Photo by José A. Giralt
The United African Coalition (UNAC) announced its endorsement on Friday, June 4, of Assemblywoman for the 80th A.D., Nathalia Fernández, in her run for the position of Bronx borough president.
Bukola Shonuga, executive director of the organization said that in the aftermath of the COVID-19 carnage that has further exposed inequality in America, and has disproportionately impacted the poor, and black and brown communities, it was time to elect progressive candidates who genuinely care about the community, and who are not afraid to stand up to the status quo and fight for socio and economic justice for Bronxites.
“The United African Coalition is confident that Nathalia Fernández, when elected, will fight for the long overdue change to achieve equity for every Bronx resident, and this is why we are endorsing Nathalia Fernandez for Bronx Borough President,” Shonuga said.
According to its website, The United African Coalition is a political institution serving as an umbrella organization that represents the electoral interests of the 3 million continental Africans who live in the United States. Since its founding in 2013, its representatives say UNAC continues to educate its constituents on the importance of civic engagement to ensure their voices are heard and to make sure they vote.
Reacting to the endorsement, the assembly member said she was proud to have the support of the UNAC, and that as the daughter of immigrants, she understood first-hand how hard immigrants must work to overcome barriers and inequities in society. “As borough president, I look forward to working with UNAC to advocate for progressive policies that will tear down these barriers and will ensure a more equitable borough where every Bronxite has a seat at the table,” Fernández said.
UNAC’s endorsement comes shortly after the Union of Arab Women also endorsed Fernández’s campaign. The assemblywoman has also previously received the backing of Bronx State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33), lawyer, professor, civil rights activist and candidate for New York City mayor, Maya Wiley, Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100, Manhattan Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell (A.D. 69), Brooklyn State Sen. Julia Salazar (S.D.18), Queens Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz (A.D.39), and Bronx Assemblyman Michael Blake (A.D.79), who co-sponsored the assemblywoman’s landmark police reform bill, the Andrew Kearse Act, as reported by Norwood News.
Fernández has also been endorsed by Bronx Assemblywoman Chantel Jackson (A.D.79), Bronx Assemblyman Kenny Burgos (A.D.85), Manhattan Assemblywoman Deborah Glick (A.D.66), NYIC Action, NASW PACE, and the Latino Victory Fund.
According to its website, NYIC Action was founded in 2007 as a 501(c)(4) not for profit corporation, in order to make sure immigrants had a seat at the table of the national comprehensive immigration reform debate.
Meanwhile, according to its website, Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) is the political action arm of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). As a political action committee, PACE endorses and financially contributes to candidates from any party who support NASW’s policy agenda.
Latino Victory is an organization dedicated to building political power in the Latino community so that the voices and values of Latinos are reflected at every level of government and in the policies that drive the country forward, according to its website.
Other candidates in the Bronx borough president race include District 14 City Councilman Fernando Cabrera, District 16 Council Member Vanessa Gibson, State Sen. Luis Sepúlveda (S.D. 32), and retired NYPD Detective Sammy Ravelo.
Photo by Síle Moloney
Both Gibson and Fernández were among other elected officials and participants who attended an event hosted by radio talk show host and community activist, Avril Francis, and The Avril Show Foundation, on Thursday, June 3, in Williamsbridge, during which a number of people affected by cancer were honored, including former Bronx deputy borough president, the late Hon. Aurelia Greene.
Norwood News reported previously on incumbent Bronx Borough President Ruben Díaz Jr’s decision to step down from his role at the end of his third term. The borough president was recently honored, among others, during the latest commencement ceremony at Lehman College.
Meanwhile, if elected, Fernández would become the first woman elected to the position of Bronx borough president, and the first Latina to hold borough-wide office in New York City history.
The New York primary elections will take place on Tuesday, June 22, and early voting will take place from June 12 to June 20. May 28 was the last day to register to vote in the June 22 primary election. There are 22 early voting sites throughout the Bronx and finding out which one is yours is simple. Visit find my poll site to find your early voting and election day poll site, and view a sample ballot. Check the hours and location of your poll site before you participate in early voting.
All registered voters can request an absentee ballot be mailed to them if they wish to vote by mail. The deadline to request a mailed ballot online, by email, fax, or by mail is Tuesday, June 15, 2021. You can submit your ballot request online or mail a paper request form to the New York City Board of Elections. Note the application request must be postmarked by June 15.
The deadline to mail or drop off your actual, completed, absentee ballot at any BOE office or at a poll site is June 22, Election Day. The completed ballot must be postmarked on this date.
For information about the new voting system (ranked choice voting) see here. For a full list of all candidates running in the Bronx, and in the Citywide races, see here.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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