The Local Politicians of the Bronx: A Python Post Exclusive
“All in all, both Diana Ayala and Emerita Torres made it clear that the fight of equity, representation, and justice will not be over with whoever is in control. Our voice is our tool in communities like the Bronx; we have the power to address the issues that others may overlook.”
Last month, I explored how the Trump administration's policies on DEI rollbacks along with stricter immigration reinforcements are affecting our minority and local communities in the Bronx. I also previewed an upcoming discussion that would be held with Diana Ayala, our local City Councilwoman and Deputy Speaker of the NYC City Council, to discuss these developments in greater length. This month, I'm bringing you that conversation, along with the opportunity to talk with State Assemblywoman Emerita Torres, who also represents our district in the Bronx, to share her perspective on what these changes mean for our community and what the future is of the Democratic Party after the 2024 election.
When I sat down with Councilwoman Diana Ayala, she was quick to emphasize that not only are the DEI rollbacks political talking points, but that they also affect our local Bronx community. She explained that she thinks the Trump administration's justification for revoking these DEI policies is because the administration believes DEI initiatives have long kept white individuals from positions that they are qualified to be in, as the initiatives have made corporations and institutions required to be inclusive to minority groups. However, Ayala pointed out how this viewpoint is rooted in a racist effort:
“[Trump’s] position is that [DEI policies] are racist because they keep white people out of positions that they're qualified for. This is the same argument that we're making. Right? That the the previous policies were racist against Black and Brown people, and we didn't have the same opportunities to enter a certain industry.”
Here, Ayala is pointing out one of the paradoxes of the Trump administration: rolling back the DEI policies just because they are racist isn’t going to justify bringing already privileged groups back into power. Additionally, Ayala and other activists and politicians are fighting back in the same argument, saying that these policies were initiated because Black and Brown individuals were hardly ever included in positions where they were qualified:
“I think that we need to do a better job in our own communities, educating each other without having to fight each other. Because I think we all want the same thing. We want to feel safe. We want to be heard. We want to be included. But I think that sometimes people misconstrue what the progressive movement has done, and they see some of their policies as ones that have made people feel less safe.”
Beyond the legal battles and the Trump administration's policies, Ayala acknowledged the deeper problem, which is lack of education and political engagement within our own communities. "We need to do a better job of educating each other without fighting each other," she told me, mentioning how the Black and Brown voters of Trump and other left wing Republicans are now facing the drawbacks of the policies they supported. Communities continue to see the rise in prices of essential goods and services that Donald Trump promised to bring down in his first 100 days in office.
I also had the opportunity to talk with Assemblywoman Emerita Torres, who has led a number of movements that represent minority groups and has been an advocate for immigrant rights. She explained that these new federal policies create fear and instability in communities that already face economic and social hardships.
“This administration wants to paint immigrants as threats, but the reality is that our economy depends on them," Torres stated. "Many of the people being targeted are the backbone of industries like construction, healthcare, and service work—jobs that keep this city running." Torres further stated that her party has to work with people across the aisle to come up with a common ground and policy: “We need to have conversations with people who don't agree with us all the time to talk about why and how these policies are negatively affecting us. So I think we have to start there. And in that sense, I think our community has a lot of power. We need to reach across to others who don't always agree with us to have these conversations, because it's a matter of a matter of life or death for our community.”
Assemblywoman Torres and I pivoted the conversation towards the economy and specifically our local economy. During Donald Trump's campaign one of his main messages was lowering prices of essential goods and services. However, prices still continue to go up while agencies like the Department of Education are being defunded to save government spending.
"People who supported this administration are now feeling the direct impact of these policies," she noted. "Rising rents, stagnant wages, cuts to public services—these are all the results of leadership that prioritizes corporations over people."
Beyond the impact of Trump's policies affecting the vast majority of citizens, both Ayala and Torres spoke about the future of the Democratic party after the party's meltdown in the 2024 election. There has been a growing divide between progressive and moderate Democrats scrambling to come together before next year's midterms to show voters they can better engage communities like the Bronx.
"The key is outreach," Ayala emphasized. "We need to educate voters, not just during election season, but year-round. People feel disconnected from politics because they don’t always see immediate changes, but if we don’t engage, we lose ground." Assemblywoman Torres emphasized the role of grassroots activism that can shape the Democratic party’s future and help them embrace the younger generation.
“Gen Z and young millennials are more progressive, more engaged, and more willing to challenge the status quo," she said. "The Democratic Party has to embrace that energy and translate it into real policy changes."
All in all, both Diana Ayala and Emerita Torres made it clear that the fight of equity, representation, and justice will not be over with whoever is in control. Our voice is our tool in communities like the Bronx; we have the power to address the issues that others may overlook.