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NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CELEBRATES WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH WITH BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT VANESSA L. GIBSON AND BRONX DEPUTY BOROUGH PRESIDENT JANET A. PEGUERO ON LATEST ‘PREP TALK’ AND ¡PREPÁRATE! PODCASTS


‘PREP TALK’ {Click to listen to episode 96} with Vanessa L. Gibson

 

'¡PREPÁRATE!' {Click to listen to episode 25} with Janet A. Peguero



March 18, 2025 – The New York City Emergency Management Department’s latest podcasts feature trailblazing women Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson on ‘Prep Talk’ and Deputy Bronx Borough President Janet A. Peguero on ¡Prepárate!. In honor of Women’s History Month, Gibson and Peguero shared what inspired them to pursue a career in public service and their commitment to the 1.4 million New Yorkers who call The Bronx home.


Elected as the 14th borough president on November 2, 2021, Gibson became the first woman and the first African American in her current post. Gibson has focused her political career on issues impacting education, affordable housing, public safety, and criminal justice reform. She has also advocated for alternatives to incarceration, tenant protections, and enhanced police training since she was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2009, and later to the New York City Council in 2013.


“In honor of Women's History Month, I am proud to join my Deputy Bronx Borough President in sharing our stories on the importance of public service. Every day, we are driven by a deep commitment to the 1.4 million New Yorkers who call The Bronx home and uplifting the voices of women leaders across the borough,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. 


Peguero is also building her own legacy as the first immigrant woman of Dominican descent to become deputy borough president. In her role as deputy borough president, she oversees multiple units, including land use, community boards, borough operations, health and human services, community services and policy. As a strong advocate for maternal health, Peguero is working with community leaders and health advocates to bring a birthing center to the Bronx to address Black maternal mortality, provide quality health care, and expand support for doulas.


"As we celebrate Women's History Month, I am inspired by the incredible strength and resilience of the women in The Bronx. Empowering women is essential to building a brighter future for our community, and I am proud to stand alongside so many amazing women like our Bronx Borough President who continue to make a difference in our borough,” said Deputy Bronx Borough President Janet A. Peguero.

You can listen to the latest Prep Talk and ¡Prepárate! episodes on SoundCloud.


Profiles

Vanessa L. Gibson was elected as the 14th Bronx Borough President in 2021. A native New Yorker, Ms. Gibson has successfully navigated her political career, rising through the ranks of the New York City political landscape. With experience in both the New York State Assembly and the NYC Council, she has consistently prioritized her constituents' needs in her policy work.

During her two terms in the New York State Assembly, Ms. Gibson sought to address critical issues. In 2013, she ran for an open seat in the New York City Council, succeeding the term-limited Council Member Helen Diane Foster. She was elected to the Council in November 2013.


Janet A. Peguero’s tenure in government began at the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), in the Division of Business Services, where she managed the agency's pro bono legal services and led the design of the first-of-its-kind Commercial Lease Assistance program, offering free legal representation to commercial tenants. Janet is a proud product of New York's public-school education and an EOP Alumna of SUNY Binghamton, holding a BA in Latin American and Caribbean Area of Studies (LACAS) and Sociology and a 2019 fellow of the Council for Urban Professionals. Janet resides in the Kingsbridge area of the Bronx with her husband, a local small business owner, and her pup Bentley.

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