In an editorial, Jersey City Ward D council candidate Veronica Akaezuwa exclaims that “I pledge to be a councilwoman for you,” detailing her platform.
Growing up, I watched the people of my family fight relentlessly for civil rights.
Both my grandmother and great-grandmother served as Presidents of their local League of Women Voters chapters, while my dad, a Nigerian immigrant, taught us never to take things for granted, that things “didn’t just happen” – if we wanted something done, we had to fight for it.
And most importantly, we were never, ever supposed to accept that something was unjust without challenging it.
When I moved to Jersey City in 2012, it reminded me of my family and the values they raised me on. Jersey City is more than just the most diverse city in the country — we’re a community of people who are unapologetically ourselves, who have stories and ideas that deserve to be heard, who know what it means to have to fight for a future they believe in, especially for the public good.
No one tells someone from Jersey City what to do. And I’m running to represent the Heights on the Jersey City Council because I want to make sure that independent spirit and forward-thinking mentality is represented in City Hall.
You deserve a Councilmember that is accountable to you, that works for you, and delivers for you – not someone who will claim to speak for you and then vote the way a developer or machine boss tells them to.
The Heights deserves a leader with a true vision for the Heights – one that both delivers housing affordability and responsible development.
I’m committed to creating a future where affordable housing is accessible to families of all sizes, where property taxes and rents are stabilized, and where new development enhances the neighborhood, strengthens infrastructure, supports local business, and offers community benefits.
I’ll work with whoever I need to ensure that our streets are cleaner and our public spaces are better maintained – with a real plan for trash removal, sidewalks, and parks.
Improving public safety and transportation will be top priorities in my first term, so people feel safe and have reliable ways to get around – whether by bus, bike, or car.
I’ve seen firsthand how local government can deliver for the people – and the kind of advocacy we need to ensure we get there.
When I interned for the late Ward D Councilman Michael Yun, I saw how local government can impact people’s lives for better, and I learned the value of working collaboratively and effectively to get results.
Most importantly, I saw firsthand what it means to be a present leader. When I fought for fairer democracy in our state, I saw the importance of coalition building.
I worked with state and local community organizations to secure the backing of numerous town councils for ranked-choice voting, including right here Jersey City.
And when I worked at the NJ State Office of Innovation, I saw that every community deserves a transparent, accessible, and accountable government – that’s why I founded the Data and Policy Team for the state to deliver just that.
I believe that we can deliver a safer, more affordable, and more responsive Ward D – one that shows up for each other, that delivers strong constituent services to anyone who needs it, that creates safer roads and a more accountable City Hall.
My record shows you that I’m ready to fight for just that. But most importantly, my campaign is driven by my love of Jersey City and its people.
This campaign is about you, the people of the Heights and Jersey City – and I pledge to be a councilwoman for you.
