NYC’s Black, Latino And Asian Caucus Elects New Leadership

Elected to serve as BLAC’s Co-Chairs were Bronx Council Members Kevin C. Riley and Oswald Feliz.

Photo: Twitter

New York, NY – This past Friday, the New York City Council Black, Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC) voted to elect among its membership the six members who will serve as the officers of its Executive Committee for the entirety of the institution’s historic 2022-2023 legislative session.

Elected to serve as BLAC’s Co-Chairs were Bronx Council Members Kevin C. Riley and Oswald Feliz. They are joined on the Executive Committee by Vice Co-Chairs, Council Members Shaun Abreu of Manhattan and Linda Lee of Queens, who, respectively, have the distinction of being the first Latino and Korean American elected to represent their individual Districts; as well as Council Member Pierina Sanchez of the Bronx as Secretary; and Council Member Nantasha Williams of Queens as Treasurer.

Together, they will work to steer and advance the legislative, budgetary and policy agenda that will ultimately be shaped by all thirty-four members of the Caucus, a majority of whom are women, comprising the largest membership in BLAC’s history.

In the recent past, that agenda has included the implementation of the City Council’s $10 million Education Equity Action Plan initiative to establish a citywide, K-12, interdisciplinary Black studies curriculum at DOE schools, strengthening efforts at promoting and preserving affordable home ownership, working with partners in government and the community to tackle rampant gun-violence, and highlighting glaring racial disparities in health care, such as Black Maternal Mortality and Morbidity and the treatment of Sickle Cell Disease.

“I would like to extend my gratitude to my colleagues in entrusting me and Council Member Feliz to lead the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus alongside Council Members Abreu, Lee, Sanchez and Williams,” said Council Member Kevin C. Riley. “Now is the time for true, impactful change in our city, and the BLAC has a keen understanding of our marginalized communities of color’s needs. With Caucus members positioned in roles of leadership throughout the Council, we must collaborate to use our influence and collective voice to advocate for those we serve. That includes negotiating a budget that is representative of underserved neighborhoods across New York City, championing culturally competent legislation, and forwarding a policy agenda that serves all New Yorkers equitably. Together, we will continue the good work that BLAC has done to deliver effective change and produce results for the entire City of New York.”

“I thank my colleagues for electing me Co-Chair of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus alongside Council Member Riley,” said Council Member Oswald Feliz. “I am excited to work with them to amplify the voices of our city’s New Yorkers of color and resolve the many challenges that we face, including providing for racial equity in public education, combatting gun-violence, and remedying the numerous crises affecting our NYCHA tenants. Together, we can build a city that truly benefits all of us, and I look forward to doing my part to help build that better New York.”

“I’m thrilled to join Council Member Lee as Vice Co-Chair of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus.” said Council Member Shaun Abreu. “Our caucus has a critical responsibility to amplify the voices of traditionally marginalized groups at a time when hate and inequality are on the rise. As representatives of the most diverse Council in the City’s history, we have a unique opportunity to come together to address the issues that have long plagued our communities of color, such as educational inequity, the lack of affordable housing, a broken criminal justice system, and urgent mental health and substance abuse crises. I can’t wait to get to work.”

“I’m so honored that my colleagues elected me to serve as the Vice Co-Chair for the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus alongside Council Member Abreu,” said Council Member Linda Lee. “Especially at a time when the AAPI community feels threatened and under attack, we must send a message that everyone who calls this City home stands side-by-side with them in solidarity. We have a ton of work to do to build bridges between our communities, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to build a more united New York City, which already prides itself on being home to a diverse population of different backgrounds and cultures. We have a responsibility to empower all communities of color and advocate for equitable treatment among them.”

“I am honored to be chosen to serve as Secretary for the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus in this historic term within an equally historic City Council,” said Council Member Pierina Sanchez. “I will use my new role within BLAC’s Executive Committee to uphold its mission of protecting, empowering and advocating for the city’s New Yorkers of color, and work with my fellow members to develop and promote initiatives centered around the needs of our constituents that are aimed at removing the systemic barriers they face every day.”

“I would like to thank the members of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus for electing me to its Executive Committee as its Treasurer,” said Council Member Nantasha Williams. “I am honored to be given this opportunity and look forward to working with Caucus membership to enable an inclusive and transparent process in which all of its members have an ownership stake in the policies, programs and proposals that BLAC sponsors on behalf of our communities of color.”

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