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COURIER LIFE, J M B G AN. 11–17, 2019 25
WOMAN OF THE HOUR: Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus
at her Brighton Beach swearing-in ceremony.
Photo by Steve Solomonson
Feting Frontus!
Brooklynites toast pol at her
local swearing-in ceremony
BY JULIANNE MCSHANE
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 offi cial 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,” 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 offi ce to the never-before
elected pol, who took her offi cial 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.