Advocating for equitable New York legislative districts for Afro & Indo-Caribbean communities.
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New York Legislative Districts
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Redistricting Task Force
Caribbean Equality Project is a leading coalition member of the Asian Pacific American Voting and Organizing to Increase Civic Engagement’s (APA VOICE) Redistricting Task Force. CEP joined the APA VOICE coalition to ensure that the interests of Indo and Afro-Caribbean immigrants are centered in legislative districts. In 2010, advocates rallied for Richmond Hill/ South Ozone Park to be united into one Assembly district and one Senate District. 10 years later, Richmond Hill/ South Ozone Park was divided into 7 Assembly Districts (Assembly Districts 23-Amato, 24-Weprin, 27-D. Rosenthal, 28-Havesi, 31-Anderson, 32-Cook, and 38-Rajkumar).
CEP’s founder and executive director, Mohamed Q. Amin, represented the Caribbean Equality Project for the launch of the APA Voice’s Redistricting Task Force held on Mar 26, 2021, in front of the Queens Public Library at Elmhurst, Queens. “New York City is home to both the largest South Asian and Indo-Caribbean (Guyanese, Trinidadian, Jamaican, Surinamese, etc.) diasporic populations, a contributor to the city’s economy, and language and cultural diversity, and a growing political power machine. The Indo-Caribbean population has grown exponentially in Queens and the Bronx. Richmond Hill, also known as Little Guyana, is home to the largest Indo-Caribbean community, with the Castle Hill section of the Bronx coming in second in NYC. Unfortunately, the census data does not adequately reflect the total Indo-Caribbean population in NYC. This complex history of belonging and migration have led to inadequate Census counts because some Indo-Caribbeans were forced to classify themselves as Asian, while some selected "other" on government documents. Due to this complicated history, there are discrepancies with locating the total amount of Indo-Caribbeans in NYC.”
- Mohamed Q Amin
New York State Legislative Task Force
New York will has an Independent Advisory Commission for the redistricting process for state and congressional districts. The New York State Legislative Task Force Demographic Research and Reapportionment (LATFOR) is a 10-member advisory commission consisting of two members appointed by the president of the state Senate, the speaker of the state Assembly, the minority leaders of the state Senate and state Assembly and the other eight commissioners. The Independent Advisory Commission will hold public hearings this summer and fall to hear what is at stake for our communities and why our communities should be kept together.
Richmond Hill Redistricting Town Hall 2021
Emergency Press Conference With APA Voice 2023
Show Up For Our Future Rally
On Monday, January 31st, 2021, Caribbean Equality Project joined the Show Up For Our Future Rally near City Hall to demand the NYS Legislative Task Force (LATFOR) hold a public hearing on its new maps before Governor Kathy Hochul signed them into law. After rejecting the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission’s plans, the NYS Legislative Task Force (LATFOR) began drafting new congressional and state legislature redistricting lines. These lines define political power for 10 years. The NYS legislature was expected to vote on them without any public input. How district lines are drawn determines who runs for office, who you vote for, and whether your neighborhood is kept whole or divided. The new districts also decide whether your voice is heard on critical issues like healthcare, the environment, jobs, affordable housing, and quality education. The public must have an opportunity to weigh in on new maps.
Given the importance of these maps for all New Yorkers—especially marginalized groups protected by the Voting Rights Act—LATFOR must hold at least one public hearing for the people to weigh in on the proposals before the maps are finalized. CEP advocated for meaningful participation in the process and fair districts to reflect the growth in our communities of shared interests.
For the next 10 years, starting in 2022, new district lines will impact:
💉 Access to Covid-19 relief
🏫 Funding for schools
🗽 Fair immigration policy
💰 Support for small business and nonprofit services!
Endorsed by nearly 60 organizations city-wide, here is CEP’s letter to LATFOR requesting it hold a public hearing
Sponsored By: APA VOICE Redistricting Task Force Coalition Members: Academy of Medical & Public Health Services, Asian American Bar Association of New York, Asian Americans for Equality, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), Caribbean Equality Project, CHHAYA CDC, Chinese-American Planning Council, Chinese Progressive Association, Homecrest Community Services, Korean Community Services of Metropolitan NY, Little Manila Queens Bayanihan Arts, MinKwon Center for Community Action, National Federation of Filipino American Association-NY Chapter, OCA-NY, South Asian Council for Social Services, Shetu, South Queens Women’s March; Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College; Latino Justice PRLDEF; AALDEF; Common Cause/NY; NYIC Mapping Our Future Coalition; Women’s Empowerment Coalition of NYC; Kaurageous Love; India Home; Woodside on the Move; Coalition for Asian American Children and Families; United Madrassi Association; Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus; Bangladeshi Americans for Political Progress; Citizen Action of NY; Asian American Federation; Smart Elections; Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus; West 135th St. Apartments Tenant Association, Inc.; NY Sikh Council; League of Asian Americans of NY; Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Hunter College); Onondaga Votes!
South Queens Redistricting Town Hall
On Monday, October 4, 2021, the Caribbean Equality Project joined our partners at APA Voice, South Queens Women's March, and Taking Our Seat to co-organize a South Queens Redistricting Town Hall (Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, & Ozone Park) at Royal Indian Palace in Queens, NY. Attendees learned about the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission's proposed maps, how they can advocate to ensure our community is no longer gerrymandered, and had an opportunity to voice concerns on redistricting process.
Little Guyana Redistricting Press Conference
On Thursday, July 22, 2021, the Caribbean Equality Project joined our APA VOICE: Voting and Organizing to Increase Civic Engagement coalition partners for a redistricting press conference at Chhaya Community Development Corporation's office in Richmond Hill, Queens. To amplify political disenfranchisement in immigrant communities, members of the APA VOICE Redistricting Task Force highlighted inequalities in Indo-Caribbean, South Asian, and Asian communities, including the importance of testifying at the New York Independent Redistricting Commission's public hearings. Currently, Little Guyana and Little Punjab (Richmond Hill and Ozone Park) are unjustly divided into 7 Assembly districts, which are 23, 24, 27, 28, 31, 32, and 38.