This column, from the weekly opinion piece MATTER OF FACT, first appeared on BrooklynReporter.com, the Home Reporter and Spectator dated December 16, 2022
In the years I have been writing this column, the only time I have ever directly addressed my fellow columnist was three years ago in December of 2019 to congratulate Jerry Kassar on marking his 31st year writing his weekly piece. Similarly, I do not believe Mr. Kassar has ever directly addressed me in his column, which makes sense.
Though he and I have often written about the same issues, typically holding opposing views, it makes sense that we do not debate each other directly in these columns that are published at weekly intervals. Given that a section of a recent column of Mr. Kassar’s garnered quite a bit of local attention and generated a fair amount of criticism, I feel the need to share my opinion on the matter he wrote about, but in keeping with how we have always treated these weekly columns, that is exactly how I will write about the topic.
I will quote the section in question I disagree with and then share my opinions on the topic, focusing on positive arguments that I believe support my point of view. There are other platforms that allow an issue to be debated with the opportunity to respond in real time, which is why I will relegate my space here to the topic and not the person who generated the discussion.
“Iwen Chu will be a lost soul in Albany without Abbate telling her how to vote and what to do. She literally had nothing to say these past campaign months. She was putting her faith in Democratic votes and changing ethnic demographics.”
Jerry Kassar, from his November 25, 2022 column titled, ‘Changing Times’
A few weeks ago in his column, Jerry Kassar wrote, “Iwen Chu will be a lost soul in Albany without Abbate telling her how to vote and what to do. She literally had nothing to say these past campaign months. She was putting her faith in Democratic votes and changing ethnic demographics.” I strongly disagree and because of what I know of State Senator-elect Iwen Chu, I could not have a more different opinion.
Iwen Chu recently won a very close race for New York’s 17th state senate district, a newly created AAPI-plurality district that was created in the recent redistricting process. Both she and her opponent were very vocal during their campaigns and had different visions that they made clear to voters.
As a longtime public servant and active community member, Iwen has taken on many roles over the years. As a member of both Community Board 11 and the District 20 Community Education Council, she has volunteered her time to advocate for the community and for students. As Assemblyman Abbate’s Chief of Staff, she has assisted countless constituents and has a decade of experience in the world of the New York State legislature.
Besides being committed to helping the community on her own time, Iwen knows how an elected representative’s office can help people, whether it is through constituent services in the neighborhood or by enacting laws in Albany.
Iwen does refer to Assemblyman Abbate as her mentor, but anyone who has spent any time with her knows that she has her own voice. Her years as an Assemblyman’s Chief of Staff have certainly paved the way for her path to elected office, but she has been very clear that when it comes to who will play a part in how she votes or what she does, that will only ever be her constituents.
I spent time volunteering for Iwen’s campaign and at every action, whether it be to make phone calls or knock on doors, Iwen was there herself, making clear what her candidacy was about. Her campaign’s outreach to the community made the difference in an election with a narrow margin of victory and all the people who volunteered to get the word out, did so because of who Iwen is.
Everyone, including Iwen, understood the dynamics of this district at this time. Biden may have gotten 58 percent of the vote in 2020 and this constituency may be 48 percent Asian, but Republican candidates improved their showings last year in Southern Brooklyn and with Asian American voters. Iwen knew that any Democratic candidate, regardless of their ethnicity, was going to have to fight and claw for every vote in this district.
Iwen did not win because she is Asian or because she is a woman, but the fact that the candidate Southern Brooklyn voters chose is the first Asian woman to be elected to the state senate is significant. I am glad that Iwen Chu, who will be ready to get the job done on day one, will become my state senator in a few weeks.
