There was music and dancing all night long as dozens of close friends, family and staff gathered to celebrate one of Brooklyn’s finest women.
Brooklyn Borough Hall was filled with salsa music and the smell of pernil as the borough celebrated Deputy Brooklyn Borough President Diana Reyna at her farewell address.
Earlier this month, KCP exclusively reported Reyna’s departure. The former city-councilwoman has had a historic tenure as the first Latina to serve in a boroughwide capacity for the last four years.
Reyna was born and raised in Williamsburg’s Southside and in 2001 became the first woman of Dominican descent to be elected to office in New York State, serving for 12 years as council member for the 34th District representing the neighborhoods of Bushwick, Williamsburg and Ridgewood.
Borough President Eric L. Adams was saddened by his second in command’s departure but was hopeful about their future together as legislators.
“You know what do you say to a person who’s just had a full career. Let me tell you a true visionary isn’t someone who sees things before others but a visionary is someone who knows others see things before they see them and they don’t get in the way of their progress. Just look at her legacy. I never thought in my life that I would be quoting Arnold Schwarzenegger but she’ll be back,” said Adams.
City Councilman Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island, Bensonhurst, Gravesend) felt bittersweet about Reyna’s announcement but grateful for his time spent with the Dominican-born elected.
“I am extremely proud to have gotten to know Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna in a variety of capacities. She is a dynamic elected official, a vocal and very passionate leader who always stays true to her values and beliefs and I’ve always just admired her,” said Treyger.
The South Brooklyn lawmaker went on to highlight a humbling experience with Reyna when she visited a Robotics Fair at John Dewey High School as a “ordinary” admirer of the student’s work. Reyna did not announce her high-profile position until she finally got up to address the students in order to better interact with the kids and their projects.
Reyna was moved to tears during the event as people from her entire career starting as Chief of Staff to former City Councilman Vito Lopez to her stint at Borough Hall took the time to reflect on a woman who gave so much of herself.
Reyna thanked everyone for their kind words but also left a parting message to her colleagues.
“I am so grateful and honored to have worked and served with Borough President Eric Adams and to be able to serve the people of Brooklyn, to have seen my community rise from the ashes. It was tough. It’s always about how have you changed the world today. And that it’s never too late to get involved in the lives of everyone around you including yourself,” said Reyna.
Reyna will now go on to help launch Athena Consulting Group. The all-female start-up firm focused on business development, community engagement, government relations, public relations, as well as minority- and women-owned business enterprise (M/WBE) certification.
“This is an amazing women. There are a lot of firsts still remaining in her. The goal in life is to find your gift, the role in life is to give it away. And you have given it away, time and time again,” added Adams.
