In the 84th Assembly District, The Bronx Chronicle endorses 27-year-old challenger Amanda Septimo, a former top aide to Rep. Jose Serrano, against 24-year incumbent Assemblywoman Carmen E. Arroyo. While both women hold similar position on the issues, Septimo has the energy and fire-in-the-belly drive that has long since left Assemblywoman Arroyo. The rapidly gentrifying district is experiencing displacement of long-time residents and needs someone with Septimo’s youth energy and fresh ideas to find useful solutions for the community.
Amanda’s campaign platform focuses on delivering change in several key areas, including affordable housing, education, mass transit, the opioid epidemic, criminal justice reform, and community safety. This summer, Run for Something announced its support for Amanda Septimo because of her commitment to take on gerrymandering, gun violence, the right to choose and other issues important to poor and working-class communities.
Assemblywoman Arroyo’s tenure over the past decade has been marred by scandal. In May 2013, Arroyo failed to report “casino” winnings with the NYS Legislative Ethics Commission and JCOPE. She also failed to report other required relationships and outside income. And in 2010, her grandson, Richard Izquierdo-Arroyo, pleaded guilty to embezzling nearly $2000,000 in taxpayer money from his non-profit company, SBCC Management Corporation. Izquierdo-Arroyo says he donated some of that money to Assemblywoman Arroyo’s campaign as well as bought furniture for her district office. Arroyo’s inattenitveness to her district and the people around her has continued.
Born and raised in the South Bronx, Amanda Septimo has been involved in community activism since she was teenager as a member of A.C.T.I.O.N., The Point Community Development Corporation’s teen activism platform. She has worked with the Legal Aid Society, with a specific focus on cases involving domestic violence and Spanish-speaking immigrants.
A former district director for Rep. Jose Serrano, Amanda now works to help working and middle-class families by fighting for stronger worker protections with the Council of School Supervisors & Administrators.
Septimo has the backing of former City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the powerful health-care workers union 1199SEIU as well as DC 37, Teamsters-Joint Council 16, the Council of School Supervisors and Working Families Party. Spanish-language newspaper, El Diario recently endorsed her.
So excited to share that I am one of 3 candidates endorsed by @eldiariony for the legislature this year! As the oldest Spanish language daily in the country, El Diario works to elevate the issues & voices of our communities. Grateful for such strong support! #SeptimoInSeptember https://t.co/ODaj2Ne7gB
— Amanda Septimo (@AmandaSeptimo) September 8, 2018
On Thursday, September 13, The Bronx Chronicle urges voters in the 84th Assembly District to cast their votes confidently for the future and for Democrat Amanda Septimo. Polls open at 6 AM and close at 9 PM. If you don’t know where to go vote for Amanda, voters can go online to the Board of Elections Pollsite Locator to find out where their polling place is located. Or call the BOE’s voter Phone Bank at 1-866-VOTE-NYC (866-868-3692).
The 84th Assembly District covers Mott Haven, Port Morris, Melrose, The Hub, Longwood, the Concourse and Hunts Point.
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