UFT honors Guyanese Family Daycare provider
Haitian American assemblywoman wants gov’t more accessible
Caribbean L BQ ife, May 17–23, 2019 3
By Nelson A. King
Newly-elected Haitian American
Assemblywoman, Dr. Mathylde Frontus
is focused on making government more
accessible for constituents in the 46th
Assembly District in Brooklyn.
In seeking elective office for the
very first time, Frontus created history
on Election Day last November by
becoming the first Haitian American
to win the seat that was held by former
Assemblywoman, Pamela Harris, who
resigned on April 2, 2018.
Last June, Harris pleaded guilty to
fraud and witness tampering, admitting
that she had defrauded government
agencies, such as the Federal
Emergency Management Administration
(FEMA), out of tens of thousands
of dollars.
The 46th Assembly District comprises
all of Coney Island and Sea Gate,
and parts of Brighton Beach, Bath
Beach, Gravesend, Bay Ridge and Dyker
Heights.
Frontus — who received her PhD
from the Columbia University School of
Social Work in 2015 where she specialized
in Social Policy & Administration
— said, at the time on her election,
that she planned to accomplish her goal
by “establishing a platform, which will
allow residents to have a say and provide
input on what they would like to see
done in the community.
“Additionally, I would like to see an
expansion of affordable housing, which
is truly affordable for fixed income
families in the district,” she told Caribbean
Life in an exclusive interview. “I
would consider introducing legislation
to recalculate our formula for determining
affordability, etc.
“I made a few promises during the
campaign trail. I promised to focus on
community inclusion and engagement
by starting the first Southern Brooklyn
Community Think Tank, so that
local residents can have a say about the
initiatives that come out of my office,”
she added.
Frontus also promised to start a civic
engagement series, “so that residents
can learn more about politics, government
and running for office.
“I promised to fight when I get to
Albany for issues that the people of
my district care about, such as affordable
housing, government transparency
and accountability, and bringing more
funding and mental health services to
our public schools,” she continued.
Frontus — who was born in Crown
Heights and lived there until 7, when
her Haitian-born parents moved to
Coney Island in 1985 to purchase their
first home — said she was “excited”
about her election to the State Assembly.
By Nelson A. King
The United Federation of Teachers
(UFT) Saturday night bestowed its
Juanita Diggs Educator of Excellence
Award on Guyanese-born, Queens Family
Group Daycare provider Shaundell
Agrippa.
Ms. Agrippa, who owns and directs
Nicky’s Little Sprouts D.C., Inc., a Group
Family Daycare in Laurelton, Queens,
was among a number of honorees at
UFT’s gala 6th Annual Provider Appreciation
Awards Ceremony at Shanker
Hall, 52 Broadway in Manhattan.
“Receiving this award, the Juanita
Diggs Educator of Excellence Award,
has given me even more encouragement
to ensure that what I do on a daily
basis is now taken to another level,
ensuring that the children in my care
will continue to get the best education
ever,” Ms. Agrippa told Caribbean Life
after the ceremony.
“I was totally surprised by this award;
yet, I remain humble,” added Ms. Agrippa,
the sole recipient of the Juanita
Diggs Educator of Excellence Award.
“Thank you UFT and Tiprinia Diggs
for this award that was bestowed upon
me.”
Tripinia, the daughter of the late
Juanita Diggs, a daycare provider in
East New York, Brooklyn, after whom
the award is named, told Caribbean Life
that she was delighted to walk alongside
Ms. Agrippa to receive the award.
“It was a great honor, because they
(UFT) lived up to what my mom was,”
she said. “I was happy to do it.”
“When it came to educating children,
my mom was top-notched,” added
Tripinia, disclosing that her mother
died in March 2016.
Other honorees received UFT’s Outstanding
Professional Services Award,
Exceptional Education Award, Community
Champion Award, Merit Award,
Union Advocacy Award, Union Partnership
Award, Distinction Award and the
Jon Kest Award.
“To this year’s honorees, I want to
say congratulations and thank you on
behalf of our entire union for your devotion
to your work and your union,” said
UFT president Michael Mulgrew in his
remarks in the souvenir journal.
Tammie Miller, UFT child care provider
chapter chair, said the ceremony
celebrated “the great work that providers
do, setting children on a path for
lifelong learning.”
Besides UFT, Mulgrew, Miller and
others, Agrippa thanked her Guyaneseborn
mother, Paulette Hyman, owner
and director of Jeremy’s Daycare in
Laurelton, Queens for encouraging and
nominating her for the award.
Agrippa said, eight years ago, she
started her daycare business, with “the
guidance and success” of her mother,
after she had to return to work and had
no one to take care of her son.
“During that time, I reflected and
came to the realization that, once you
know your ‘why’, you can achieve and
survive almost any ‘how’”, Agrippa told
Caribbean Life. “Success follows when
you define what inspires you, motivates
you and fires you up,
“So, taking care of children has
enabled me to know my ‘why,’ because
it sets me apart as an educator and
mentor, who is educating the children
of the future,” she added. “At
first, the journey of wanting to work
with children seemed complex, but the
deeper reasons for wanting to work
with young children has given me
the understanding that this profession
entails more than spending days
with little children, although this is
the best part.
“Teaching young children involves
an intriguing study of child development,
building connections and learning
about family involvement, while
allowing me to form partnerships with
a wide range of families with varying
beliefs and values,” Ms. Agrippa continued.
“These make a significant impact
on the lives of our children.
“I accept this award with heartfelt
gratitude as encouragement and support
for the continued work that I do,
on a daily basis, to educate, motivate
and aspire the children that I serve in
my community and in New York City in
general,” she said.
Agrippa migrated to the United States
in the summer of 1989, from Guyana, to
join her registered nurse mother in
Brooklyn.
Ms. Agrippa’s mother had become a
single parent after her husband, Agrippa’s
father, was shot and killed while
driving a cab in Brooklyn.
From left, Tammie Miller, Chapter Chair, UFT Daycare Providers; honoree
Shaundell Agrippa and Tiprinia Diggs, daughter of the late Juanita Diggs.
Shaundell Agrippa
Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus.
Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus