Candidate Profile: Jackie Duodu-Burbridg​e For Legislature

LONG ISLAND, NY - Some local residents will be hitting the polls next week for a special election to choose a new representative for Suffolk County's 15th legislative district. The special election has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 10.

Earlier this year, DuWayne Gregory announced recently he will be stepping down as legislator for the 15th district in order to take over Jackie Gordon's seat on the Town of Babylon board. Gordon announced she will be stepping down to run for Congress.

Jackie Duodu-Burbridge, 42, of Copiague will be running for the seat, which covers Wheatley Heights, Wyandanch, North Amityville, Amityville Village, Copiague, parts of North Lindenhurst, West Babylon and North Babylon, and the portion of Farmingdale which lies in Suffolk County.

Her opponents are Jason A. Richberg (D) and Christopher G. Connors (R).

Duodu-Burbridge (D, Working Families), received her bachelor's degree from Spelman College; and her master's degree from Hofstra University. She also has her Certificate in Legislative Advocacy from the National Urban League and her Certificate in Leading in Community from Adelphi University. She currently works as a nonprofit consultant.

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Duodu-Burbridge below:

Patch: The single most pressing issue facing our community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Duodu-Burbridge: I’m going to be a fierce advocate for my community and introduce innovative policy ideas that can produce transformative results for my community, such as pursuing measures that will allow for truly affordable housing like a Housing Trust that will be able to provide home options that are affordable to local residents, in perpetuity. I will also work to ensure that when developers build new projects here, that they are providing good paying, long term jobs to residents and not outsiders, and that more than just a tiny percentage of units are made accessible to the income levels of current residents.

P: What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

D: I am the daughter of an immigrant, the mother of a school-age child and the wife of a Union member. I understand the everyday struggles of our residents, and I come to this race as one of them, not as a political insider. When elected, I would also represent something this County has never had before, because in it’s 50 year history, there has never been a Black woman on the Suffolk County legislature. I am running to make sure that that perspective is no longer left out of this county’s highest governing body.

P: Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

D: I will protect residents’ rights to choose which communities they want to live in and fight to protect homeowners from ever increasing taxes. I will also be partnering with other levels of government to make sure our schools are fully funded and provide safe, quality educational foundations for our children. Our communities need safe drinking water and new options for reliable public transportation and I will work to ensure that transit resources are allocated to this district when available. We also need to spur economic development and invest in job creation for all of those who want to live and work here.

P: What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

D: I have a combined 20 years worth of experience in nonprofit leadership, working to provide housing for the homeless, services for those with mental and physical illnesses and quality education for students of all ages. As a volunteer with the Urban League’s State of Black Long Island, I’ve met with elected officials at all levels of government to introduce and advocate for legislation that would not leave underrepresented communities behind. And my experience working in county government assures me that there is much that can, and should be, done for our communities.

P: The best advice ever shared with me was ...

D: A family member recently shared this inspirational quote by Shirley Chisholm: “You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas”.

P: What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

D: I want voters to know that I made my way into this race out of respect for their right to exercise their vote and to have their voices be heard. I am here as a direct result of my community advocacy and activism. Fighting for my community and for the underserved is all I’ve ever done for the entirety of my adulthood. Too many of our neighbors feel as if they are being left behind. And because of all my work with nonprofits that serve people and my experience in legislative advocacy, I know that there is much more that can be done for our communities. We deserve a true fighter for the people in our local government. When I’m elected, that is what I will be.