Joan Alexander-Bakiriddin is civically engaged across Brooklyn and NYC, serving as Secretary of her Block Association and Vice Chair of the Participatory Budgeting Project Board. A Training and Enablement Manager, she advocates for the disenfranchised through Participatory Budgeting (PBNYC).
Why are you voting this year?
I am voting because Democracy is on the Ballot and I am NOT GOING BACK.
What changes do you want to see in your community?
So many things need to be changed but my neighbors and I are having conversations and collaborating on being the change that we want to see. #HousingIsARight #FoodEquality #HealthcareForAll
How do you feel about this year’s election and what’s on the ballot?
I feel that there is too much at stake for us to not show up to vote.
What would you say to change the mind of someone who doesn’t plan to vote?
When someone is anti-vote, I remind them about the value of having the right person who understands and supports the needs of their constituents. It results in the programs that they need and deserve. For example, standing outside the YMCA, I remind folx that the program(s) that they enjoy would not exist without the funding and support of “X” elected official.
What’s your voting plan?
I am voting early by mail so that I can focus on reminding my community and family to be #VoteReady.
On Election Day, where do you plan to watch the election results?
On Election Day, I will be closing out a campaign office before I head to watch the results with loved ones.
About Joan:
Joan Alexander-Bakiriddin is civically engaged across Brooklyn and NYC, serving as Secretary of her Block Association and Vice Chair of the Participatory Budgeting Project Board. A Training and Enablement Manager, she advocates for the disenfranchised through Participatory Budgeting (PBNYC). She is active in Community Board 17, Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum as President of the Board of Directors, Brooklyn Canarsie Lions, and Kings County Hospital’s CAB. She is also a vetted Civilian Observation Patrol member and Citizens Police Academy graduate. She is a founding member of the BIPOC Democracy Table and 2nd Vice President of Brooklyn NAACP, championing the rights of people of color.
