Guyanese American In The Run For This NY City Council Seat

News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Mon. Mar. 22, 2021: A Guyanese American is in the run for a New York City Council District in a special election that concludes tomorrow, March 23rd.

Latchmi Gopal, a daughter of Guyanese immigrants, community organizer and Bronx native, is running for New York’s City Council District 15 seat, vacated by Ritchie Torres.

Torres was elected to Congress in November 2020 and is one of the first Black and openly gay men to serve in the House of Representatives. Gopal hopes to take his vacated seat make history by becoming the first Guyanese American and Indo-Caribbean elected to the City Council.

Gopal is an alumnus of Boston University and has a degree in political science and public health.

She said she is running for office because she believes in the Bronx and “I want to make sure our neighborhood gets the attention, resources and dedication we deserve.”

“We deserve more from City Government, we deserve more from our leaders, we deserve more from our tax dollars,” she added. “We deserve health, we deserve housing, we deserve to live without fear. We deserve more time to spend with those we love. We deserve a better Bronx. And not only do we deserve it, but it’s absolutely possible. … I’m here to fight for you.”

District 15 includes the areas of  Bedford Park, Fordham, Mount Hope, Bathgate, Belmont, East Tremont, West Farms, Van Nest, Allerton and Olinville. Gopaul’s challengers are: John Sánchez, district manager for Bronx Community Board 6; Elisa Crespo, education liaison for Bronx Borough President Ruben Díaz Jr.; Ischia Bravo, district manager for Bronx Community Board 7 and former executive director of the Bronx Democratic County Committee; Kenny Agosto, deputy chief of staff to state Sen. Jamaal T. Bailey; Troy Blackwell, criminal justice reform advocate; Oswald Feliz, tenant attorney and state committeeman; Bernadette Ferrara, Bronx Community Board 11 member; Lilithe Lozano, NYCHA tenant advocate and Altagracia Soldevilla.