Got a Girl Crush On: New York City Council Member, Letitia James

I finally got to see the documentary Battle For Brooklyn (which follows the very public and passionate fight waged by residents and business owners of Brooklyn’s historic Prospect Heights neighborhood facing condemnation of their property to make way for the polarizing Atlantic Yards project–the densest real estate development in U.S. history SEE IT IF IT’S SCREENING SOON NEAR YOU OR ORGANIZE A SCREENING IN YOUR CITY) on Tuesday night at Brooklyn Skillshare’s day of free classes in solidarity with Occupy Wallstreet’s General Strike. It saddened me greatly to bare witness to corporate greed that values dollars over denizens and corrupt politicians who do not fairly represent their constituencies. But through the grimness of this story shone a woman whom I’m proud to say represents my neighborhood, Letitia James.

Going against Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Borough President Marty Markowitz and developer Bruce Ratner, James opposed the use of eminent domain to evict her constituents, selling the MTA's Atlantic Yardsproperty below the market value, and keeping the planning of the project out of the New York City Council.

Tish is also lawyer, activist and politician in the Working Families Party. She puts her career on the line for her work for what she believes is fair and true. She is certainly one to be admired.

(photo by mokksha on flickr)