New generation of leadership for Brooklyn Dems
The Executive Committee of the Kings County Democratic County Committee on Sunday convened a special meeting, electing two new Assembly District leaders to serve on the Executive Committee and four new officers of the County Committee.
Sarana Purcell was elected to fill the vacancy for the female seat of the 43rd Assembly District by former District Leader Shirley Patterson; and in the 59th Assembly District, Assemblymember Jaime Williams was also elected to fill the vacancy for the female seat of the replaced District Leader Sue Ann Partnow.
Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair, Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, thanked Patterson and Partnow for their years of service.
“Parntow and Patterson served the Kings County Democratic County Committee with honor and pride,” Bichotte Hermelyn, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn. “These fearless women represented the interests of their constituencies, upholding the values of Democracy while raising families of their own.
“The job of District Leader is no small task, and these women deserve our wholehearted thanks and recognition.”
District Leader is a volunteer position.
Also elected at the meeting were, Jean J. Joseph for treasurer, Dionne Brown-Jordan for assistant treasurer, Anthony T. Jones for 5th vice-chair and Shahid H. Khan for 6th vice-chair.
“We welcome the next generation of leaders to the Party,” said Bichotte Hermelyn. “All the newly elected members are under 45 and represent a diverse section of Brooklyn, from Canarsie to Crown Heights.”
Purcell is a young leader and Caribbean American-born from a Grenadian immigrant family, who grew up as an undocumented youth in Crown Heights and went on to become Director of Constituent Services/District Office Manager and Office Administrator in the New York State Assembly in the 43rd District, before being promoted to a Deputy Chief of Staff role in both the City Council and New York State Senate offices.
Currently, Purcell works for the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President as the director of External Boards and executive assistant to the deputy borough president.
Trinidadian Williams began her first term to serve the 59th Assembly District in 2016, encompassing Canarsie, Georgetown, Mill Basin, Marine Park, Bergen Beach and Gerritsen Beach.
She has served the community for years as a certified alcohol and substance abuse counselor with a Master’s in Social Work, including counseling women and children who were victims of domestic violence.
Her experience has allowed her to collaborate with faith-based community and civic organizations to promote awareness about domestic violence.
Williams advocated and counseled clients who are HIV positive and have histories of substance abuse. Williams is the first Black and first Caribbean American, from Trinidad and Tobago, to hold this seat.
Dominican Joseph, CPA, has been a campaign treasurer to political candidates at New York state and city levels of government for the past 12 years.
She possesses over three decades of accounting experience, and has been the founder and chief executive officer of Joseph Tax & Consulting Services since 2001 – a certified MWBE.
Joseph has received certificates of special recognition and proclamations from: The United States Congress; New York State Senate; New York State Assembly; Office of the New York City Mayor and the Office of Brooklyn Borough President.
Brown-Jordan, Female District leader of the 46th Assembly District, has been in the professional service of helping children and families in South Brooklyn for 31 plus years.
She currently works as a Project Manager of Amalgamated Warbasse Houses, Inc. Prior to this role; she worked for 27 years at the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) and provided critical support, guidance and resources to the most vulnerable members of her community, including people living with HIV/AIDS.
From 2015-2018, Brown-Jordan was Community Liaison then Chief of Staff for the 46th Assembly District. She has served on Community Board 13 for the past four years, where she is currently Executive Board Treasurer.
She is also the chair of the Interfaith Committee at Community Board 13, and is a member of the Public Safety, Economic Development, and Environmental/Sanitation Committees.
Jones, Male District Leader of the 55th Assembly District, has been a lifelong activist in his community by serving on various boards and committees including the 73rd Precinct Community Council, the 81st Precinct Clergy Council, founding and serving as chair of the One Brownsville non-profit organization, founding the Community First Democratic Club, serving as an Auxiliary Police Officer and vice president of the Auxiliary Police Officers Union and working in social service organizations including the Red Cross, the East New York Urban Youth Corps and the Office of Family and Children’s Services.
Very significant, Jones worked closely with slain City Councilman James E. Davis in organizing and leading the Stop the Violence Marches and in mediation and anti-violence programs for youth.
Khan, a Pakistani American, is a progressive community activist who has assisted his Brooklyn community for over a decade as an Urdu translator for fellow Pakistani immigrants.
He had also served with the AD 44th County Committee, representing Park Slope and Kensington.
Kahn also serves as a member at large for Community Board 14. He has received awards and citations from a plethora of prominent elected officials – including Eric Adams, Jumaane Williams and Letitia James – for his decades of advocacy, both abroad and in Brooklyn.
The Kings County Democratic County Committee said the new leaders were elected following an established process to fill vacancies in the all-volunteer committee in the event of unexpected departures occurring between an election cycle.
According to the by-laws and rules, a District Leader vacancy is filled at the executive meeting and historically in every instance, the co-leader makes a recommendation for nomination.
Most recent, Jennifer Faucher was recommended by Brad Ried from the 41st AD, and Emile Bazile was recommended by Kristina Naplatarski to fill the vacancy for the 50th AD.
“I will work tirelessly to address the issues and concerns impacting the community and engage residents to help build strong neighborhoods through civic engagement. I am ready to get to work,” said Purcell.
“It’s an honor and privilege to represent my district in this capacity and I look forward to working with my co-leader in support of our democratic party,” said Williams.
“I’m grateful and proud to be elected as a vice chair for the Brooklyn Democratic Party,” said Khan. “I believe that each generation should live better than the last. In the present social and political scenario, we need a modern effective, result-oriented and Democratic plan which would lead the youth in a positive direction and create a healthy attitudinal change for the moderate, enlightened, tolerant society. If we join ideas, resources and strength we will plant good seeds for the future for a peaceful world.”
“As a lifelong advocate for Brooklyn, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to become a vice chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party,” said Jones. “It’s a pleasure to become an integral part of the Party that represents and advocates for Democrats from every corner of the borough.”
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the King’s County Democratic County Committee,” said Joseph. “As a CPA with over two decades of experience, I look forward to contributing my expertise to assist in transparency and accountability to the organization.”
“I look forward to helping the Party maintain a healthy and robust treasury as Assistant Treasurer. As a fierce advocate for the vulnerable, it’s an honor to help the Party defend the Democratic rights of all Brooklynites,” said Brown-Jordan.
