Kimberly Jean-Pierre wants more moms to join the Legislature

For the past decade, Assembly Member Kimberly Jean-Pierre has represented part of western Suffolk County in the state Legislature. But after a tight reelection in 2022, winning with under 1% of the vote that year, Jean-Pierre decided against another term. As she prepares to hand over the reins to the Democrat who will succeed her, Jean-Pierre reflected on her time in the Assembly, the difficulties of being a parent legislator and what will come next as she plans her future. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How are you feeling about exiting?

I have mixed feelings. Some days I’m like, “Oh man.” During the election, I was like, it would have been really cool to be on the ballot with Kamala (Harris). But I’m excited. I’m very excited. I wasn’t forced out. It was a personal decision. I have two small kids, and this summer reminded me how I don’t have to live out of a suitcase anymore. That feels great.

What have been your biggest accomplishments, or what have you been proudest to achieve?

For me, it would be the ability to bring home services money to fund organizations. Focusing down on my public schools, two in particular: the Wyandanch School District and closing out with the Amityville School District. Being able to bring back $2 million this last past budget so the elementary school would not close, where 32 teachers would not be gone, a pre-K program would not be gone, a kindergarten program would have to be moved and one of the only elementary schools in that community that was in a predominantly Black and brown community. So I think things like that, I would say, are my biggest accomplishments.

This is a very turbulent time to be leaving office, especially on Long Island. How do you feel about the timing of your exit?

I feel confident because the successor, Kwani O’Pharrow, was a candidate that I went to, that I feel that will do just as a good of a job that I have done, hopefully better. I always believe that everyone’s replaceable, and just because you leave doesn’t mean that someone else can’t do a better job than you did. But I’m not going far. I think Kwani will be just great. There’s no good or bad time, you just want to make sure that the work that you’ve done continues with the person in place and beyond.

Long Island, and Suffolk County in particular, has been trending a lot redder. Your own reelection in 2022 was a very close race. What do you think of that, and what is your advice to Democrats trying to win back voters as a sort of front-line member?

I have a lot. But I would say paying attention to people. We get hung up on party. We get hung up on titles. The people in my district, regardless if you talk about people from what we considered affluence to low income communities – there's none of that anymore, right? Everyone is struggling, just different levels. So listening to the district, listening to the people, and realizing that everyone's struggling, they're at different levels of struggle. We just have to be more in touch with the district and the people across New York state. So I would say, in having honest conversations with folks and holding people accountable in position.

Kwani O’Pharrow appears to have won your seat. Do you think that’s indicative that Democrats can still win in Suffolk, or do you think there’s more of a permanent seat that we’re seeing?

We flipped (former Assembly Member Steve) Englebright’s seat back. What topics work in certain communities during a campaign may not necessarily work in another community. But what topics do work is water quality, jobs, education – the local, local, local issues. So I do think there's an opportunity to flip even our county (legislature) seats back. But being realistic with messaging – and I think what we don't do a good job at is messaging yearly, year round. I don't know how many negative mail pieces that I've got against Democrats for things that are not true. But if you look at the other side, Democrats, we don't do negative mail pieces. We don't message. So I think that's a conversation that needs to be had, right? Their messaging is on point.

As you look back at your time in office, what do you think you’ll miss the most about being  a member of the Assembly?

I think I'm going to miss the events that we do. I always say that legislation is like turtles; we move slow in the Legislature. But bringing people together in the community through our big events, when we have like trick-or-treats that have 2,000, 2,500 kids from different parts of the community, where people who normally won't cross that hamlet are at an event, playing with other kids. I think those are going to be the things that I really miss.

You were part of a growing contingent of Haitian elected officials in New York. What you make of that increasing political power, especially given the rhetoric we saw during the election?

Hopefully, it removes a lot of stigma. You have Haitians in some of the prestigious, (what) we consider prestigious professions: lawyers, doctors – that's the two most (common) professions you find in New York. And to have Haitian lawmakers would allow more conversation at the federal level and more influence on what's happening back home in Haiti.

As you’re looking towards your future, what do the next steps look like for you?

I’m definitely going to stay in government. I’m hoping to work with the governor on an appointment, you'll hear shortly. And I started a firm about two years ago with my partner, Tracy Edwards, who is the regional NAACP director. We started about two years ago. We focus on DEI branding. And with this political climate around DEI, looking at how do we grow our partnership? And hopefully looking at MWBE and compliance and branding and just helping organizations and corporations. I'm looking forward to the next journey, the next step. The Legislature is a unique place. You learn a lot, you meet a lot of people, I would never take it back. It's been an amazing 10 years for me.

Anything else about your time in the Legislature you want to share?

Being able to break barriers as a mom, as a woman, as a woman of color in the Legislature, I would say, has been one of, also one of my successes. Starting a daycare with other colleagues in Albany is a big success. My daughter was born in Albany. Although it's a unique place, it is also not an easy place. So as the Legislature sees more new moms coming in with small children, I would say one of my biggest accomplishments was struggling with my daughter, but also breaking barriers for other women. I hope you know my colleagues continue to break those barriers. This place we call Albany was not created for middle class families. As we see a growing number of middle class lawmakers, I hope that those who leave like me can continue to support and have those conversations around supporting legislators and understanding the sacrifices that people make.