Community Activists are Brooklyn’s Newest Council Members

Former councilman Bill deBlasio ascended to the role of public advocate this month, and stood with some of the council’s newest members to announce his intentions of reform for the office. "You have to engage the grass roots, and my office will be the leading edge of that,” he told the New York Times, of his desire to train city residents as community organizers.  Now, residents of our fine borough will see the representation of three new incumbents whose rise to local leader began in the very same place.

 

Brad Lander takes over for Mr. de Blasio in the 39th district including Park Slope and Carroll Gardens. Formerly the director of the Pratt Center for Community Development as well as the Fifth Avenue Committee, Mr. Lander also teaches graduate level community planning, housing, and urban policy at Pratt and has served on community board 6. Mr. Lander has lived in Brooklyn for two decades.

 

Born and raised by a single mom in Flatbush, Jumaane Williams, 32, takes over for disgraced councilmember Kendall Stewart in the 45th district. Mr. Williams attended both Brooklyn Tech and Brooklyn College and has a master’s in public policy. He subsequently joined community board 18 and worked as a housing rights activist prior to getting elected.

 

In the northern coastal region of the borough, Stephen Levin, 29, takes over for David Yassky – who waged a campaign for city comptroller last year – in the 33rd district. Mr. Levin was formerly the chief of staff for Brooklyn’s Democratic Party boss, Assemblyman Vito Lopez, and has worked as an campaigner and activist related to housing issues.  A New Jersey native and graduate of Brown University, he received a degree in classical and comparative literature. His father’s cousins are political machines in their own rite, Representative Sandy Levin, serving since 1982, and Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

 

Recently, Borough President Marty Markowitz sent out a call to borough residents to apply to serve on their local community boards, as two of these fresh council faces have, saying in a statement, “Community boards are truly the heart and soul of municipal government in Brooklyn and New York City—they are the entry point for New Yorkers who love their neighborhoods and wish to be involved in the planning and development process.”

 

“There are 59 Community Boards throughout the City—18 in Brooklyn—each comprised of up to 50 unsalaried members appointed by the borough president. Board members are selected by the borough presidents from among active, involved people of each community, with an effort made to assure that every neighborhood is represented. Board members must reside or have some other significant interest in the community.”

 

The deadline to apply for consideration is February 22, 2010.