By Bill Parry
City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras’ (D-East Elmhurst) State of the District speech at the Langston Hughes Library in Corona Tuesday was anything but routine.
Ferreras was speaking to her constituents for the first time since she made history two weeks ago when she became the first woman and first person of color to be named the head of the Council Finance Committee.
Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito (D-Manhattan), the woman who elevated Ferreras to the powerful post, was on hand to introduce Ferreras to the crowd of nearly 200.
“I’m proud to have her as a friend and ally and as a fellow Latina,” Mark-Viverito said. “What we advocate for has important ramifications throughout the city. Know that she is very influential at the City Council.”
Ferreras will have a prominent role in negotiating the city’s budget.
City Public Advocate Letitia James was on hand along with Borough President Melinda Katz.
“There’s a lot of girl power in the room,” Katz said.
Several young girls played violins in a string ensemble at the start of the event. They stayed to listen to the speeches. If they missed the messages of empowerment from the female politicians, Ferraras drove the point home toward the end of her speech.
“As a young girl growing up in Corona, this was the furthest possibility from my mind,” Ferreras said. “I am the first woman and first person of color to chair this coveted committee. For every young girl that is told that math isn’t for girls, that politics isn’t for girls, that leadership isn’t for girls — this girl from Corona says they were and are wrong.”
After a big round of applause from the crowd, Ferreras spoke of the increased size of Council District 21, which now includes LaGuardia Airport and the 20,000 residents of Lefrak City. She reviewed the plans for the extension of the 82nd Street Partnership as well as the need for more schools despite six new buildings in the district that will add 3,491 seats.
“We are still 4,000 seats short of what we need,” Ferreras said, adding that she was a graduate of PS 19, a school she called the most overcrowded in the nation.
Ferreras spoke at length of her success at raising capital investment, something Deputy Borough President Leroy Comrie spoke of during his preliminary remarks.
“She is always pushing for economic solutions for her community. She was able to bring $25 million to the district from the USTA and Willets Point,” he said.
The numbers shown in a PowerPoint presentation were impressive: a $4.5 million investment for traffic safety and more than $9 million for local parks.
Ferreras said she will scout the newest part of her district for more capital investment.
“I will engage the airlines at LaGuardia to see if they’ll chip in because we have to listen to their planes every two minutes,” she said.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718.260.4538.
