In November, 2018, history was made when New York City Public Advocate Letitia James became the first black person elected New York State Attorney General. There is an upcoming Special Election for someone to succeed Ms. James.
In November, 2018, history was made when New York City Public Advocate Letitia James became the first black person elected New York State Attorney General. There is an upcoming Special Election for someone to succeed Ms. James.
If Williams is elected, he will become the first Caribbean-American, or first Grenadian-American, to be elected to the office of Public Advocate. The public advocate is one of only three offices which New York City voters in all five boroughs directly elect. The other two are the mayor and comptroller.
EVERYBODY’S, the Caribbean-American magazine, is not endorsing and asking voters in the City of New York on February 26 to vote for Williams because he is African-American or Caribbean-American.
We endorse Williams with great alacrity and urge all New Yorkers to vote for him because he is the perfect person for public advocate. His experience, trustworthiness, contributions in the City Council, ability to get his bills enacted into law and his passion for New York City, New York State and the entire nation have qualified him for the office of Public Advocate.
As a matter of fact, Williams has been indirectly playing the role of public advocate for quite some time. He is not afraid to criticize officials from his own party, Democrats, from Governor Andrew Cuomo to Mayor Bill de Blasio. If elected, voters can be assured that Williams will not rubberstamp the policies of the governor, mayor, or even the Democratic Party.
Williams represents the 45th Council district of Brooklyn on the City Council but anyone evaluating legislation authored or supported by him will easily realize he seeks the interest of the entire City. Perhaps, this is the reason he has not ostentatiously and loquaciously informed New Yorkers of his Caribbean background, Grenadian specifically. He prefers to be seen as a New Yorker working for all New Yorkers.
We at EVERYBODY’S know firsthand the community spirit within Williams, his love for the Big Apple and his passion to do the right thing.
We are convinced that he honed his passion for public service from his parents. In the late 1950s-early 1960s, his father, Gregory Williams, nicknamed “Social” by his friends at the Grenada Boys’ Secondary School (GBSS) represented his school and Grenada in soccer and cricket. Likewise, his mother, Patricia Joseph, was active in the St. Andrew’s Secondary School (SASS) and later in the Caribbean-American community.
As young immigrants in New York City and Washington, DC, his parents, bonded and passed on their virtues of community spirit to Jumaane and his sister.
EVERYBODY’S, the Caribbean-American magazine, knows Jumaane Williams is not an opportunist seeking fame and fortune. He is not a millionaire seeking to force his ideas and will down the throats of the public. He is a humble man of humble beginning doing the right thing.
We encourage all New York voters to cast their vote for him in the Special Election of February 26. Seventeen candidates are on the ballot. Of the 17 candidates, 15 are Democrats and two are Republicans. We urge voters to vote for Jumaane Williams.
Caribbean, Italian, Hispanic, Jewish, Chinese, Koreans and voters of other races and ethnicities should elect Jumaane Williams the next Public Advocate of our great city because he seeks the best interest of us all.
During the last century, numerous Caribbean immigrants and their offspring made history in New York and other states by shattering racial barriers when they became the first black to win elected
offices in government. Caribbean voters can help Williams maintain the custom. Here are some milestones.
In November, 1953, Saint Lucian born Hulan Jack made history when New York City elected him president of one of its five boroughs, the first black person to lead a borough. Jack who spent many years in British Guiana (Guyana) before immigrating to the US was elected Borough President of Manhattan. On January 1, 1954, this Caribbean-American upon swearing-in became “Top Negro City Official in America” said Jet Magazine.
In 1965, Constance Baker Mottley whose parents were immigrants from Nevis, birthplace of Alexander Hamilton, became the first female to assume a borough presidency in New York City. Mottley became the first woman in several other areas including the first black woman appointed to the federal judiciary.
In 1968, Shirley Chisholm, born in America of a Barbados mother and Guyanese father, became the first black woman elected to Congress.
In 1948, Bertram Baker, born in Nevis, became the first black in Brooklyn elected in the New York State Assembly.
In 1965, William Thompson, born in New York City of St. Kitts/Nevis parentage, became the first black in Brooklyn elected to the New York State Senate. His son, William (Bill), almost defeated Mayor Michael Bloomberg in Bloomberg’s final mayoral bid.
In 1966, Basil Paterson whose parents were immigrants from Carriacou, Grenada, became the first Grenadian-American elected to the New York State Legislature as a senator from the Village of Harlem. Paterson was the first black or Caribbean-American in many areas including vice president of the National Democratic Party and in 1980, the first African-American appointed Secretary of State of New York.
In 2008, Paterson’s son, David, became the first and only African-American and of Grenadian and Jamaican heritage to assume the governorship of New York State. On February 26, 2019, New York voters of Caribbean background can continue the tradition of public service by electing Councilman Jumaane Williams Public Advocate of the