As he gears up for re-election, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso delivered his 2025 State of the Borough address last week at Boys and Girls High School in Bed-Stuy.
“Opportunity is what makes a difference in our neighborhoods and for too long systemically opportunities have been snatched from our neighborhoods,” said Reynoso. “I want to show that government can work and show up for them now.”
Reynoso, a Brooklyn native, is the son of Dominican immigrants. He began the night’s address with a moment of silence for the victims of a deadly roof collapse at a popular nightclub in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic a week ago. 221 individuals have been reported dead and over 150 injured.
Pastor Steven Eugene Carter Sr. of Mount Ararat Church of Brooklyn delivered the invocation, student Suleila Clarke sang the National Anthem, and the Nelson Mandela Drumline gave an energized performance.
Afterwards, Reynoso presented plans for 2025. “Section 8 housing, food stamps, school scholarships, welfare, Women, Infants and Children [WIC]. That’s not luck. It’s government. It’s all the resources New York and this country used to take a bet on me. Brooklyn backed me,” said Reynoso. “And now it is my honor and responsibility to back Brooklyn.”
Building on his commitment in his first comprehensive plan for Brooklyn, Reynoso announced a new partnership with Brooklyn College to launch New York State’s first credit-bearing Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) Advanced Certificate Program. The program will prepare healthcare, mental health, early intervention, and early educational professionals to support pregnant mothers and birthing parents experiencing mental distress. Brooklyn College is piloting the two courses this Spring and will host its first full cohort in Fall 2025. “Our midwife at Woodhull, Ms. Helena Grant, wasn’t going to let me off easy,” said Reynoso, who is a father to two small children. “She made sure I knew from day one, just how bad things were. That as an Afro-Caribbean woman, my wife was about eight times more likely to die from pregnancy related causes than her white counterparts.”
Reynoso has vowed to “make the borough the safest place in the city to have a baby.”
For long-term plans, Reynoso advocated for more affordable housing throughout the borough by eliminating parking minimums and allowing more housing to be built; protecting the last active port in Red Hook’s harbor and waterfront; a citywide Community Board Central Office; Bushwick 1000, a multi-year youth employment initiative; investment in the Interborough Express to better connect transit deserts in Brooklyn and Queens; creating a Youth Advisory Council for high schoolers to weigh in on borough policies; and the Divine Dwellings initiative, which convenes six houses of worship with Bricks and Mortals to facilitate housing development on their land.
He also introduced the first-ever Arts Ambassador: renowned fashion designer Colm Dillane, also known as KidSuper. Dillane provided the audience with a limited edition run of the official Brooklyn pin. Reynoso said he intends to have a design competition that solicits designs from all over the borough.
Reynoso capped off his address speaking to immigrants in the city. He said he’s determined to move away from “fear-based politics” and the influence of President Donald Trump on how the city is governed. “So what we say is immigrants help build this country, they help contribute in a positive way, and we love them, we support them, we’re New York, that’s what we’re about,” said Reynoso, “and Trump hates it. He hates everything about the city that made him. And that’s sad.”
Meanwhile, the borough president race is underway. Reynoso naturally benefits as the incumbent and is way ahead in fundraising. He’s received $313,356 in private funds and $624,714 in public funds, according to the New York City Campaign Finance Board (NYCCFB) latest payout on April 15.
“This office is actually getting things done,” said Reynoso about his campaign. “We got over 6,000 people work authorization applications. We’re helping hospitals take care of Black women. We’re working with churches to build housing in their lots. These are real tangible things that we’re doing as Borough Hall, and I hope that the residents of Brooklyn and the people that want to vote see that I’ve been able to modify this office into one that can affect [meaningful] change in their lives and not one that’s just going to be performative.”
Reynoso’s main challenger is Khari Edwards, a former vice president of External Affairs at Brookdale Hospital, who made a run at BP in 2021 as well. Edwards received $156,495 in private funds and $542,260 in public matching funds so far.