They assembled to honor their new assemblywoman!
Kings Countians and borough politicos toasted a newly elected Southern Brooklyn assemblywoman at her local swearing-in ceremony at William Grady High School in Brighton Beach.
The Jan. 6 event followed Democratic Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus’s official Albany swearing-in ceremony, and brought together some of her district’s diverse residents for an intimate afternoon, the pol said.
“I was very happy to have people there from all corners of the district — it felt very personal, like this is their seat,” said Frontus, who represents the state’s 46th Assembly District, which also includes Coney Island and Sea Gate, as well as parts of Bath Beach, Bay Ridge, Brighton Beach, Dyker Heights, and Gravesend.
The hometown ceremony began with an interfaith invocation that included blessings from a rabbi, imam, and pastor, before attendees broke out in renditions of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” “Lift Every Voice and Sing” — which many call the Black National Anthem — and the Haitian National Anthem, to honor Frontus’ roots in the Caribbean country.
New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer then administered the oath of office to the never-before-elected pol, who took her official oath back in November, because her seat was vacant after her predecessor — disgraced assemblywoman and convicted felon Pamela Harris — resigned last April.
A slew of other local electeds — including Councilman Mark Treyger (D–Coney Island), Councilman Justin Brannan (D–Bay Ridge), Councilman Mathieu Eugene (D–Flatbush), and Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte (D–Flatbush) — delivered remarks congratulating Frontus, and praising her involvement in civic life through her career in social work. And Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D–Crown Heights), and new Congressman Max Rose (D–Bay Ridge) traveled back from the nation’s capital to laud the newly elected pol for her commitment to the community.
Last September, Frontus beat out party–backed candidate Ethan Lustig-Elgrably by just 51 votes in the primary election to win the Democratic nomination for the seat, which she secured in the November election by defeating her Republican challenger Steve Saperstein by more than 2,900 votes.
