By Irshaad Ishmail
Imagine a Guyanese defying all odds and making history. This is exactly what Richard David has set out to do. The New York City Council has never had a South Asian, Indo-Caribbean, or specifically a Guyanese serve as a Council Member. The Richard David campaign is setting out to change that, and with help, the monumental feat is plausible in District 28 which include Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, South Jamaica Rochdale Village and a portion of Ozone Park.
While this election is potentially historic, it is long overdue. According to the New York City Department of Planning, in every single district in Southern Queens, Guyanese are the single largest immigrant group and are the 2nd largest across Queens after the Chinese, who have elected multiple political representatives. This time, the entire community is unified behind a single candidate for the City Council.
To get on the election ballot, 450 signatures from registered Democrats in the district were needed. The Richard David campaign got 2,100 and is the only campaign that was able to do it with all volunteers. The extent of those signatures and of the volunteers who petitioned for them is revealing in many ways. It shows that Richard David, the only candidate on the ballot who has not run for office before, has the strongest grassroots support in the district, and has a solid shot at winning this election. It always comes down to voters actually participating though.
If the numbers themselves are not convincing, then simply step in to the many well-known restaurants and businesses that district 28 has to offer. Many of them, you will find, proudly display a flyer of Richard David on their windows. Virtually every single community leader has thrown their support behind Richard. Major unions and political entities have also endorsed Richard including the Communication Workers of America District 1, New York State Immigration Action Fund, the Stonewall Democratic Club and many others.
Richard is not only Guyanese, he’s also the most qualified person in the race although he’s the youngest at age 31. Richard has held some of the most senior positions at three City agencies over the last 10 years including Vice President at the NYC Economic Development Corporation, Executive Director of the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs and Chief of Staff at the NYC Administration for Children’s Services. First and foremost, however, Richard is an activist. He co-founded the Indo-Caribbean Alliance, which has become one of the largest Guyanese organizations in New York with a space on Liberty Ave, paid staff and full-time programs for the community. He has been on the Community Board for the last 9 years and became a homeowner at age 25. While Richard also has a Master’s degree from New York University, he takes great pride in his Guyanese and Indo-Caribbean heritage. He always talks about coming to the United States with virtually nothing like most immigrants.
Imagine seeing the headline “Guyanese Politician Makes History” and similar headlines notifying you that a Guyanese has defied the odds, and made history. People often argue that your vote does not matter, but the votes that made Barack Obama the first African American president mattered, the votes that made Cheddi Jagan the first Indian president of Guyana mattered, and the votes that will make Richard David the first Guyanese on the NYC Council will matter too. There are several reasons why so many spend their time volunteering for the Richard David campaign and doing whatever it takes to elect him as District 28’s next Council Member—it is his enthusiasm and hard work, but most of all, it is his bright vision for the district. Richard wants to bring our tax dollars back to the district to build new community centers for seniors and young people, to clean up the neighborhood and to improve the graduation rates in our high schools.
On September 12th, it won’t be just Richard David’s name on the ballot. It will be the entire community. Together, we can make it happen. This time, we must make it happen. The deadline to register to vote in August 18, 2017. If you have questions, his office is at 133-04 Rockaway Blvd, you can call 917-310-5148 or visit the website, www.RichardDavidNYC.com.
