The Rotunda of Jacobi Medical Center in Morris Park was filled with some of New York’s political constellation on Saturday, March 4 for the inauguration ceremony of Democratic Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr. (A.D. 80). The guest list included U.S. Sen. and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Councilman Oswald Feliz (C.D. 15), among many others. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was scheduled to attend three other events the same day, sent well wishes, via video message, to Zaccaro Jr., profiled last year by Norwood News.

 

Before administering the oath of office, State Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie (A.D. 83) shared an endearing memory of his previous interactions with Zaccaro Jr., saying, “John John, that’s the name that I still have on my cell phone for John.” He added, “I said I would never change that because sometimes people get elected and titles change who they are, but I kept that name because I don’t care what title John has. He will always be ‘John John’ to the community and to his family.”

 

Joining 34-year-old Zaccaro Jr., a former Bronx Community Board 7 member, on stage for the actual swearing in section of the ceremony were his grandmother, Angelita Rivera, his mother, Stephanie Fonte, his wife, Daniella, and their three children, Judah, 7, Miah, 5, and Ethan, 3. Afterwards, the assemblyman, the son of a single mother, spoke to Norwood News about his thoughts on the day.

“This has been a long journey; it’s been a long road,” he said. “To see so many people that have been with me from the inception, many of those who have contributed their time, their energy to my walk in this journey, it was a beautiful thing to see.”

 

The event was ceremonial in nature since, as Zaccaro Jr. confirmed, new members of the State legislature have already been working in their official capacities as lawmakers since early January, following their respective wins in the November 2022 elections.

 

The assemblyman serves on various committees on aging, alcoholism and drug abuse, economic development, job creation, commerce and industry, small business, and tourism, parks, arts and sports development. He is also a member of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus.

 

As reported, Zaccaro Jr. beat out Republican, Phyllis Nastasio, in November, winning 69.4 percent of the vote to her 30.6 percent. Nastasio is currently running to unseat District 13 City Council Member Marjorie Velázquez.

 

The rookie assemblyman said while he was grateful to all the elected officials who showed up at the Rotunda for his inauguration, he had a special message for those not-so-famous volunteers and campaign workers from his assembly district. “[I’m thankful for] members of this community, members of our local neighborhood association, people who have knocked on doors with me, people who have made phone calls with me,” he said. “[The swearing in] was a very emotional thing and I’m just really excited.”

While his name may be relatively new to some in the community, Zaccaro Jr. has been active with Bronx political organizations for more than a decade. In his early twenties, he served as president of the Bronx Young Democrats who, according to their website, serve as “the youth arm of the Bronx Democratic Party.” State Sen. Jamaal T. Bailey (S.D. 36) is chair of the Bronx Democratic County Committee and said he still carries a lapel pin from the time Zaccaro Jr. was a member of the “youth arm” over a decade ago.

 

“I know you first as president of the Bronx Young Democrats,” Bailey told the audience, in part. “You were the first one to create this pin. When we got a pin, it made us feel something special. You created this pin because you saw something in the young folk in this borough that needed to be revitalized, that we needed to see some sort of spark.”

 

Bailey continued, “Small as it seems, this pin went a long way. I’ve never forgotten the impact, the indelible impact, that you made as president of the Bronx Young Democrats.”

Both Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson and State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez (S.D. 34), Zaccaro Jr.’s predecessor in A.D. 80, also spoke highly of the work the assemblyman carried out while with the Bronx Young Democrats. Fernandez also spoke optimistically of the voters in the 80th assembly district in the context of Zaccaro Jr.’s new leadership.

 

Acknowledging that although, geographically, her senate district includes just a small part of A.D. 80, she said she hoped the two could still work collaboratively on issues impacting common constituents. “What’s great is that when we’re in Albany and we’re looking at the bills, discussing what to do for our state, for our communities… I have such a strong partner in John, to make sure that we’re pushing and fighting for the values of our combined districts,” she told Norwood News.

 

The new senator also said she was confident collaborating with Zaccaro Jr. would remain relatively easy. “I still live in the 80th,” she said.  “It’s just an easy call or text to John. I think that the work that is possible and that can be done with all of our colleagues that overlap can be really great.”

 

It was as chief of staff to City Councilman Rafael Salamanca Jr. (C.D. 17) that Zaccaro Jr. raised his profile in Bronx politics. “I met John in 2014 when he was president of the Bronx Young Dems, and when I ran for City Council, John was by my side every step of the way,” Salamanca Jr. said. The councilman also gave Zaccaro Jr. a direct vote of confidence in his newly elected position, saying, “You have watched on the sidelines. You have learned. You have taught me. You are ready to lead, my friend.”

For his part, Zaccaro Jr. is eager to deliver on his campaign promises on improving educational services, providing more affordable housing options, and helping residents with quality-of-life issues. “There’s a sense of community that I got a good feel for today,” he said. “I’m just really excited. I’m glad. I’m honored. I’m privileged.”

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.