Caribbean politicians seek re-election

As New Yorkers head to the polls on Nov. 4 to choose a new mayor, voters will also be casting ballots for several City Council candidates, including Caribbean legislators.

Brooklyn Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, seeking re-election, told Caribbean Life on Monday, Oct. 27, that she is “proud to be running for re-election to continue delivering real results for the people of the 46th District.

“As a nurse, small business owner, and immigrant from Haiti, I know what hard work looks like, and I’ve spent every day fighting to bring resources, services, and respect back to our community,“ she said.

“While others seek to divide or roll back the progress we’ve made, I’m focused on building up our neighborhoods, investing in our schools,

improving healthcare access, and standing up for working families, immigrants, and seniors,“ she added.

“Our community knows what’s at stake,“ Narcisse continued. “We’ve come too far to let those who align with extremism that attacks

immigrants, undermines healthcare, and works to weaken public education represent us.“

Narcisse said she is “delivering real results, securing millions for local schools, parks, and libraries, strengthening healthcare access, and providing strong, responsive constituent services to ensure every resident is heard and supported.“

Narcisse’s City Council colleague and compatriot Rita Joseph also told Caribbean Life that she had no opponent in the Primary and will also have none in the general elections for the 40th Council District in Brooklyn.

“I’m walking back to my seat,“ she said on Tuesday, Oct. 28. “Previously, incumbents always have opponents.

“I’m honestly humbled by it,“ Joseph added. “When nobody steps up to challenge you, that means something. It means the community trusts you. And I don’t take that lightly — I’m going to keep showing up for our schools, our kids, and our families the way I have been.“

When asked what she’s most proud of, Joseph, a former public school teacher in Brooklyn, responded that it was the first AIMS program in September, a specialized early education setup for kids with autism and other developmental needs at the P.S. 6 Annex on Flatbush Avenue.

Joseph, who taught at P.S. 6 for more than 20 years before getting into politics, said, “This one hit close to home. “

She said the program uses “6:1:1 classrooms“: six kids, one regular teacher, one speech teacher, and one paraprofessional. It starts at pre-K and goes through second grade.

By the 2027-2028 school year, 55 more seats are expected to be added.

“This is huge,“ Joseph said. “These are our kids with autism, with developmental challenges, and they deserve real support, not half-measures.”

 Joseph said she helped secure over $600 million for public schools this year alone—”the biggest education investment the city’s ever made.“

When she first got into office, she said she immediately put $28 million towards improving  District 40’s schools and parks.

Joseph said she’s been “especially fierce“ about protecting programs that were surviving on federal COVID money that was about to dry up, pushing to make them permanent fixtures in the budget.

She said she fought hard to save community schools, lunch programs, and the “hold harmless“ policy that keeps school budgets stable, when Mayor Adams came at schools with proposed cuts.”

Joseph said she was also successful in passing a bill that requires the Department of Education (DOE) to accurately report class sizes three times a year – “a transparency measure aimed at making sure the DOE follows through on the state’s push to shrink class sizes by 2028.“

Joseph said she helped get NYC’s Office of Foster Care “up and running within the Department of Education in 2023 — a nine-person team dedicated to the roughly 6,500 foster youth in city schools.“

Since taking office, the City Council Member said she’s visited close to 100 schools across all five boroughs; secured millions for school tech upgrades and renovations; improved parks, like Parade Ground Field 9; and runs monthly meetings with education advocates “to make sure community voices don’t get lost in the shuffle.“

In this legislative session, Joseph said she’s introduced 25 bills (six have become law) and co-sponsored 228 others.

With no opponent in the general elections, Joseph said she has four more years ahead to keep pushing.

“We’re just getting started,“ she said. “There’s so much left to do for our schools, our kids, and our families. I’m not slowing down.”

City Council Member Farah N. Louis, the daughter of Haitian and Bahamian immigrants, is seeking her final term in representing the 45th District in Brooklyn.  

“It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of Council District 45,“ she told Caribbean Life early Wednesday morning, Oct. 29. “As I seek my final term, I am more energized than ever to continue delivering real results for our neighbors.

“The work we’ve accomplished together is just the beginning, and I will not stop until we’ve built a foundation for lasting change in our district,“ she added. “Throughout my tenure, I have been a tireless champion for the most vulnerable members of our community and New York City, while fighting relentlessly to improve the quality of life for all District 45 residents.”

Louis said she was the first council member to prioritize affordable housing in the District, securing “critical funding to build housing and support key programs that have lifted countless families—no matter their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or creed.”

She said she has been a council member for every constituent, listening to the people of this District and making decisions on important matters in direct response to their expectations that she support crucial measures.

“I don’t run from tough fights — I lead them,“ Louis said. “I have been an unwavering voice for housing justice for our seniors, championing the Bethany Senior Terraces, affordable housing exclusively for older residents who deserve dignity, stability, and the ability to age in place within the community they helped build. Our seniors built this District, and I refuse to let them be pushed out.

After many conversations with women of color in the District and beyond, Louis said reproductive and maternal health equity emerged as a “resonating theme.”

“I understand that Black and Brown women face disproportionate maternal health challenges, and I refused to accept that reality without a fight,“ the Council Member said. “That’s why I championed the Citywide Doula Initiative (CDI), securing $750,000 from Mayor Adams to launch the pilot in 2022, ensuring expectant mothers have access to culturally competent support.”

Louis said she also spearheaded the opening of the first-ever women’s health clinic in Central Brooklyn—Morris Heights Health Center on Flatbush Avenue—”a critical resource dedicated to improving health outcomes for all women, particularly with their reproductive health and the early stages of their maternal health journey.

“When our women are under threat, I stand and deliver,“ he said.

Louis said she also championed and secured $141 million for the first-ever recreation center in District 45—the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center—a state-of-the-art facility with amenities for youth, young adults, and seniors to participate in programs that help them learn, grow, and carry out their wellness goals.

“For too long, our district went without this critical resource,“ she said. “I fought to change that, and now our community has a world-class center where every generation can thrive.“

As a steadfast advocate for young people, Louis said she championed the Citywide Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative and passed Introduction 54, prioritizing financial literacy programs that equip our young people with the tools they need to build generational wealth and achieve economic independence.

“Our youth deserve every opportunity to succeed, and I will never stop fighting to ensure they have it,“ she said.

As she runs for her final term in the New York City Council, Louis said she remains “laser-focused“ on the priorities that matter most to District 45.

She said she will fight to ensure that working families can afford to live, work, and thrive in the community they call home; support minority women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) contractors, local entrepreneurs, and our small business owners “who are the backbone of our neighborhood economy”; demand that young people receive equitable access to quality education and the resources they need to succeed; and advocate for initiatives that address the root causes of crime and ensure resources are provided to combat gun violence, fund mental health and wellness programs, and support community-based interventions.

“This final term is about finishing strong and ensuring the progress we’ve made continues for generations to come,“ Louis said. “District 45 deserves a representative who will never back down, never give up, and never stop fighting for them — and that’s exactly what I intend to do.

“I plan to continue serving District 45 with the same passion, dedication, and results-driven leadership that has defined my time in office,“ she added. “The fight continues, and I’m ready.”

Early voting, which started last weekend,  runs until Sunday, Nov.  2, 2025.

“No matter how you vote, or who you vote for — make sure your voice is heard,“ urged State Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the Haitian-American chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party.

In addition to candidates for elected office, six questions are on the ballot this year.

NYC Board of Elections (BOE) said that ballot proposals are “suggested changes to the state and city’s governing documents, the State Constitution and the City Charter.

“Voters get to decide on the changes they want to see passed,“ it said.