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Brother Albert Vann "Forging Coalitions For Community Change" Brother ALBERT VANN represents the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn in the New York State Assembly and in that position has become one of the most effective and influential legislators in that state. A former teacher and educational administrator, Assemblyman Vann is a firm believer of coalition politics and an outspoken proponent of "community empowerment," that is placing a sincere emphasis on community progress and advancement, promoting the interest of the many as opposed to promoting only the interest of a few. His efforts toward this end resulted in his election, in January 1977, as Chairman of the Assembly's Black and Puerto-Rican Caucus — one of the most influential power blocs in the New York State Legislature. Brother Vann was born and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant, where he resides today. He is married and the father of three children. Brother Vann attended the local elementary schools and graduated from Lane Public High School. After a stint in the Marines, he entered the University of Toledo, where he earned the B.B.A. degree in Marketing. Since his undergraduate days, he has received an M.A. in Education from Yeshiva University and an M.S. in Guidance and Counseling from Long Island University. Assemblyman Vann was heavily involved in the struggle for human rights and community control of the 1960's. As one of the prominent community activists of that time, he was in the forefront of efforts to reform the educational system. His concern for the education of minority youth led him to The Sphinx / Spring 1979
become an organizer and first president of the African-American Teachers Association, the first Black teachers union in New York State. His other efforts in this area included campaigns to gain a new high school for BedfordStuyvesant and to establish a community controlled, publicly funded fouryear college in central Brooklyn (Medgar Evers). Drafted by a coalition of community leaders, Brother Vann was unsuccessful in his 1972 attempt to gain the 56th Assembly District seat. Following that race, he founded the Vanguard Civic Association and became its first President. The organization engaged in many community issues under his leadership and, in 1974, Vann was elected Assemblyman from the 56th District. Widely perceived in the state capital as a "radical," Vann surprised many by his ability to listen and forge a pragmatic approach to many issues. He was able to gain the respect of his colleagues and, thus, become an effective as well as outspoken advocate for the poor and underprivileged. In three short years in office the Assemblyman has successfully translated his concept of "community empowerment" into a wide range of concrete accomplishments. He has obtained more than $6 million in human services funds for his district, incuding an umbrella educational program, new community planning programs, youth services, tuition assistance for minority students, and welfare education programs. Statewide, Assemblyman Vann led a coalition of Black and Puerto-Rican legislators in a successful drive to restore some $150
million in human services funds which had been cut from the state budget. In addition, he has worked to increase community involvement in the decisionmaking process through cosponsorship of a bill to allow voter registration by mail. The charismatic and dynamic legislator usually works an 18-hour day on the many issues demanding his attention. He is a member of the Assembly Committees of Health, Education, Child Care and Corporations. His other affiliations include the BedfordStuyvesant Restoration Corporation, the NAACP (board member), the Coalition of Concerned Black Educators, the New York Association of Black Educators and the Medgar Evers College Community Council. He is a member of Gamma lota Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Brooklyn-Long Island. Coalition politics has always been the name of the game, but all too often minorities have found themselves, at best, "junior partners" in arrangements designed to minimize the benefits they receive. Fortunately, more and more minority leaders are beginning to understand that their own coalitions can produce results. Brother Albert Vann has been quoted as saying, "Blacks and Puerto Ricans need to develop a viable political and economic base of power which can be used in the cause for social justice and human service . * His success as Chairman of the New York Assembly's Black and PuertoRican Caucus serves as a concrete example that "community empowerment" does work. 15