Copyright Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Staten Island Unity Coalition will host its 2025 Legislative Forum on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the Central Family Life Center in Stapleton. The event will bring together elected officials, political candidates and local residents for a public discussion focused on the needs of Staten Island’s communities of color. The nonpartisan event, open to the public, will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m. The forum will take place at 59 Wright St., and is expected to draw community members from across the borough. Organized by the Staten Island Unity Coalition—a network of Black-led, community-based organizations—the forum will give residents a chance to hear directly from local and citywide leaders and candidates for public office. All Staten Island elected officials and 2025 candidates have been invited to participate. “From housing and education to healthcare and food insecurity, the issues affecting the communities served by Staten Island Unity Coalition members deserve our full attention,” said Nicole Meyers, co-facilitator of the event. “Tuesday’s forum offers a vital opportunity to hear directly from elected officials and candidates, while also providing information on early voting and the ballot proposals that will shape this year’s elections.” Moderated by members of the Coalition, the forum will center on issues identified as priorities by the community, including housing, transportation, education, youth empowerment and food insecurity. Also on the agenda are economic development, public safety and policing, healthcare access and equity, and the local impacts of the federal budget bill. “This event is about transparency, accountability and amplifying the voices of Staten Island’s communities of color,” the Coalition said in a statement. “We want to ensure our concerns are heard and addressed in concrete ways.” About the Staten Island Unity Coalition Founded in 2021, the Staten Island Unity Coalition brings together a broad group of civic and cultural organizations working to advocate for the borough’s Black and Brown communities. Its mission includes advancing dialogue, promoting equity and holding public officials accountable to the needs of underserved neighborhoods. “The coalition aims to represent a large segment of Black communities on Staten Island. We are focused on collaborative action to engage elected officials, promote economic stability, and improve the overall quality of life,” Aurora Evans, the second Vice President of the Staten Island Section of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), said in May. “Strategies will involve workshops, advocating for increased funding for Black-led organizations, and addressing systemic inequities related to economic development and access to resources,” she added. Member organizations include the Central Family Life Center, Staten Island NAACP, Community Health Center of Richmond, Staten Island Black Heritage, and several sororities, fraternal groups and advocacy nonprofits.
