Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Ozone Park) on Wednesday morning was sworn into office for his third term representing the 23rd District.
After taking the oath delivered by Breezy Point native Judge John Ingram, Justice of the Kings County Supreme Court, Goldfeder addressed the students from the stage in the auditorium at PS 207 in Howard Beach, imploring them to “get involved” in their communities.
To help illustrate his point, Goldfeder took the audience back to 5th grade, when former Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer visited his school and “gave a great, great speech” that had a profound effect on him. Goldfeder, a self-described class clown, said that he approached Pheffer, now the Queens County Clerk, afterward and asked her, “Can we really make change?”
“’You never know what change you can accomplish if you don’t try,’” Pheffer replied.
“That’s the message I’ve carried with me to this day,” Goldfeder noted.
He went on to thank several civic leaders in attendance, who Goldfeder called his “partners in the community,” and reiterated to the children that the revolution starts with them.
“I can’t just wave a magic wand and make things happen—I need help,” Goldfeder said. “We’ve got to find ways to strengthen our communities and strengthen our laws.”
By Michael V. Cusenza