Diverse swath of Brooklynites unite behind Brooklyn Democratic Party

December 29, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Mayor-elect Eric Adams and Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte. Eagle photo by Mario Belluomo.

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On Wednesday, Mayor-elect Eric Adams and over 250 prominent Brooklyn Democratic lawmakers, District Leaders, community activists and leaders released a letter reflecting on Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn’s unifying leadership and recognizing the groundbreaking accomplishments that the Brooklyn Democratic Party has achieved under the party chair’s tenure.

The letter signees include Mayor-elect Eric Adams, Democratic City Council Members, Assemblymembers, and activists — ranging the gamut from religious leaders to community foundations.

“We recognize and thank you for your dedicated hard work unifying and supporting Democrats – not only candidates and office-holders – but people of all ages, laborers, blue-collar citizens, and those in need of hope,” the letter addressed to the party chair opens. (View the entire letter here.)

The Brooklyn Democratic Party is the most diverse and largest county party in the world, with over 1.2 million members. Needless to say, this massive coalition wildly varies across the Blue political spectrum, and has had its fair share of discourse (some not as polite).

To wrap up the year, the advocates of the Party downplayed differences to reiterate the major Party progress in expanding voting rights, increasing voter engagement, embracing the next generation of female activists, allowing county committee candidates to run under their preferred pronouns, raising the Party’s funds to the highest amount in history, and more.

With this year’s hard-fought city-wide elections, the letter reiterates how the Party played a role in making Brooklyn the new NY power hub. “Our work together played a major role in our election of Brooklyn-based Democratic candidates for the city-wide, state-wide and federal offices of the Mayor, Comptroller and Public Advocate, Attorney General, and Senate Majority Leader,” the letter states.

Breaking barriers and empowering more women in politics was also a major highlight (a fitting reminder as we’re about to have the most diverse and first female majority City Council class in history).

“As the first Black woman to chair the Party, you introduced landmark maternal health care Legislation in Albany, and hosted diverse, inclusive Women’s History Month celebrations that embraced the next generation of female activists,” the letter stated.

And with pivotal midterm elections coming up that will decide the majority of the Senate and House (along with our next Gov. and AG, who could ostensibly by Republican), the leaders made vows for unity to keep the good fight going: “We will continue to relentlessly focus on improving and uplifting the lives of all Brooklynites. Nothing will get in the way of our united Brooklyn Democracy.”

Asked for comment, Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn also vowed to further focus on Democratic unity as we enter the new year: “None of the progress we’ve made for the borough could have been achieved without our dedicated and diverse party members and district leaders. From the bottom of my heart, I thank every Brooklyn Democrat,” she said, “As we look forward to the new year, the sky is truly the limit for what we can achieve.”