Felicia and Kerry are known for being smart, vocal, strong advocates that consistently devote their time and talent to local issues. Recently, they participated in the successful campaign to preserve our historic boardwalk, and continue to oppose the private pool club and the building of Bradley Cove condominium complex on the waterfront. They successfully advocated for affordable housing and helped craft and negotiate the ordinances recently passed by the city. When the Coronavirus hit our area, they advocated very early on that information and resources get to the City’s most vulnerable populations; our seniors, our low- income minority communities to change the outcomes in Asbury Park and save lives. They reinforced the value of Asbury Park youth and families by organizing and participating in the Black Lives Matter protest in June.
Moving from protest to policy, their focus will be to preserve what is special about Asbury Park- its diversity, its history, its art, its music, its waterfront, and, especially, its people. They will assure that Asbury Park residents are the council’s priority. That means keeping people safe during a global pandemic, and keeping people here. It shouldn’t be impossible to stay in Asbury Park because of ever increasing taxes, unaffordable rents and a lack of parking. There number one focus will be to prevent people from getting pushed out. They will also advocate for job creation, opportunities, and training.
Kerry Margaret Butch, a graduate of George Mason University, currently works for Rutgers University. She has over 25 years’ experience in nonprofit program development and administration and has served as the Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, the Urban Project Director for the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, the Executive Director of the Asbury Park Consortium and as a community organizer for the Ironbound Committee Against Toxic Waste. She was a member of the first graduating class of AmeriCorps serving with Clean Ocean Action in Asbury Park. Notably, she produced the award -winning documentary entitled, “Greetings from Asbury Park” that was shown throughout the country and on PBS. She is a long-term board member of the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance, served on the Wesley Lake Commission, taught catholic education at Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church and helped rehabilitate the Stephen Crane House.
Felicia Simmons is a graduate of Asbury Park High School. She was mentored in youth ministry by the Project Hope Mission located at the West Side Community Center. She studied social work and political science at Brookdale Community College in its partnership with Rutgers University. For nearly a decade, she worked at King Manor Care Center in recreational therapy where she developed special talent for working with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. She is currently the President of Monmouth Ocean County National Action Network and Chair of Education for the Neptune/Asbury Park NAACP and serves on the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Ms. Simmons was selected out of 1000’s entrees for TEDx Asbury Park where she performed her inspired piece “The Smile” which has now been transcribed in five different languages. She is the co-parent of a wonderful 17-year old son, Zachariah D. Simmons-Bryant, who attends the Asbury Park High School and its early college program, the Dream Academy.