Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson formally kicked off her campaign launch for the Bronx borough presidency on Thursday, Dec. 17, issuing a press release in both English and Spanish to confirm the news. The councilwoman for Bronx’s 16th City Council district focused her message on the inequities in healthcare and food security prevalent in the Bronx, in her bid to win the hearts and minds of voters, highlighting that the last year has been especially hard for those at the lower end of the income scale, but offering hope by saying together the community would make it through the crisis and emerge healthier and stronger than ever.

 

“It’s going to take change and the challenges that will come with it,” she wrote, adding that the pandemic has exposed the systemic health disparities that everyone knew existed. “We cannot allow them to continue, which is why I’m committed to ensuring that every Bronxite has access to high quality, affordable healthcare close to home for years to come,” she said.

 

Gibson, whose district covers Claremont, Concourse, Concourse Village, Highbridge, Morris Heights, Mount Eden and Morrisania, some of the poorest parts of the borough, said the pandemic has shown the reality of food insecurity and the lack of access to healthy food options. “We can no longer have the distinction of being the unhealthiest county in New York State,” she said. “It’s time to utilize the space we have to create urban agricultural sites, community gardens and expand the use of our Farmer’s Markets and Green Markets that make them accessible to every resident, regardless of income.”

 

Earlier this year, as reported by Norwood News, the former assemblywoman was present at the unveiling of a new mobile health care clinic facility at River Park Towers in partnership with Morris Heights Health Center, following what she described as a disturbing article published in June that highlighted unconfirmed COVID-19 cases at the towers.

 

She also endorsed neighborhood health plan recommendations, and was critical of the President Donald Trump’s messaging, following his discharge from Walter Reed Medical Center earlier this year when he appealed to the American people not to let the coronavirus defeat them. She found his words insulting, given the disparity in care between his treatment for COVID-19 and that available to her constituents.

 

In her press release yesterday, Gibson went on to say that throughout her time in the City Council, and the New York State Assembly, she has helped to bring thousands of new jobs to the Bronx, and if elected as borough president, committed to fight to bring “creative and new opportunities to the borough,” while ensuring small businesses, “the fabric of communities,” would be able to operate, strive and thrive.

 

Other declared candidates in the race to succeed Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. include Councilman Fernando Cabrera, Assemblywoman Natalia Fernandez, Victor H Gutierrez, retired NYPD lieutenant and navy veteran, Samuel Ravelo, and State Sen. Luis R Sepúlveda. According to the latest quarterly campaign filings with the NYC Campaign Finance Board, Cabrera leads in campaign contributions with $50,493 in private funds, followed by Gibson with 19,856 in private funds.

 

Gibson is currently deputy leader, and chairs the subcommittee on the capital budget where she helps oversee the City’s capital investments. As such, she was at the heart of the City’s highly contentious city budget renegotiations last June, amid prevailing calls from Black Lives Matter supporters and allies to defund the police. During the 2014-2017 session, Gibson served as chair of the council’s committee on public safety, the first woman and first person of color to hold this role. As chair, she had oversight of the operations and budget of the NYPD, the civilian complaint review board, the district attorneys and the special narcotics prosecutor, and mayor’s office of criminal justice.

 

According to her city council website, Gibson has been a leader in school safety reform, championing criminal justice reform legislation, and is a vocal proponent of anti-gun violence programs. A powerful orator, the councilwoman spoke passionately at a “March to End Gun Violence,” in Morrisania earlier this year, as reported by Norwood News.

 

Her website goes on to say that under her leadership, the council was able to secure funds necessary to expand the NYPD’s headcount by almost 1,300 officers during financial year 2016, and expand the D.A.’s baselined budgetary allocation by over $21 million in financial year 2017, with over half of the money going to the historically underfunded boroughs of the Bronx and Staten Island.

 

Wrapping up her announcement regarding her run, Gibson wrote, “I know that times are extremely tough, but I need your support to win this election.” She then asked for voters to contribute to her campaign, referencing the city’s 8 to 1 matching funds program.

 

“There’s a lot of work to do, but I’m ready to take on the fight that lies ahead,” she said. “I am thankful for your encouragement and support in advance and look forward to sharing my vision for the future of the Bronx with you over the next few months. I know that tough days are ahead but we will get through this as we move #ForwardTogetherBronx. I will never stop fighting for the Bronx!”