With the retirement of Bedford-Stuyvesant Assemblywoman Annette Robinson, the 56th Assembly District Race will likely come down to the winner of the Tuesday, Sept. 13 Democratic Primary election between Tremaine Wright and Karen Cherry.
Wright was was born and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant and attended Duke University and the University of Chicago Law School. She is currently the Chairperson of Community Board 3 and has served in various capacities on the board for the past 12 years.
Wright is also an active member the Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc; served as a volunteer lawyer for the Volunteers of Legal Services’ Incarcerated Mother’s Project and the City Bar’s Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Program; is a founding member of the Brooklyn Alliance for Safer Streets; and is the former owner of Common Grounds A Neighborhood Coffee House.
KCP asked the following two questions to Wright:
If elected, what 2-3 committees would you like to sit on and why?
Bedford-Stuyvesant has a strong black professional and middle-class constituency as well as continued pockets of poverty. Can you give me an idea or two either of an existing program where there is a mentoring between the two economic classes or an idea for a program that you could see backing as the Assembly member?
Tremaine Wright: “Over the past 13 years, my work on the community board has afforded me the opportunity to work in partnership with many groups that provide mentorship and support to young people. Through the work of the Education and Youth Services committee we have connected our young people with internships and jobs, and helped parents navigate the educational system so that their children could receive the best education possible.
“I know there are groups doing stellar mentoring work in the community and encourage them to continue. Groups such as DIVAS for Social Justice or Digital Girl, Inc. that teach coding and robotics are just two examples of programs teaching 21st century skills for 21st century jobs and building the trusting relationships necessary to have our youth develop into healthy and productive adults.
“The core of our work and that of our community partners is to build connections between generations and guide the development of our youth. Our churches, Greek letter organizations (of which I am a proud member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated) and civil rights organizations like the NAACP, all have supported youth development programs that promote scholarship, good citizenry and economic development.
“From credit unions, to homeownership workshops at our churches, to the small business series conducted by my sorority, these organizations are doing important work to sustain and expand Black wealth in America.
“My focus going forward will be to support vocational training programs for those individuals who are not college ready or interested in attending college that provide hands-on skills, access to jobs offering a living wage and the opportunity for a better future.”
Editor’s Note: This story was written in cooperation with OurTimePress.
