Elections 2022: Community Voices Heard Power Endorses Jessica Altagracia Woolford in A.D. 81 Race

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Jessica Altagracia Woolford, candidate for Assembly District 81 in the Northwest Bronx, announced on Thursday, March 31, that she has been endorsed by the group, Community Voices Heard Power.
Photo courtesy of Jessica Altagracia Woolford

Jessica Altagracia Woolford, Democratic candidate for New York State Assembly District 81 in the Northwest Bronx, announced on Thursday, March 31, that she has received the endorsement of Community Voices Heard Power (CVHPower) in her bid to win the June primary.

According to the group’s website, CVHPower is a member-led, multi-racial organization principally comprised of women of color and low-income families in New York State. Members say they tackle tough issues and build power to secure racial, social and economic justice for all New Yorkers. They do this through grassroots organizing, leadership development, policy changes, and creating new models of direct democracy.

“I am excited to get to work with CVHPower to deliver quality care to our communities,” Altagracia Woolford said. “We need affordable housing, reliable, accessible, and equitable public transit, and a climate justice plan that centers Black and Brown communities most impacted by this crisis. The road to justice is ours to pave, and with CVHPower by our side, we are ready.”

Meanwhile, Juanita O. Lewis, executive director of CVHPower, said of the endorsement that Altagracia Woolford is a community leader who leads with the values most important to her community. “As an organization that works everyday to ensure all New Yorkers can live in an equitable and just community, CVHPower members are excited to endorse Jessica for NY State Assembly,” Lewis said. “We know she will be an accountable legislator who will advocate whole-heartedly for her constituents and help create a more equitable New York State.”

The organization’s representatives said that the group seeks out, politically educates, trains, encourages, and supports aspiring candidates of color; as well as individuals who support its agenda to advance low-income communities of color across its four chapters located in New York City, Westchester County, Orange County, and Dutchess County.

Woolford, born and raised in Kingsbridge, and currently living in Riverdale, launched her campaign for NYS Assembly in November 2021, as reported. She has since earned the endorsement of progressive groups locally and statewide including: the NY Working Families Party, New York Communities for Change, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Citizen Action, Sunrise NYC, TREEage, Churches United for Fair Housing.

According to Altagracia Woolford’s campaign, she is a mom, a caregiver, a mutual aid organizer, and proud Dominicana. She’s worked in local and national Democratic politics and government for nearly a decade including at the 2016 Democratic Convention, the UFCW International, the de Blasio administration, New York Immigration Coalition, and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s office, and she’s a former rank-and-file CWA member.

Assembly seat 81 is currently held by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who as reported has held the seat since 1994, when he won in a special election. Also running in the A.D. 81 primary race is George Diaz. In terms of campaign contributions raised, according to NYS Board of Elections data, Diaz had raised $2,705.85 as of March 12, Dinowitz had raised $146,351, while Altagracia Woolford had raised $41,351.

A “Pazmino for 81st Assembly” PAC had not raised any financing, as of the same date. We understand that the latter may be a PAC in support of freelance filmmaker, Kevin Pazmino, who, as reported, previously ran and lost against District 11 City Councilman Eric Dinowitz, who is the assemblyman’s son. As reported, Pazmino has clashed with both elected officials over the vaccine mandate. We reached out to Pazmino for comment on the PAC. We did not receive an immediate response.

The 81st Assembly District includes Norwood, Kingsbridge, Van Cortlandt Village, Riverdale, Kingsbridge Heights, and Marble Hill.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.