“He was called the mayor of Queens Village,” declared Shaun D. Francois I, boss of the public service sector union DC 37’s largest local. Earlier this month, Francois succeeded in getting a street in the area co-named after his late brother, Frank “Sha” Francois.
Sha Francois had spent some years at Rikers before later becoming a popular figure in the community, an activist with the New Black Panther Party, owner of a T-shirt print shop and a Green Party candidate for local and federal office. He was installed, before his death at 58 of natural causes in 2023, as a manager at Project Hope-The New Direction, a Queens Village nonprofit that operates youth programs.
Francois was born in Washington, DC, and named after his Trinidadian father — who moved his family to the area in the 1970s — but he would be remembered, ultimately, as a Queens Village man.
A crowd showed up in force in Queens Village on Oct. 3 to watch the street unveiling, where the late Francois’ name would now permanently overlook 220th Street, from 104th to 107th avenues. Flags — American, Trinidadian and both — flew, and electeds showed up too, such as state Sen. Leroy Comrie and City Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
“A lot of new people came in the area over the years,” said Francois’ brother. They would have a lot to learn. “Because to have a street name, he must be important. You don’t just get a street name if you’re nobody.”
— Andrew Karpan