North Brooklyn Councilmember Antonio Reynoso campaigned for borough president on a platform of creating a “boombox for progressive values” and zeroing in on under-resourced communities across the borough. He was the beneficiary of a coalescence of progressive support, with endorsements from political clubs like the New Kings Democrats and heavy hitters like Senator Bernie Sanders. With the November primary election all but decided by Brooklyn’s one party rule, the Democratic party nominee is all but certain to be the next beep. Brooklyn Paper caught up with Reynoso to talk about his vision for the borough.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Brooklyn Paper: You grew up on the south side of Williamsburg, and have represented the neighborhood in City Council for 8 years. How has this neighborhood impacted you as a policymaker?
Antonio Reynoso: Anyone can argue that Williamsburg in itself is a microcosm, or a representation of our larger borough. It’s a gentrifying district with pockets of poverty and because of affordable housing and some of the non-profits we have been able to maintain a significant amount of people that have been there for 30, 40, 50 years, while also the neighborhood has been introduced to tons of gentrification. Having to balance that, the needs of a new incoming population with the needs of a long-term, more poor and needy population — I really feel like being able to balance that, I guess subjectively I’m feeling like I did a good job at being able to do that. I feel like the same work of balancing different interests and different residents from different walks of life, is something that I feel like I can handle and do well.
