Democratic District Leader Darma Diaz is currently running in a special election on June 23 to succeed the recently retired former City Councilmember Rafael Espinal in the 37th Council district covering Cypress Hills, Bushwick, Ocean Hill and parts of Brownsville and East New York.
Yesterday, KCP had the opportunity to catch up with Diaz in the district in front of the non-profit, Ujima Community Working Together, 1139 Bushwick Avenue, as she handed out personal protective equipment (PPE) and participated in a press conference with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams regarding the importance of social distancing and address police relations with the black and brown communities.
Thus the following interview:
KCP: Your possible opponents in the upcoming election are saying you are usurping the Democratic process in challenging the validity of their nominating petitions. Do you think that’s a fair assessment?
Darma Diaz: I understand that there are those who are upset with the decision I have made, but I have to be responsible to the 37th district [that the signatures are valid].
And looking over the signatures, everyone objects including Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-7th District), who objected to her opponents. So that’s not being said. Let’s be real and let’s be fair.
You look at the signatures and the quality, I suspect the reason the others stopped ours is because of the good quality of our signatures. In the reverse, we’re looking at their signatures and going, ‘What is this?!’ Like the leading candidate [for New York City Council in the District 37], Sandy Nurse, a good chunk of her signatures were outside of the district.
We started day one and we didn’t stop until the 15th. Also while the others were out there stating that they had stopped [collecting signatures]. That’s a lie because in looking at the signatures it was the [March] 17th and they were still collecting.
The fact and the reality is that from day one, my team was out there collecting signatures. I did myself– I have over 1,500 people that I’m responsible for, that also risked their lives. As far as COVID we were already collecting. It was pretty cold.
Part of what gives me the passion to do this is if we’re going to be involved in the political movement or the process. Let’s do it the right way.
KCP: Do you find it ironic that progressives often attempt to label you as the Brooklyn Democratic Party’s “entrenched candidate” when you were born and raised in Bushwick while many progressives are new to the community?
Diaz: They’re running on emotions and not fact-checking. If they were to check they would see again, born in Williamsburg, raised in Bushwick, and I chose to reside in Cypress Hills/East New York for the last 31 years.
The establishment has not always been with me. Twice I attempted to be on the ballot, twice I was kicked off the ballot. So don’t tell me I haven’t earned my seat at the table.
KCP: Do you think part of this election is a proxy war between Nydia Velázquez and City Councilmember Antonio Reynoso (D-Bushwick, Ridgewood, and Williamsburg) and their long political beef with former State Sen. Martin Dilan and his son, Assemblyman Erik Dilan, who both support you?
Diaz: Of course, and that’s what I’ve been told. But if we also look at how they chose their candidates when the special election petitions was going on. We have Nydia supporting Nurse, and vice versa, and then why do we have [New York State Senator Julia] Salazar’s staff on Kim Council’s petition? What games are being played? Was she trying to divide the vote against me thinking that the more candidates the more diversity comes?
They bring in a black candidate [Council] since it’s no secret I have great relationships with the black community, and then with Nurse being Panamanian to take away the Latino vote.
KCP: Was this all deliberate in your opinion?
Diaz: A lot of politics have been played, it’s disrespectful, and we’re a community that has been underserved for many years. I decided in 2009 that I was running for city council, I didn’t decide last October that I was moving from Bed-Stuy into the district, change my party, and register to vote.
KCP: Do you think with Anthony Reynoso’s involvement in this race could come back to bite him in further dividing the Latino vote in his run for borough president in 2021?
Diaz: He [Reynoso] would have his own legs to stand on if he were more involved in his community, and that’s the bottom line. We shouldn’t worry about the race, we should worry about whose boots are on the ground and providing services.
