Senator Chan, Joined By The Local Community, Celebrates Historic Win at Local Swear-In Ceremony
Originally published in
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On Saturday, State Sen. Stephen Chan was sworn in to represent southern Brooklyn’s 17th Senate District, becoming the first Asian-American Republican to hold the state Senate seat.
At the New Utrecht High School auditorium in Bensonhurst, Chan was joined by family, friends, and elected officials to celebrate his historic win. Republican Party members showed their support, including U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, Gerard Kassar, chair of the New York State Conservative Party, Brooklyn Republican Party Chair Richard Barsamian, and Brooklyn Conservative Party Chair Fran Vella-Marrone.
“I was honored to swear Senator Stephen Chan into office this morning, and I’m confident that he will do a fantastic job in Albany, particularly when it comes to fighting crime and lowering taxes for his constituents,” Malliotakis said. “As the first Asian-American Republican to become a New York State senator, Senator Chan has inspired a new generation of leaders to pursue public service.”
Chan’s Brooklyn roots run deep.
A retired U.S. Marine and former New York City Police Department sergeant, Chan immigrated to Bay Ridge from Hong Kong with his family at age 11 and has lived in Bensonhurst since 1992. As a young man, he worked various jobs, including at a sweatshop, a plastic factory and as a dishwasher.
Chan served as a U.S. Marine for six years before joining the New York City Police Department, where he worked for 27 years. During his time on the force, he also managed and owned a small florist shop in Sunset Park for 10 years. After retiring from the police department, he became deeply involved in his children’s schools, serving as PTA president, a member of the School Leadership Team, and a Title I chairperson, according to his campaign website.
Chan addressed the crowd at his swearing-in, expressing that he was “blessed and humbled” by the opportunity to represent Brooklyn’s 17th District.
“I am here because of you. I also want to thank the great people of Brooklyn for putting your trust in me,” he told the crowd. “Like you, I am tired of Albany bureaucrats dictating to us how to live our lives while piling taxes and fees onto us when times are already tough, and passing laws that make our streets the most dangerous they’ve been in decades.”
“This Asian-American community is no longer a minority,” Chan added. “We are a force, and we are going to demand action from Albany on affordability, crime, protecting meritocracy in education and keeping our neighborhoods strong.”
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