Community Leaders Remember Dr. Roy A. Hastick, Sr. With A Flatbush Street Co-Naming
Family, friends, and elected officials gathered in front of Caton Flats – the 225 unit affordable housing project on the corner of Caton and Flatbush Avenues championed by Dr. Roy A Hastick, Sr., to celebrate the life and legacy of an extraordinary man through co-naming Flatbush Ave between Caton Ave and Lenox Road after him.
Dr. Hastick was the founder and CEO of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc (CACCI). He died on April 9, 2021, from complications of COVID-19. He was 70.
“Today, we have gathered to celebrate the life, the legacy, and the leadership of the honorable Dr. Roy Hastick, Sr.,” said Assemblywoman Diana Richardson, who represents the area. “I am humbled that I have the opportunity to speak here today to bring forth the sentiment of admiration and love that is shared by so many. And all politics aside, Dr. Hasticks and I relationships were deeper than politics. Much deeper than that. He was my friend. He was a mentor. But I wanna tell you guys, he loved me like a daughter,” said Diana Richardson.
The Grenada-born Dr. Hastick immigrated to the United States in 1972 and created a name for himself as he helped many Caribbean business owners in Brooklyn and around the country through CACCI.
“When I met Roy Hastick, I was not an elected official at that time. I was leading my non-profit organization, Youth for Education,” said Councilmember Mathieu Eugene, who represents the area in City Council. “He was a mentor for many of us and he was somebody that I had the opportunity to work with in many projects,” added the current candidate for Brooklyn Borough President.
Dr. Hastick improved trade relationships between the United States and the Caribbean Islands along with ten other co-founders of CACCI, and his motto in life was “Business Networking Works.”
“Remember what Ro said ‘networking works’ this proves it,” said the New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. “Dr. Roy Hastick Senior Way. What a way Roy Hastick had. It was a way of strength; it was a way of empowerment, it was a way of making a difference, it was a way of love, it was a way of bringing us all together.”
The elected officials that spoke during the ceremony agreed – Dr. Hastick had a way of bringing people together and making them feel loved – and everyone representing Flatbush showed up to pay respects – from Congresswoman Yvette Clarke to New York State Senators Zellnor Myrie, Kevin Parker, Brian Benjamin, and Roxane Persaud, to Assembly members Nick Perry, Rodneyse Bichotte and Jo Anne Simon, who is also running to represent Brooklyn as its next Borough President.