Interview: On a Quest to Serve Her Neighborhood

With the democratic election primaries just a day away, one candidate for New York City Councils 35th District, Ms. Olanike Alabi, took the time to sit down for an interview and answer some questions as to why she should be elected and what are her plans once elected.

Ms. Alabi was born and raised in Brooklyn, and clearly enjoys every minute of the campaign. She is kind, yet confident and determined, and has always been dedicated to public service. Beginning at a young age, she fought for social justice and community empowerment. Her passions for positively influencing the local economy, improving public safety and providing educational opportunities for Brooklynites, are the driving forces behind her campaign.

In an interview Ms. Alabi was asked why she felt the Crown Heights community should elect her to the New York City Council.

Question: Why are you running for New York City Council Member for the 35th District?

Olanike Alabi: I am a native of Brooklyn, born to immigrants from Nigeria. After my freshman year in college, I interned for the late Council Member Mary Pinkett, and discovered that my passion was helping people. As a New York City Council Member, I will have the political opportunity to make a real difference. My goal is for the public to view government as helpful, efficient and transparent, instead of the way it is currently viewed, as filled with mismanagement, immorality, bureaucracy and red tape. I am confident that with the right people in office, it can happen.

Q: How are you different from your opponents?

OA: Of the five candidates campaigning for the position of representing the 35th District, I am the only one who was raised in the district I am running to represent. I have been socially active in this district for many years; I’ve organized food drives, raised funds for local schools, and conducted forums to help educate the public and encourage community members to participate in local politics. I believe that my extensive experience serving and advocating for the people of District 35 are what make me the candidate best qualified for this position.

Q: If you are elected to the City Council, which issues would be your top priority?

OA: The issues that I will tackle first include working to keep our communities and children safe. On a local level, that means educating the public on how to avoid becoming victims of crime, increasing the number of police officers patrolling the streets, and supporting the work of community organization like the Shomrim safety patrol. On a larger scale, it includes supporting gun control legislation on the local, state and national levels, and reducing crime by providing people with education, jobs and a sense of purpose, as well as reinstating the funding for after-school programs that were eliminated by budget cuts. In addition to teaching academic subjects, education must also focus on engaging our youth and instilling them with values, goals and an accurate view of society and the importance of their role as the next generation.

When asked about the specific issues facing the people of the 35th district, Ms. Alabi demonstrated her intimate knowledge of the challenges confronting the local community.

Q: What is your plan to help small businesses struggling with issues such as the increasingly high rent in Brooklyn?

OA: Small businesses are the lifeblood of our community. They provide us with vital resources, create jobs, and help our economy grow, but they are struggling to keep up with the skyrocketing rent. I believe that one way to address this issue is by having Commercial Rent Stabilization in the areas that need it most. I am confident that property owners would support the program because of its benefit to the economy.

Q: What is your plan to help grow the local economy and keep jobs in the district?

OA: The economy has changed from one of manufacturing to a service industry. As a result, people require more training before entering the workforce. I will support community training programs that provide potential employees with the training and certification they need to qualify for jobs in today’s economy.

Q: Given the ethnic, racial and religious diversity of the district, how would you ensure that the concerns of the Jewish community are heard?

OA: Each community deserves to be treated equally. It is essential that the people have access to their leaders regardless of their age, race, financial situation, or political status. If elected, I will collaborate with Jewish community leaders on a regular basis to discuss any issues that concern their community, and they will be able to contact me at any time by phone or email. I understand that representing a community is not a nine-to-five job, and will make myself available whenever I am needed.

Q: Where do you stand on the influx of new development projects in the district?

OA: I support responsible developments, and oppose any project whose only objective is to line the pockets of the developers. We also need to focus on restoring existing developments that are in distress.

Q: What is your plan to help increase the availability of affordable housing?

OA: First, we must ensure that any current affordable housing is preserved. I support mandatory inclusion zoning, which means that if a development is being built, the developer is required to ensure that a portion of it will be affordable. Developers would receive subsidies or tax breaks in exchange for making a percentage of their apartments affordable. Additionally, there are many vacant buildings and lots in the district where new affordable housing can be built.

Q: What are your thoughts on the education system in Brooklyn, and how do you plan to fix any of its problems?

OA: I believe that religious education is a good thing, but private education has its challenges, such as longer school days, transportation costs, and higher tuition. We need to relieve families of the burden of tuition so that they can save for their children’s college educations. I also plan to improve public school education by decreasing class sizes and providing resources that encourage excellence.

Q: Is the City Council where you think you can effect the most change?

OA: There are 213 state legislators, so it is difficult to have a substantial impact on the state level. But on the New York City Council, I would be one of only 51. As a result, I can have a greater influence, since the body is not as large. As a Council Member representing my hometown, I can cultivate bigger change; it’s natural to care most about your own neighborhood. As a Council Member, I will have access to the funding and resources necessary to help my local community.

Q: What makes the 35th District, the neighborhood you called home for so many years, unique?

OA: I love our district and its diversity. Living in this district has enabled me to learn about its various cultures, including the Jewish and West Indian communities. The 35th District is a diverse district with unique values, traditions and customs to appreciate.
—-
More information on this candidate running for New York City Council can be found at www.olanikealabi.org.

The Primary Election is this Tuesday, September 10th. There is a poll site in the Crown Heights neighborhood at St. Marks’s Day School, located at 1346 President Street.

Endorsements for Ms. Alabi include:
The Jewish Press
Educational Justice PAC
Rev. Michael Bacchus, Full Gospel Assembly Church
Rev. Dr. Mark V.C. Taylor, Church of the Open Door
Rev. Craig Gaddy, Friendship Baptist Church
Rev. Richard Lawson, New Canaan Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Washington Lundy, Evening Star Baptist Church
Dr. Allen Martin, Bethel Seventh Day Adventist Church
Rev. Dr. Clive Neil, Bedford Central Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. M. Marquette Peace, Jr., Zion Baptist Church
Pastor Bowles Taitt, Miller Evangelical Church
Rev. Dr. Curtis Whitney, Mt. Sinai Baptist Church
Bishop Carl Williams, Institutional Church of God in Christ
Rev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood, Mount Pisgah Baptist Church
57th A.D. Democratic Organization
Correction Officers Benevolent Association (COBA)
Communications Workers of America – CWA Local 1180
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)
District Council 37 (DC 37)
District Council 1707
Heat & Frost Insulators Local 12 Union
Organization of Staff Analysts (OSA)