In a gentrified Brooklyn, City Council Member Chi Ossé quells quite different. He is a third-generation Brooklynite, and this borough is his lifeblood.
Since joining the City Council in 2022, Ossé has worked out of his office in Bedford-Stuyvesant’s Restoration Plaza. Unlike his counterparts, Ossé, 27, is the only Gen Z politician on the Council, the youngest member to be elected in New York history.
If you think you're not familiar with his work, you might know Osse's social media web series, "Why sh-t not working?" in which he details political issues contextually for both younger and older generations. Some point to his internet presence and engagement to be a blueprint for what is making Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani's campaign work so well. Posting attention-grabbing videos that feel far less agonizing than your boring high school history class has worked for both young politicians.
In a sit-down interview with BK Reader, Ossé, who recently had to dispel reports that he is running for Congress, can be found powerlifting, at tennis with friends, or simply just chatting with his neighbors.
The following interview has been edited for clarity:
Q: What makes a Brooklynite?
Someone who understands and loves Brooklyn, right? I think so many people come here with this idea to silence it or make it less chaotic or less noisy. I think that's like a shitty way to approach becoming a Brooklynite. I think a Brooklynite is accepting the diversity, the noise, that change is constant. Understanding that this is New York City, and the culture of that is a lot of things that a lot of normal people can usually handle. I think a Brooklynite is someone who can roll with the punches, go with the flow, and also still be identifiably themselves.
Q: Do you have a favorite neighborhood to stroll around in?
Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights. It's just something so peaceful about this community for me. The feeling of home within a city as chaotic as New York City, I think, is really special. And also feels like such an accomplishment to find that peace within the noise.
Q: Do you have a favorite deli or bodega, and what's your order?
Do people remember deli names? The deli that I loved growing up is on Nostrand Avenue and Bergen Street, right on the corner. And my deli order is a hero with honey turkey, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, banana peppers, light mayo and black pepper with a blue Gatorade. I'm so ‘Unc’ now, but back in the day, it was like $7. And a bag of chips. Utz’s salt and pepper chips are really fire.
Q: What is your favorite nightlife joint in Brooklyn?
I really like this new spot called Signal. They have one-off parties that I think are pretty fun. It has a nice indoor-outdoor space, but I'm in that space a lot, and I like Public Records, too.
Q: Un-gatekeep a Brooklyn secret for me, whether it be a place or a fact or a person, place, or a thing. Something that kind of feels hidden to you about Brooklyn, that you have been keeping from everyone.
That's a really invasive question… I almost gave away my laundry spot that has portable drop-off and pick up, but I won't. I would never want to do that. And it's like, right by my house. Well, I do think that Captain Dan's has a really good bang for your buck. When it comes to getting drinks and food, pretty affordable. I don't think many people crowd it that much.
Q: Who is the most Brooklyn person you know?
My grandmother. She's from here originally. She sends me Dr. Umar videos, and thinks she's a Black nationalist, which only you can find in Brooklyn.
Q: What's one issue that you think is pressing the residents of Brooklyn, and how do you think it should be solved?
I mean, it's housing, right? And affordability, and I think rightfully so. People are so cautious and wary of new development when we are actually dealing with the housing crisis within New York City. I think people obviously point to warehousing of units or the fact that there are vacant units, but the vacancy rate is still historically and alarmingly low. We need to build housing to make sure that we're addressing the fact that we're not going to stop people from moving to Brooklyn. People are going to move to Brooklyn from all over the country and all over the world, and they're competing for the same homes as people in working-class, predominantly Black neighborhoods like Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights. I think we all need to approach the housing crisis with a 'Yes and' approach, rather than just trying to find one solution, because there isn't one solution to the problem that we're dealing with.
