As he gears up for re-election, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso delivered his 2025 State of the Borough deal with final week at Boys and Ladies Excessive College in Mattress-Stuy.
“Alternative is what makes a distinction in our neighborhoods and for too lengthy systemically alternatives have been snatched from our neighborhoods,” mentioned Reynoso. “I need to present that authorities can work and present up for them now.”
Reynoso, a Brooklyn native, is the son of Dominican immigrants. He started the night time’s deal with with a second of silence for the victims of a lethal roof collapse at a preferred nightclub in Santo Domingo within the Dominican Republic per week in the past. 221 people have been reported lifeless and over 150 injured.
Pastor Steven Eugene Carter Sr. of Mount Ararat Church of Brooklyn delivered the invocation, pupil Suleila Clarke sang the Nationwide Anthem, and the Nelson Mandela Drumline gave an energized efficiency.
Afterwards, Reynoso offered plans for 2025. “Part 8 housing, meals stamps, college scholarships, welfare, Ladies, Infants and Youngsters [WIC]. That’s not luck. It’s authorities. It’s all of the assets New York and this nation used to take a wager on me. Brooklyn backed me,” mentioned Reynoso. “And now it’s my honor and accountability to again Brooklyn.”
Constructing on his dedication in his first complete plan for Brooklyn, Reynoso introduced a brand new partnership with Brooklyn Faculty to launch New York State’s first credit-bearing Perinatal Psychological Well being (PMH) Superior Certificates Program. This system will put together healthcare, psychological well being, early intervention, and early academic professionals to help pregnant moms and birthing dad and mom experiencing psychological misery. Brooklyn Faculty is piloting the 2 programs this Spring and can host its first full cohort in Fall 2025. “Our midwife at Woodhull, Ms. Helena Grant, wasn’t going to let me off straightforward,” mentioned Reynoso, who’s a father to 2 babies. “She made certain I knew from day one, simply how dangerous issues had been. That as an Afro-Caribbean girl, my spouse was about eight instances extra more likely to die from being pregnant associated causes than her white counterparts.”
Reynoso has vowed to “make the borough the most secure place within the metropolis to have a child.”
For long-term plans, Reynoso advocated for extra inexpensive housing all through the borough by eliminating parking minimums and permitting extra housing to be constructed; defending the final lively port in Pink Hook’s harbor and waterfront; a citywide Neighborhood Board Central Workplace; Bushwick 1000, a multi-year youth employment initiative; funding within the Interborough Categorical to raised join transit deserts in Brooklyn and Queens; making a Youth Advisory Council for prime schoolers to weigh in on borough insurance policies; and the Divine Dwellings initiative, which convenes six homes of worship with Bricks and Mortals to facilitate housing growth on their land.
He additionally launched the first-ever Arts Ambassador: famend designer Colm Dillane, often known as KidSuper. Dillane supplied the viewers with a restricted version run of the official Brooklyn pin. Reynoso mentioned he intends to have a design competitors that solicits designs from all around the borough.
Reynoso capped off his deal with chatting with immigrants within the metropolis. He mentioned he’s decided to maneuver away from “fear-based politics” and the affect of President Donald Trump on how the town is ruled. “So what we are saying is immigrants assist construct this nation, they assist contribute in a constructive method, and we love them, we help them, we’re New York, that’s what we’re about,” mentioned Reynoso, “and Trump hates it. He hates the whole lot in regards to the metropolis that made him. And that’s unhappy.”
In the meantime, the borough president race is underway. Reynoso naturally advantages because the incumbent and is method forward in fundraising. He’s acquired $313,356 in non-public funds and $624,714 in public funds, in accordance with the New York Metropolis Marketing campaign Finance Board (NYCCFB) newest payout on April 15.
“This workplace is definitely getting issues accomplished,” mentioned Reynoso about his marketing campaign. “We obtained over 6,000 folks work authorization functions. We’re serving to hospitals maintain Black ladies. We’re working with church buildings to construct housing of their tons. These are actual tangible issues that we’re doing as Borough Corridor, and I hope that the residents of Brooklyn and the those who need to vote see that I’ve been in a position to modify this workplace into one that may have an effect on [meaningful] change of their lives and never one which’s simply going to be performative.”
Reynoso’s essential challenger is Khari Edwards, a former vice chairman of Exterior Affairs at Brookdale Hospital, who made a run at BP in 2021 as nicely. Edwards acquired $156,495 in non-public funds and $542,260 in public matching funds up to now.
