Jumaane Williams

Jumaane Williams
Williams at an Occupy Wall Street rally, 2012
Member of the New York City Council from the 45th District
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2010
Preceded by Kendall Stewart
Constituency Flatbush, East Flatbush, Flatlands, parts of Midwood and Canarsie
Personal details
Nationality American
Political party Democratic
Residence New York City, New York, USA
Website NYC Council: District 45

Jumaane D. Williams (born May 11, 1976[1]) is a Democratic member of the New York City Council, representing the 45th Council District which includes parts of Flatbush, East Flatbush, Flatlands, and Canarsie in Brooklyn.[2] He currently serves as Deputy Leader of the New York City Council, and chair of the Committee on Housing and Buildings.

Personal life and education

Williams' parents, Greg and Patricia Williams,[1] are from the parish of St. Patick and St. Andrew respectively, Grenada. His father was a footballer and cricketer who represented the students of Grenada Secondary School (GBSS) before moving to the USA to study Medicine.[3] Williams is an alumnus of Brooklyn Technical High School, he then attended Brooklyn College, earning a B.A. there in political science in 2001 and an M.A. there in urban policy and administration in 2005.[4]

New York City Council

Williams was elected after defeating incumbent Councilmember Kendall Stewart in the Democratic primary in September 2009 by a margin of 12 points.[5] Williams won the general election as well,[6] with an endorsement from the Working Families Party.[7]

On September 5, 2011, during the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn, Williams along with Kirsten John Foy, director of community relations for New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, were arrested and hand-cuffed for walking along a closed-off sidewalk, after having received permission to do so from other officers.[8][9]

In July 2013, he introduced "house party" legislation where parties with 40 people in attendance or more would have to register with the police. He also wants event organizers who advertise on social media and those charging admission to pay fines.[10]

In August, 2013, the New York City Council passed Williams' landmark legislation, the Community Safety Act, which established the first-ever Inspector General to oversee the New York Police Department (NYPD) and created an enforceable ban against bias-based profiling. The Act was enacted over then-Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's veto in order to end what the law's proponents considered to be the NYPD's abuse of Stop, Question and Frisk.

Williams was overwhelmingly re-elected to a second term in November, 2013.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Jumaane Williams celebrates birthday". Caribbean Life.
  2. ↑ "Jumaane D. Williams". The New York City Council. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Jumaane Williams is the first Grenadian-American elected to political office in New York". Everybody's. September 16, 2009. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Jumaane D. Williams". New York City Council website.
  5. ↑ Brydson, Nicole (January 7, 2010). "Community Activists are Brooklyn’s Newest Council Members". BKYLN.
  6. ↑ Chan, Sewell (November 5, 2009). "Election Remakes City Council, and May Give It More Bite, Too". The New York Times.
  7. ↑ Goldenberg, Sally; Seifman, David (January 1, 2010). "WFP's 'hire' power". New York Post.
  8. ↑ "Councilman Jumaane Williams arrested after altercation with NYPD at West Indian Day Parade: cops". Daily News. New York. September 5, 2012.
  9. ↑ Williams, Jumaane D. (September 9, 2011). "What happened to me at the parade: City Councilman Jumaane Williams explains how he ended up in cuffs". The Black Institute.
  10. ↑ "NYC Councilman Williams Proposes ‘House Party’ Legislation". CBS Local New York.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Kendall Stewart		 New York City Council District 45
2010–present 		Incumbent