Miss Brooklyn 2011: A Trip to Borough Hall to Meet Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz

“As borough president, in addition to setting an ambitious agenda focused on the core issues of his more than three decades in public service — housing, neighborhood preservation and community development — Marty has enacted programs to boost civic pride, improve health, promote tourism and empower young Brooklynites.”

-http://www.brooklyn-usa.org/Pages/Brooklynastheycome.htm

On Monday November 8, 2010 I had the opportunity to visit the office of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz down at Borough Hall! Now anyone who is a true Brooklynite knows Marty, he is legacy in Brooklyn, NY and has been involved in the Brooklyn Community for decades. He has been the Borough President since 2001 and during his time in office has managed to reach out to the 2.6 million people in the Brooklyn Community. (Don’t forget Brooklyn is the largest of the 5 boroughs, so he has a lot of ground to cover lol) Astoundingly he has found a way to do it. Ask any Brooklynite and I assure you they know who Marty is! I have been in Marty’s company many times throughout my school years and though he makes an impression on people everywhere he goes, there is one “Marty Moment” that I will always, always, always recall and that is his infamous “LET THE FORCE BE WITH YOU SPEECH” that he gave at my High School Graduation. (I know many of you are probably chuckling right now because he is known for this speech!) I won’t give away the ending for anyone who has yet to hear it, but I will say that Marty is both inspirational and theatrical, and presents himself and his beliefs in a way that makes you just want to get up and cheer!

When I entered Borough Hall that day I must say I felt quite important lol. I think it was the first time that it hit me that “Wow, I actually am Miss Brooklyn.” As I entered his office I was greeted with smiles and opened arms. Everyone in the office was so receptive and so kind to me. I met a lot of his wonderful staff members including his Executive Assistant Debbie Bill, and his Chief of Staff aka his “right hand man” Carlo A. Scissura, who I have actually known since I was in elementary school. My mother was the President of the PTA when he was just getting started as a member of the Public School Board, so he was shocked to see that I was the new Miss Brooklyn because he has known me since I was around 10.

When I walked into Marty’s office I was blown away by all of his Brooklyn paraphernalia. Literally everywhere you turned there was some sort of plaque, or poster, or picture etc. of something having to do with historical pieces of Brooklyn. He had Brooklyn Cyclone’s Gear, a huge picture of L & B Spumoni Gardens, pictures of Coney Island, the original Nathans, The parachute . . . the list goes on and on and on! It was unbelievable!!!! This certainly was no ordinary office; it was a Brooklyn playground J

I expected to sit down and simply talk one on one with Marty, but he was so down to earth and the whole meeting was very casual. My parents were able to come in and meet him and his staff and we all just talked everything and anything. I explained my Platform to him, “Performers With A Purpose, Bringing Sarcoma Awareness Center Stage,” and he was able to give me a contact or two that will help me further my platform, which I am very grateful for. He even showed me his photo-shoot spread with model Brooklyn Decker (so funny). Overall my first meeting with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz went phenomenal. I am so thankful I was able to meet with him personally and hope to possibly do a few appearances with good ol’ “Mr. Brooklyn,” sometime in the future J