Shekar Krishnan, Photo: Nitin Mukul / Epicenter NYC

In Jackson Heights, Shekar Krishnan celebrated his win to represent the neighborhood in City Council. In Ozone Park, Felicia Singh, surrounded by friends and family, embraced her loss.

Both Krishnan and Singh contributed to the diverse pool of city council candidates New Yorkers were able to choose from in this election. Shahana Hanif was also elected to represent Park Slope, becoming the council’s first Muslim woman and sharing the distinction of being its first South Asian representation with Krishnan. 

Shahana Hanif, Photo: Shahana Hanif’s campaign / @shahanafrombk

New York city politics is beginning to look like New York city itself. 

“Our South Asian communities have never had representation in this city,” Krishnan said in a statement on Tuesday “We change that today. Together, let’s make history. Let’s fight for a city that works for everyone, for our elders, our families, and for the generations to come.”

On the other hand, Singh celebrated the culmination of her campaign along with her friends and family. 

She ran to represent District 32 which encompasses Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Neponsit, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Rockaway Park, Roxbury, South Ozone Park, West Hamilton Beach, Woodhaven, but lost to Republican candidate Joann Ariola. 

At her election night party, Singh said “What we aimed to do was change the narrative of this district from being this Republican, Trumpian place—we proved to people that we live here and we belong here, we belong in spaces where decisions are made, we belong in legislation [and] we belong in building places that are anti-racist.”

The trio of Krishnan, Hanif and Singh hail from immigrant families, and their campaigns drew support and interest from diverse populations. 

“We are not a single story,” said Singh on Election night, “We are not a one-issue kind of people, we are intersectional, we are multi-layered, we are full of joy and love and courage, and that’s the campaign we built.”

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