This past Wednesday May 11th 2022, the New York City Districting Commission had a meeting to make public and outline the process of how the redistricting maps are going to be achieved. The meeting took place at 22 Reade Street, New York NY 10007. The meeting was public via Zoom and YouTube, but the public was not granted the opportunity testify as it was a meeting establishing guidelines not one of discussion. (You can watch the meeting by clicking here.) Last month after the first meeting that established the commission with the swearing in of its new commissioners, Esendom was granted an exclusive interview by one of the commission's newest members, Yovan S. Collado. Collado is a representative from the Bronx of Dominican descent who was appointed by City Counsel. Following is our initial interview that looks to inform the public about the process of the redistricting maps which affect many aspects of the communities, as they have a say in the representatives that are voted into the institutions that serve said communities. Esendom will keep you informed as to the dates of the next public meetings where the public will be able to testify and help shape the redistricting maps through public insight.

What role can district meetings have in finding solutions to problems affecting Dominican immigrants and others?

The main role that district hearings play is to provide a forum for community members to provide their feedback on a redistricting process that could impact their voting power. For example, the Dominican community, in neighborhoods where they make up the majority of residents, needs to be aware of the process to ensure that their voice is heard and that they are not split into several districts, thereby diluting their voting power to elect their councilperson. This is particularly important because many of the issues that affect people’s day-to-day lives are directly impacted by their representation in city government. This includes more mundane issues like garbage pickup and potholes being filled, but also the spending of billions of taxpayer dollars through the city’s budget.

The commission will host a series of public hearings across the five boroughs so that as many people as possible can participate. It is important that we hear from communities across the city to inform our decisions without solely relying on census data, which sometimes, for various reasons, does not portray the full picture of who lives where.

What are some ways that district members can have an impact in their roles and what role can community members play by attending district public meetings?

Commissioners play a vital role in creating and approving maps that conform to the statutory guidelines outlined in the city, state, and federal law. The New York City charter provides specific guidelines that make the city redistricting process a lot more constrained than others, and shield the process from undue influence. The commission is intended to “reflect the geographic and ethnic diversity of the City.”

Community members also play a crucial role in providing their opinion on how council districts should be drawn to avoid dividing communities and therefore diluting their voting power. For example, while census data may indicate certain population shifts, community members are better informed and can provide more granular information about their specific neighborhoods. I believe this is particularly true this year, given that many communities of interest were likely undercounted by a Census process that was tainted by the prejudice of the Trump Administration. Trump employed many scare tactics that were likely designed to keep Latinos and other immigrants from responding to the Census, like proposing the infamous Citizenship question that was ultimately struck down by the Supreme Court. As a result, it is more important than ever for these communities to make their voices heard.

Can you talk about specific issues that you are working on or looking to put forward?

In an effort to familiarize myself with the ins and outs of the districting process, I am currently studying the various sources of law that guide it and reading different reports that have been published by good government groups. I am looking forward to a process that is data-driven but also takes into account the needs and concerns of the communities that will be impacted.

What do you mean by good government groups? What makes them unbiased?

Good government groups are organizations whose goals and mission are to increase civic engagement, hold the government accountable, and request transparency, and accessibility for communities in order to get the best options that serve the people. Good government groups are nonpartisan, therefore they have a lack of affiliation with, and ostensibly a lack of bias toward, any political party or group.

How was your first experience as a Districting Commissioner? How did you get selected? (If you can please include your knowledge of how many people of Dominican descent have been commissioners.)

As a kid from the projects in the Lower East Side, it felt surreal to take part in my first meeting* at the NYC Council chambers at City Hall. I remember walking past City Hall as a kid with my dad who used to clean offices in the area and admiring it from the outside. So getting inside, and being part of such an important process is something that makes me proud.

I was appointed by the City Council majority which gets to appoint five out of the fifteen commissioners, including one from each borough. The Council minority party appoints another three and the Mayor appoints the remaining seven. From what I know, there is one other Dominican on the commission, Queens Attorney Maria Mateo.

*Meeting took place March 29th, 2022.

What is the main difference between the proposed Democrat and Republican redistricting maps? What impact would the fundamental difference make to the districts?

I believe you are referencing the state maps that were drawn by the state legislature after the independent commission established by law came to an impasse. I am confident that the city’s districting process will avoid these sorts of disputes since it is more rigidly constrained by the city charter. The Commission is focused on making the process as transparent and interactive as possible so that everyone feels heard.

What just happened with the NY State maps?

New York State’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, affirmed the lower court’s decision and deemed the previously drawn maps unconstitutional due to partisan gerrymandering. The Court agreed that the maps were too partisan, and heavily favored the Democrats. It is uncertain what the outcome will be, but new maps are expected to be drawn before the end of May by a court-appointed “special master.” Most recently, a federal judge allowed the primary election date in NY to be moved to August 23rd, a move that provides more time for the special master to conduct his work.

Can you please explain what got the Democrat's map struck down legally. What do you think could be the fix?

The maps that were recently struck down were drawn by the New York State legislature after an independent commission established by law failed to produce new maps for the entire state. Several Republicans immediately brought an action seeking to block the newly drawn maps from taking effect, charging that they were too partisan and would unduly benefit Democrats in upcoming elections. The case was brought in rural Steuben County, NY and the trial court justice, a Republican, ruled the maps unconstitutional because, according to him, they were drawn with political bias.

When are the next public meetings? What can community members do before the next meetings to have their say as to the redistricting maps?

As a commission, we are still figuring out the details and planning for future public meetings. It is our intention to host these at varying times of the day and throughout the five boroughs to maximize citizen involvement. We hope to begin the first round of meetings by next month. We are also working on setting up a website so that the public can also submit their feedback online.

In preparation, I would advise community members to do a little bit of independent research so that they can better understand the process and why it is so important. Good government groups like the Citizen’s Union put out excellent reports, including this one, about the role of the NYC Districting Commission.