Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) hosted his annual State of the District address on Jan. 29 at The Forum at Columbia University in front of a packed auditorium with many more waiting outside. As usual, the event was an occasion to highlight the congressman’s legislative victories and present his legislative agenda for the 118th Congress.

 

During his address, Espaillat, a Democrat, committed to increasing funding for public safety, community and cultural programs, infrastructure development, and educational initiatives. “We created and passed legislation to create jobs, to help small businesses, to address climate change, to lower the cost of healthcare, and foster opportunities for families right here in the 13th congressional district,” he said during his address.

 

Among the guest speakers on the day were New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and U.S. Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand, A host of Bronx and other elected officials were also in attendance. Among them were Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, and District 15 City Councilman Oswald Feliz.

 

Addressing those gathered, Hochul said of Espaillat, “He has been shoulder to shoulder with me as we march towards diversifying our courts, making sure that people have opportunities that they deserve based on their qualifications and we’re going to continue to do that anywhere we can.”

 

During the speeches by Adams, Hochul, and Espaillat, there were interruptions by several demonstrators who were protesting the sending of large amounts of funding to Ukraine instead of using that same money to help those who live in New York City. The demonstrators were escorted out as the crowd became more and more impatient with the repeated disruptions.

 

“We’re on the verge of nuclear war because of you,” said one male demonstrator during Espaillat’s speech. “So much money for Ukraine, but what about for Harlem?” As the protestor was escorted from the auditorium, Espaillat said, “We love him anyway.”

 

The congressman’s latest redrawn congressional district 13 covers much of northern Manhattan, including Inwood and Washington Heights, as well as the western Bronx neighborhoods of Marble Hill, Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Jerome Park, Bedford Park, University Heights, and parts of Fordham and Morris Heights.

 

For his part, Adams said, “The congressman speaks [for] the people who sent him to Congress. You see him on the ground among the people; this is a people’s congressman in a real way, and he represents the voice of the people who sent him there.”

 

Espaillat is the first Dominican American and the first former undocumented immigrant to serve in Congress. He was first elected to Congress in 2016 and is serving his fourth term.

 

He currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities. He is also a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor.

 

The congressman said one of his three largest projects for the upcoming year is the Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment, since the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) project was abandoned towards the end of 2021.

 

As reported, revisioning workshops led by the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition and elected officials, including District 14 City Council Member Pierina Sanchez and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, have been held in recent months in conjunction with NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) officials in order to obtain input from local residents, community groups and business owners on the armory’s potential use.

 

The workshops are ongoing through March. Espaillat said the armory is one of the largest in the nation, with over 180,000 square feet. Currently, it is poised, vacant, and ready to be redeveloped and put to community use. “This project, once completed, will send a clear message to the world that we are back, and that we will rebuild The Bronx,” Espaillat said.

 

The second project referenced by the Congressman was the start of the second phase of construction of the Second Avenue subway in Manhattan. The project would extend the Q line to Harlem’s 125th street. The line currently extends as far as 96th Street, a stage completed in 2017.

 

According to the MTA, the second phase of construction will include three new, ADA-accessible stations at 106^th Street, 116^th Street, and 125^th Street. “It will connect El Barrio and Harlem with the rest of the world,” Espaillat said.

 

The third project is an Uptown Cultural Center planned for Inwood in Northern Manhattan. According to Espaillat, the project will receive a $10 million allotment from City Hall.

 

Meanwhile, as part of Espaillat’s public safety initiatives, he said $530,000 will be invested in the “Credible Messenger Mentoring Initiative,” which seeks to use credible messengers who are able to connect with and motivate at-risk youth. Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence (B.R.A.G.) operates on a similar basis in terms of credible messengers in efforts to curb gun violence, as previously reported.

 

The congressman said he also secured over $16.2 million in federal funding for community initiatives, including $1 million for the Abyssinian Development Corporation, a group based in Harlem which provides support in terms of housing and other community needs.

 

In addition, Espaillat said $2.2 million will also be going to the City College of New York for an infrastructure workforce training program and center. Another $1 million will go towards Brotherhood Sister Sol for after-school programs.

 

Espaillat will also commit to funding environmental efforts on both a federal and local level. He highlighted the work of WE ACT for environmental justice, an environmental advocacy group based in West Harlem. Espaillat said he is urging Congress to listen to grassroots climate organizations located in communities of color as it implements its $16 billion infrastructure bill.

 

Later, Schumer said of Espaillat, “I have never met anyone who has fought so hard for his community and beliefs. There’s no one who has a passion for the people he represents and one who is as effective for the people he represents than Adriano Espaillat.” He added, “So I can tell you this, the State of the District would be a lot worse without Adriano Espaillat.”

 

For her part, Gillibrand said, “In Congress, the congressman has done extraordinary work identifying the areas of greatest need and delivering the funding needed to move those projects forward.” She added, “I know that he will continue to have a profound impact on his district and I’m eager to continue to work with him and elevate the state and the 13th district to be even stronger and better.”

 

At one point, a moment of silence was held during the proceedings in observance of the death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols, who was brutally beaten by five Memphis police officers on Jan. 7 during a routine traffic stop, and who died in hospital three days later.

 

The congressman closed his speech, referencing other planned projects for the district in the future, including the $2 billion Fordham Landing redevelopment project in University Heights, which he said would “revitalize community spaces” and bring affordable housing to the area. “The state of the district is strong!” Espaillat concluded.