Since starting at Kings County Politics, there’s never been a shortage of great stories to cover. From tense Community Board Meetings to local elections, there plenty of news to go around when it comes to the borough of Brooklyn.
In the past year, my most memorable stories have come from some unexpected places and from some of the usual suspects. However, sometimes the story writes you and other times you write the story. I have learned that you should expect certain things when it comes to covering local politics and then other things will surprise you. That’s when you really have to make sure to follow the story.
5. Numbers Favor A Two-Women Race in 41st District City Council Primary, Published: July 18, 2017
I’ve never really covered an election before, nevermind one in such a hyper-political world as Brooklyn and in a year of such heightened sense of local government. As a result, covering the Brownsville race really gave me an opportunity to return to my families roots in the borough, but also give me a chance to see local politicians up close. One of my most favorite parts of this assignment was going to an area of Brooklyn so few people really get to visit or even see and enjoying day after day. I also had an opportunity to meet many community members and get their sentiments on the local issues.
This race had more people running and more personalities than any other race not to mention it was littered with natives of the community, which made it that much harder to not want each one of them to win. I had the lovely opportunity to sit one-on-one with each candidate and I had a blast. They each had their own perspective on the district and each one had their own particular plan for attacking the issues in the area.
I also was pleasantly surprised to see such strong female candidates in the race something City Council will be lacking in the new term next year. I was also very elated to be covering an area that so rarely gets coverage for it’s political views. Brownsville is mostly known for its violence and prison rates but the area is growing and developing and with City Councilwoman-elect Alicka-Ampry Samuel the district is definitely set to be one of the top in the coming years.
Link: https://politicsny.com/numbers-favor-two-women-race-41st-district-city-council-primary/
4. Gonzalez Celebrates Hispanic Culture and Historic Win, Published: Sept. 19, 2017
This was a particularly fun event to cover for me being that I am Colombian American. I was even more excited to see so many Latino faces in the crowd and on the stage that night. District Attorney Eric Gonzalez was basking in his historic primary win as the first Latino Brooklyn D.A. to be elected in the state of New York, while Congressman Adriano Espaillat was celebrating his landmark win as the first Dominican-born Congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives after winning the open seat last November.
One of the most touching moments in the night came as fellow Latina Jeanine Ramirez interviewed Espaillat about his momentous win and what it means to him. The words that still ring out to me are “It’s not about being the first, I always strive to be the best! Because if you ask any Dominican who is the first Dominican ball player? Most people won’t be able to tell you that it was Ozzie Virgil. But if you ask them who Pedro Martin is or who Juan Marichal and Big Papi is? They know exactly who your because they’re the best. So it’s like you’re parents always say as long as you do your best, that’s what really matters. And apparently what everyone remembers too.
Link: https://politicsny.com/gonzalez-celebrates-hispanic-culture-historic-win/
3. Brooklyn Lawmakers Arrested At Trump Towers In Inaugural Day Protest, Published: January 20, 2017
There are very few times in my life where I have been as excited to cover an event as I was this assignment. Not only was it one of the few times that I was covering an event not based in Brooklyn but it was a national issue. As many of you know, KCP, is a hyper local news site with a basis on local politics and government so we rarely get to bring coverage to national issues. So this was a real treat. Not only did I get an opportunity to really see the shock and outrage of the Trump Administration’s ascension but it was also interesting to see elected officials get carted away into police vans.
Funny enough, there is one memory that sticks in my mind when it comes to the surprising election of Donald Trump and that is the words of a women I never met or seen but I heard. This unknown woman left the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats election viewing party with the most fateful partying gift, “I’ll see you tomorrow in Trump’s America!” Famous last words? Or the beginning of a new era?
Link: https://politicsny.com/brooklyn-lawmakers-arrested-trump-towers-inaugural-day-protest/
2. Thousands of Union and Non-Union Construction Workers Clash Over Safety Legislation, Published: Feb 1, 2017
If there’s one thing I’m not is handy and going into this public hearing, I thought it was going to be something more construction related and less ethnic related. However, I was very mistaken and in a good way. One of the most passionate and loyal group of people you could ever meet are laborers and union members.
The streets were packed with men outside of City Hall who were standing in freezing cold temperatures with snow falling on them. I didn’t know it then but this story would go on to be just the beginning of a construction safety saga between union and non-union construction workers. The legislation that was on the docket that day, Intro 1447, would go on to be passed in its third iteration as Intro 1447-C this past October while still in the midst of controversy.
Link: https://politicsny.com/thousands-union-non-union-construction-workers-clash-safety-legisation/
1. Pfizer Site Public Hearing Spills Over Into Allegations Of Anti-Semitism, Published: Oct. 10, 2017
This was meant to be a follow-up to a continuing story about the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Williamsburg; however, back to the idea that sometimes stories write themselves. I found that the real difference covering this story at the City Council’s Land Use Committee meeting was that City Councilman David Greenfield seemed to be more in tune with his religious affiliation than his duty as a City Councilman that day. At the meeting, he had a prominent lawyer, involved in the case, take back what he said based on no other fact than that he sounded “anti-semitic”. Not only that, Greenfield also hinted that the accusatory lawyer should first present evidence before throwing out accusations. I guess you can take the lawyer out of the courtroom but you can’t take the courtroom out of the lawyer. Earlier this month, the Pfizer Site Rezoning once again made headlines, as the city finally settled a discrimination lawsuit over the Broadway Triangle.
Link: https://politicsny.com/pfizer-site-public-hearing-spills-allegations-anti-semitism/
