In a historic first, the Westchester-Putnam Chapter of the Working Families Party is now led by two people of color: Chair Jennifer Cabrera, of Ossining, and Vice Chair Noah Gitta, of Peekskill. As the children of immigrants from the Dominican Republic and Uganda who grew up working class, we understand the struggles working families face daily in Westchester.
As we take the helm, we aim to continue supporting candidates for elective office who are committed to truly uplifting the most vulnerable members of our community. But we’re also clear-eyed about the obstacles to change. Some people in the Westchester political class lack compassion and empathy for the struggles faced by everyday people in our community. Their goal is to maintain existing power structures while avoiding conflict. They try to appease us by allowing a handful of token people of color to hold positions of influence. We know that isn’t good enough. It’s reflected in the dismal voter participation rates among people of color, particularly those who live in the poorest areas of the county. People don’t see voting as a way to improve their lives because voting hasn’t improved their lives. It’s time for a change.
One of our chapter’s core focus areas has been and will continue to be affordable housing. A recent report by Community Voices Heard, a Working Families Party affiliate, highlighted that Westchester municipalities with more residents of color are also the ones with the highest percentages of cost-burdened households, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. This is no accident. Countless efforts to build affordable housing in the county, from a 2009 Obama administration lawsuit to Gov. Hochul’s proposal to build 800,000 new homes over a decade, have been met with rigid opposition from both Democrats and Republicans in Westchester. As a result, we continue to live in highly segregated communities where a person’s zip code determines access to opportunity. More than 60 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his letter from Birmingham jail, the white moderates of Westchester are still “more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice.” They still ask for Black and Latine communities to “wait for a ‘more convenient season’” to fight for affordable housing and equitable school funding and an end to police killings and – we are done waiting for the white political class of Westchester to decide when our communities can have what we need to flourish. We are not pawns whose lives can be played for political gain.
We say that Westchester needs leaders who will deliver concrete change for our communities. The Working Families Party is the vehicle to drive that change. And there is room enough for anyone who is sick and tired of politics as usual in Westchester County. We have an affirmative vision for a Westchester County where families of all income levels can afford to live in comfort and dignity. Where public safety and police accountability can coexist. Where every child gets a quality education no matter their zip code. Where the general public engages with politics because they see that it can be a force for positive change in their lives. For those who are ready to commit to making the type of transformative change that can be felt by everyday people in Westchester, we ask you to join us. Together we can help create a future where everyone in our community can thrive.
To learn more about the Working Families Party and join us in our movement, you can find us at workingfamilies.org!
Jennifer Cabrera & Noah Gitta, Chair and Vice Chair of the Westchester-Putnam Working Families Party
The WFP wholeheartedly supports the Kamala Harris & Tim Walz for