the sanitation department to replace wire baskets with new rat-proof baskets, and allocated more than a quarter-million dollars to clean up services throughout the district. Community members wanted the return of composting, so I worked with community partners to fight for its return, and we won.

Pedestrians wanted safer streets, so I worked with leaders and the transportation department to swiftly install safety measures on our streets. Folks needed COVID-19 vaccines, so I brought sites to the district.

Many other issues are addressed by myself and my office, but those needs don’t stay within the confines of the district. Any one of my colleagues at the council will tell you that in any hearing, or when I speak to my votes, my most-uttered phrase is, “What about the Bronx?” For every single initiative I support, and every bill I co-sponsor or introduce, I have ensured that it will have direct and positive impacts on our borough.

I fight every day to secure resources for our district, and push back against Manhattan-centric approaches to solving issues that impact us here in the north Bronx.

As this city and our community face myriad challenges, my dedication to delivering results and superior constituent services will not slow down.

In fact, we are just getting started. I am incredibly excited for the future of our district, and look forward to continuing to be a passionate voice for you at City Hall.

The author represents the 11th district on the city council, including Riverdale, Kingsbridge and Van Cortlandt Village

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