A woman in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens is not only is a voice for her community but spearheaded the development of the first Little Caribbean in the United States.

Shelley Worrell spoke with News 12 about the importance of voting as a female, as the country celebrates 100 years of the 19th Amendment, but also in a community that is starting to see a lot of gentrification.

Worrell walks the streets of Little Caribbean on Nostrand Avenue daily, where dozens of restaurants and shops have Caribbean roots.

However, it wasn't always like this. Not until 2017, when Worrell created Little Caribbean.

"I thought about being a first generation daughter of Caribbean immigrants living in New York City and how we didn't have a center that was celebrated or a neighborhood, but I lived in it at the same time,” say Worrell.

Worrell tells News 12 revitalizing this part of Prospect-Lefferts Gardens is giving the community a sense of pride and also honoring the roots of the cultures that have always been here.

"I started to walk around and I'm seeing gentrification happen,” says Worrell. "It's really important for us to also demonstrate that we to have been here and a very integral part of this city of New York."

Worrell also says having this Caribbean representation now in Brooklyn, will change the face of politics and voting.

"There are more Black women and women of color that are running for political office than ever before and what that means is that we're claiming our seat at the table,” says Worrell.

Worrell also explained the importance of voting as a female in her community to News 12.

"We're celebrating the centennial of the women's voting rights acts, but it wasn't until 50 years later where Black women could actually exercise their right to vote,” says Worrell.

She says there is no sitting back when it comes to voting and that it's time to exercise your constitutional rights.

 

"There's no line, there's not choices, you just got to get up and you got to do it,” says Worrell.