Listen to Antonio talk about what makes Brooklyn great
Antonio Reynoso is Brooklyn’s 20th Borough President. The son of two Dominican immigrants, Antonio was born and raised in Los Sures, Williamsburg, just three blocks down from where he lives today with his wife and two sons. He grew up in Section 8 housing, relying on food stamps for family meals and scholarships for education opportunities. He experienced firsthand how a little help can go a long way for a young family trying their hardest to put down roots and have a fair shot at the life they want.
In 2021, Antonio became the youngest Borough President elected to a four-year term, the first Latino to hold the office in the borough, and the first Dominican to be elected as a Borough President in NYC. As Borough President, he made history when he allocated the entirety of his Fiscal Year 2023 capital budget – a total of $45 million – to Brooklyn’s three public hospitals to build new and state-of-the-art maternal health facilities. This marked the first time a Borough President had ever allocated an entire fiscal year’s capital funding to one cause, and within one city organization. In Fall 2023, Antonio released The Comprehensive Plan for Brooklyn, the first borough-specific, large-scale planning effort ever in NYC and a model for planning citywide.
Antonio previously served as Council Member for the 34th Council District, representing portions of Bushwick and Williamsburg in Brooklyn and Ridgewood in Queens. As a member of the City Council, he served as the Chair of Sanitation & Solid Waste Management. He led to passage the Commercial Waste Zones and Waste Equity bills, as well as the Right to Know Act. Antonio also championed the Bushwick Community Plan, a community-led rezoning to create affordable housing, preserve manufacturing space, and advance neighborhood needs that the de Blasio administration ultimately blocked from advancing.
Get to Know Antonio
The Kid
Antonio Reynoso was born and raised in Los Sures, Williamsburg, where he lived with his parents – both immigrants from the Dominican Republic – and two sisters in a two-bedroom apartment. Their home was always full of laughter and family. Every Sunday, first thing in the morning, his aunts and uncles were banging on the door to play dominoes. It was the best part of his week.
The Student
Antonio’s parents immigrated to the United States in the late ‘70s and began to build a new life in Williamsburg just as the NYC 1980s Crack Epidemic was coming to a fever pitch. His mother along with his aunts came together to discuss how they’d ensure their kids were safe and set on a path to success. The decision was swift and unanimous: they would put everything they had into getting their children the best educations possible.
The Organizer
After graduating Le Moyne College with his B.A. in political science, Antonio began working for ACORN under the leadership of legendary organizers Jon Kest and Bertha Lewis, helping to unionize childcare workers who had been left out of the salary, pensions, or healthcare opportunities they deserved.
The Council Member
Antonio represented Williamsburg and Bushwick in Brooklyn and Ridgewood in Queens as District 34’s Council Member from 2014 until 2022. Over his two terms, he served as the Chair of Sanitation & Solid Waste Management; led to passage landmark bills such as the Waste Equity Law, Commercial Waste Zone Legislation, and the Right to Know Act; and developed the Bushwick Community Plan.
The Borough President
After completing his two terms as Council Member, Antonio was elected to serve as the 20th President of the greatest borough in the city: Brooklyn. His borough presidency is historic in more ways than one. He is the youngest Borough President elected to a four-year term, the first Latino to hold the office in the borough, and the first Dominican to be elected as a Borough President in NYC.