On the heels of last week’s strong fundraising totals, community leader Khari Edwards’ campaign for Brooklyn Borough President continues to gather significant momentum with the endorsement of Brooklyn Councilmember Alicka Ampry-Samuel.
“I am thrilled to support Khari Edwards for Brooklyn Borough President,” said Councilmember Ampry-Samuel, who represents the 41st District, comprising portions of the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Ocean Hill-Brownsville, East Flatbush and Crown Heights.
“I’ve worked closely with Khari for many years and seen firsthand how he puts the community first,” she added. “He is a connector, a fighter, and he gets it done.
“As Brooklyn goes through unprecedented changes and attempts to rebound from an unprecedented pandemic, we need leaders like Khari who understands the struggles of the most vulnerable in our borough,” Ampry-Samuel continued.
Edwards said “Amptry-Samuel exemplifies what it means to be public servants, and I am humbled by her support.
“As Borough President, I will work her them to bring leadership to Borough Hall that puts people first,” he said.
Previous Edwards’s endorsements included famed educator Dr. Nadia Lopez and Sheepshead Bay Houses Tenant Association President Barbara McFadden.
In a Jan. 19 article, Bklyner quoted the election as “down to a race of four,” with Edwards being the only non-elected official on that list.
Thanks to strong grassroots support, Edwards reported raising $144,942 with over 90 percent of contributions being less than $250 and almost 70 percent from Brooklyn.
Edwards said he was born at Brooklyn Jewish Hospital and is a product of the public school system.
In 2018, he married Jahmila Edwards; he has three children: Ethan 17, Niah 16 and Myles 12.
Edwards most recently served as Vice President of External Affairs at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center of the One Brooklyn Health System, where he was the first vice president of color.
During his tenure at Brookdale, Edwards was credited with opening the doors of the hospital as a community resource, starting several community-based initiatives “in order to re-engage and realign the needs of the community.”
He said he worked hard to create a stronger partnership and to grow trust with the surrounding community “by working hand-in-hand with elected officials, unions and community and faith-based organizations to increase economic resources and opportunities.”
Edwards said he crafted and executed detailed plans “to educate, market, and disseminate information about the hospital’s programs to 1.3 million Brooklynites.”
Edwards is the Brooklyn Council President for Make-A-Wish New York, and led a two-year campaign to enlist volunteers to increase support and enrollment for wish granters of children in Brooklyn.
He also led the creation of “It Starts Here,” a program geared towards addressing gun violence throughout Brooklyn, which has hosted over 1200 students to date.
