Name:
Xamayla Rose

Party:
Rose for Progress

Current Occupation:
Coalition Outreach Coordinator, Voter Registration Quality Control Project

1. What would be your top priority as a City Councilmember?
Focusing on affordable housing & rezoning efforts in District 45. We're prioritizing making sure that our neighborhoods are affordable, livable, and safer.

2. What do you love about living in Brooklyn?
The diversity and culture and Brooklyn's infectious "can do" attitude. We make NYC great because we're a borough of hardworking people -- and it's also the satellite Caribbean capital outside of the Caribbean region.

3. What was your biggest challenge in school?
Not feeling challenged enough. I caught on quick in primary school and was always ranked in the top 5% in the state, but by the time I got into middle school, I was distracted an struggled through high school as a student athlete. College was a new challenge because I was also helping my parents grow their company instead of focusing on school. I don't think a lot of colleges are equipped to serve full time students like me who also had a lot of responsibilities outside of academia.

4. How do we improve the public transit system?
It needs to become more reliable, we need more buses (especially in our District), and we need to invest more in it. Right now, too many people rely on the MTA & public transit for it to be in a disarray, delayed, or defunct.

5. What needs to be done to improve conditions at NYCHA complexes?
Years of cutting budgets from NYCHA has seen this immense wear and tear and even in some cases, inhabitable environments. We need to invest more in NYCHA housing, even on the city level, to make sure that New Yorkers are able to have safe and warm homes to raise their families in.

6. Do you cook? What's your signature dish?
I sure do! Ackee and salt fish with provision is my favorite dish to both eat and make. It is the signature dish of Jamaica and we eat the fruit as a meal.

7. If you could have dinner with any celebrity dead or alive, who would it be & why?
Nipsey Hustle. I'd love to talk about District 45 and get some public private partnerships going for our schools. We could use the help.

8. What your favorite Brooklyn pizza shop? Favorite toppings?
My favorite pizza shop is Lenny's on Glenwood Avenue. They deliver super quick and often cater my nonprofit events. Favorite toppings are onions, olives, mushrooms, and pepperoni.

9. What inspired you to get involved in politics?
I lost my brother to a devastating act of senseless violence in our own community. With my family, we started the Christopher Rose Community Empowerment Campaign to advocate for a safer streets & worked to provide more resources to the community. I never stopped serving those in need after that & how I made my way into politics.

10. What’s your favorite movie? TV show? App?
I'm a big movie buff. I love Love and Basketball, Avatar the Last Air Bender and Lord of the Rings. I like movies about redemption...and comebacks!

11. How do you like to spend a day off?
It's big for me to spend time with family. We do a lot especially with our day jobs and running a nonprofit. Sometimes we just have to chill or celebrate birthdays and each other, or even take at trip.

12. Any hidden talents?
I'm a singer and an athlete. I'd say I have a pretty dope jump shot. I do play the piano too.