A Conversation With Jamaican-American Mayor Elsie Foster

“It feels good to have accomplished this feat. Not just to be the first African American or the first black person to fill these shoes, but also to know that you have a town that is supportive,” remarked Elsie Foster, the newly elected Mayor of Highland Park, New Jersey.

Making history in this Middlesex County town, Foster was elected by the Borough Council on January 24, 2023 with the full support of the population having a racial mix of approximately 60 percent white, the majority comprising a large diverse Jewish community. There are also small Asian and African American communities, and a Caribbean cohort of less than 1 percent.

Advocate

An active voice on the Borough Council for more than 20 years, Foster has always been a strong advocate for the community’s growth and success and has never been shy about confronting its leaders to stand up for its residents.

But, how did this Jamaican girl from the parish of Trelawny get to this position? As a teenager, Foster and her family migrated to Newark, New Jersey during the 1970s. “It was the time when guns were coming in, and gangs were coming into private neighborhoods, and they were destroying and tearing. Crime and violence was rampant; political violence was the order of the day. It created chaos and havoc in various communities and one of them was my community,” explained Mayor Foster.

But, her first impression of America was certainly not a rosy one. It was just after the race riots that scarred the US beginning in the late 60s. So, Foster came into a country where racism and division was rife.

“At that time, coming into the US we all thought that the America we were going into was the one we saw on Father Knows Best, My Three Sons, all those shows that told us how wonderful and great America is… And then we came here and realized this is not the America we heard so much about. That was a shocker.” Foster exclaimed.

To make matters worse, she landed in America in the middle of a national election, the 1976 Presidential election. In her bones, Foster was preparing for another violent period; that’s what she knew, that’s what she left in Jamaica. Traumatized, she hid in the attic on the fateful election night, reappearing the following morning.

“I sat in my parents living room and I looked out at the world and saw that the world was calm. There was no chaos and the election went and nobody got killed. And as you turn the TV you saw Jimmy Carter doing his acceptance speech, and everybody was happy. It had a profound effect on me and it made me fall in love with the idea of America,” said an emotional Foster.

She knew then she wanted to be part of the democracy she saw, part of the system that created an environment for people to vote without recrimination or violence. Foster made that pledge to herself that morning not knowing that some 40-plus years later it would propel her to where she is today.

Community Spirit

Foster credits her Jamaican upbringing and her parents’ natural inclination for giving back and building community spirit. She explained that their home in Jamaica was considered a refuge, with her parents always taking in the needy. Their lives in Newark, New Jersey was much the same. Taking in a homeless family every Thanksgiving, feeding and clothing them, was a tradition in the household. And of course, lending a hand and a place to stay for new arrivals from Jamaica was a given.

“And that planted a seed within me. So, when I went off to college I joined the Big Brother Big Sister movement and started mentoring and it just continued. And whenever I saw injustice or inequity I just knew it was wrong and had to speak against it. I've always been that person.”

Fast forward several years and Foster is ready to build a family of her own. Looking around for a community she could call her own, she came upon Highland Park, New Jersey, a town where people are friendly, she noted. A small community with a walking downtown area, a community with excellent schools. She quickly settled in, and when her son, Brandon, started school she gladly joined in as a parent helper, eventually taking on a role in the Parent Teacher Organisation (PTO).

An active and ‘cool’ parent, Foster soon became a favorite amongst the students. The kids were always talking about all the things Brandon’s Mom was doing. Her involvement, advocacy, and notoriety soon became known to the other parents who wanted to know ‘who is Brandon’s mom’? They surely found out, and approached her to be their voice to the town Council against an aggressive developer.

The developer had plans to create a gated community that would be fenced off in addition to erecting fences around disadvantaged communities. And although residents were in an uproar about it, they had not approached the mayor at the time. Foster called the major several times demanding a position on the issue. She got not response. The mayor would eventually meet with her, taking the issue on board. Seeing her leadership qualities, that mayor and other city officials would convince Foster to join the Planning Board. In 2000 she was approached by the Council’s Democratic Committee, and she hasn’t looked back since then.

Today, as the town’s Mayor, her focus is on the town’s safety, affordability and downtown development. An immediate concern is replacing the town’s only supermarket that has served the more than 15,000 residents for years. Revaluing Highland Park’s housing stock is also on the Foster’s priority list. But, she also wears many hats. Taking on whatever role is necessary, she is Council Chair for the Department of Public Safety, including the Fire Department, First Aid Squad, Police Department, Office of Emergency Management, and Community Response Team.

So how does she stay balanced?

“I keep God at the forefront, I ask him for advice before I make decisions, because I want to make decisions that are not just good for me, but for the entire town…You have to make tough decisions and you have to make unpopular decisions, but you must make them… I have a lot to contribute and a lot of experience and skills to move it forward.”