Vanessa Gibson | |
---|---|
14th Borough President of The Bronx | |
Assumed office January 1, 2022 | |
Deputy | Janet Peguero |
Preceded by | Rubén Díaz Jr. |
Member of the New York City Council from the 16th district | |
In office January 1,2014 –December 31,2021 | |
Preceded by | Helen Foster |
Succeeded by | Althea Stevens |
Member of the New York State Assembly from the 77th district | |
In office June 16,2009 –August 31,2013 | |
Preceded by | Aurelia Greene |
Succeeded by | Latoya Joyner |
Personal details | |
Born | New York City,U.S. | March 19,1979
Political party | Democratic |
Education | University at Albany (BA) Baruch College (MPA) |
Signature | |
Vanessa L. Gibson (born March 19,1979) is an American politician who has served as the Borough President of The Bronx since 2022. She served as a member of the New York City Council,representing the 16th district from 2014 to 2021. [1] A Democrat,she was elected Bronx Borough President in November 2021 to a four-year term beginning January 2022,running on a platform focused on recovery from COVID-19 impact,food insecurity and housing instability. [2] [3] She is the first female and first African American Bronx Borough President. [4] [5]
Gibson is a lifelong resident of New York City and was raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant. [6] She graduated from Murry Bergtraum High School in 1997 and went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the State University of New York at Albany in May 2001. Gibson received a M.P.A. from Baruch College (City University of New York) in May 2009.
In her senior year of undergraduate studies,Gibson interned for Assemblywoman Aurelia Greene. Two years later,in November 2003,Gibson was promoted to the District Manager for Greene's 77th District. She was subsequently elected to the New York State Assembly in a June 2009 special election. Her assumption was in succession of her mentor Greene,who had joined the cabinet of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz,Jr. earlier that year.
On November 5,2013,Gibson successfully ran for New York City Council after winning a fairly contentious primary election. Within her district,Gibson is particularly adamant about eliminating homelessness and hunger. [7] Gibson held Annual Housing Conferences to solidify the relationship between landlords and tenants in District 16. [8] She held free meal events to feed the children of the South Bronx, [9] and designated much of her district's budget allocation towards the schools and senior homes within her district. [10]
While working at the city council,Gibson used her influence to escape penalties from a traffic ticket she received from a police officer for using her cellphone while driving in 2014. The officer who wrote her the ticker later sued the NYPD for $75 million after her supervisor insisted she void the ticket after talking to Gibson. [11] Gibson later paid a $5,000 fine in connection with the incident and admitted to violating a section of the City Charter that forbids elected officials from using their positions for personal advantage. [12]
Gibson worked as chairperson to the council's public safety committee,which is among bodies charged with oversight of the New York Police Department (NYPD). [13] In the wake of public outrage over the deaths of civilians such as Eric Garner,she assured the public through various media outlets that she would rectify the NYPD transparency system and better equip officers for public service. [14] She worked with Mayor Bill de Blasio,Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito,and the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) to implement the use of body worn cameras,GPS tracking devices for officers,and technological advancement funding for the NYPD. [13]
Gibson also addressed the school-to-prison pipeline. On March 31,2015,Gibson introduced an amendment to the 2011 Student Safety Act. The bill,Intro 0730-2015,co-sponsored by Council Member Corey Johnson,was designed to mandate the release of school disciplinary activity on the Department of Education's website. The amendment also called for statistical data of student arrests to be reported to the NYC Council. Intro 730 was signed into law on October 13,2015. It was the first New York City law to be introduced to the NYC Council by Council Member Gibson. [15]
Gibson responded to the 2015 Bronx Legionnaires' disease outbreaks that primarily plagued her constituents. She worked with Mayor Bill de Blasio,Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito,Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz,Jr.,the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH),among many other New York City authorities to investigate the cause of the outbreak and implement prophylactic legislation accordingly. [16] On August 18,2015,Gibson stood alongside the Mayor as he signed Local Law 866 (Int 0866-2015), [17] a historical legislation that mandates cooling tower registration and regulates the maintenance of citywide towers. [16]
Gibson secured $25M for Grant Park,$4.6M for Bridge Playground,$4M for Corporal Fischer Park,and supported a $100M renovation of the Bronx's only state park,Roberto Clemente State Park. [18]
Election history | |||
---|---|---|---|
Location | Year | Election | Results |
NY Assembly District 77 | 2009 | Special | √Vanessa Gibson (D) 74.92% Joel Rivera (Conservative) 21.12% Barbara Bowland (R) 3.97% |
NY Assembly District 77 | 2010 | General | √Vanessa Gibson (D) 95.83% Tanya Carmichael (R) 2.83% Robert Marrero (Conservative) 1.16% |
NY Assembly District 77 | 2012 | Democratic Primary | √Vanessa Gibson 89.94% Anthony Curry 9.80% |
NY Assembly District 77 | 2012 | General | √Vanessa Gibson (D) 97.74% Tanya Carmichael (R) 1.73% Devon Morrison (Conservative) .52% |
NYC Council District 16 | 2013 | Democratic Primary | √Vanessa Gibson 44.15% Pedro Alvarez 16.77% Carlos Sierra 14.36% Daryl L. Johnson 7.70% Naaimat Muhammed 6.55% Carlton Berkley 5.87% Bola Omotosho 4.62% |
NYC Council District 16 | 2013 | General | √Vanessa Gibson (D) 91.06% Carlos Sierra (Independence) 4.33% Walter L. Newsome Jr. (Jobs &Education) 2.83% Benjamin Eggleston (R) 1.77% |
NYC Council District 16 | 2017 | General | √Vanessa Gibson (D) 96.17% Benjamin Eggleston (R) 3.61% |
Bronx Borough President | 2021 | General | √Vanessa Gibson (D) 79.93% Janelle King (R) 13.41% Sammy Ravelo (Conservative) 6.52% |
Rosie Méndez is an American Democratic politician who served in the New York City Council from the 2nd district from 2006 to 2017. Méndez's district included all or parts of Chelsea,the East Village,the Flatiron District,Gramercy,Greenwich Village,the Lower East Side,Midtown,Murray Hill,NoHo,and Stuyvesant Town in Manhattan.
Aurelia Greene represented District 77 in the New York State Assembly,which comprises the Highbridge,Morrisania,and Morris Heights sections of The Bronx. She had been representing her district since 1982. She resigned in April 2009 to become Deputy Bronx Borough President. She retired in December 2017. Her death was announced on May 10,2021. Greene died on May 8. 2021.
Melissa Mark-Viverito is an American Democratic politician and former speaker of the New York City Council from 2014 to 2017,as well as councilmember for the 8th district from 2006 to 2017,representing Concourse,Concourse Village,East Harlem,Highbridge,Longwood,Mott Haven,Port Morris,and Randall's Island.
Eric Ulrich is an American politician from the state of New York. A Republican,Ulrich represented the 32nd district on the New York City Council from 2009 to 2021. In 2022,he served as New York City Buildings Commissioner and as senior advisor to Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams. On September 13,2023,Ulrich was arrested on 16 felony corruption charges;he pleaded not guilty.
Julissa Ferreras-Copeland is an American politician. She is the former New York City Council Member for the 21st district from 2009 to 2017,which includes portions of College Point,Corona,East Elmhurst,Elmhurst,Flushing,Flushing Meadows Corona Park,Jackson Heights and LaGuardia Airport in the New York City borough of Queens. During her tenure,Ferreras-Copeland served as the chairman of the Finance Committee. She was the first woman,the first person of color,and the youngest member to be elected Finance Chair. She is a Democrat.
Daniel Dromm is an American politician who served on the New York City Council from the 25th district from 2010 to 2021. He is a Democrat. The district includes East Elmhurst,Elmhurst and Jackson Heights in Queens.
Fernando Cabrera is an American politician in the Bronx,New York. A Democrat,he formerly represented the 14th district in the New York City Council,including the neighborhoods of Claremont Village,Fordham,Kingsbridge,Marble Hill,Morris Heights,Mount Eden,Mount Hope,and University Heights.
Jumaane D. Williams is an American activist and politician who has served as the New York City Public Advocate since 2019. He is a former member of the New York City Council from the 45th district,which includes East Flatbush,Flatbush,Flatlands,Marine Park,and Midwood in Brooklyn.
The 2013 New York City mayoral election occurred on November 5,2013,along with elections for Comptroller,Public Advocate,Borough President,and members of the New York City Council. The incumbent mayor of New York City,Michael Bloomberg,a Republican-turned-Independent,was term-limited and thus unable to seek re-election to a fourth term in office.
Corey David Johnson is an American politician and lobbyist. A member of the Democratic Party,he was Speaker of the New York City Council from January 2018 to January 2022.
St. Mary's Park is a public park in the Mott Haven neighborhood in the South Bronx section of the Bronx,New York City. The park has sporting facilities and an indoor recreation center.
An election for Mayor of New York City was held on November 7,2017. Incumbent Democrat Bill de Blasio won re-election to a second term with 66.2% of the vote against Republican Nicole Malliotakis.
The Renaissance Youth Center is a Bronx-based nonprofit founded in 2001. Renaissance has more than 30 public schools in New York City. The Renaissance Youth Center offers programs in education,music,sports,and civic engagement.
The 2019 New York City Public Advocate special election was held on February 26,2019,to fill part of the unexpired term of Letitia James's vacated seat as New York City Public Advocate. It was triggered on January 1,2019,when James resigned to take office as Attorney General of New York.
The 2021 New York City mayoral election was held on November 2,2021. Incumbent Mayor Bill de Blasio was term-limited and ineligible to run for re-election.
Oxiris Barbot is an American pediatrician who served as the Commissioner of Health of the City of New York from 2018 to 2020. She was then appointed to public health positions with Columbia University and the JPB Foundation,and in 2022 became president and chief executive officer of the nonprofit United Hospital Fund.
George Floyd protests in New York City took place at several sites in each of the five New York City boroughs,starting on May 28,2020,in reaction to the murder of George Floyd. Most of the protests were peaceful,while some sites experienced protester and/or police violence,including several high-profile incidents of excessive force. Looting became a parallel issue,especially in Manhattan. As a result,and amid the COVID-19 pandemic,the city was placed under curfew from June 1–7,the first curfew in the city since 1943.
The 2021 New York City borough president elections were held on November 2,2021. Four of the five incumbent borough presidents were unable to run for reelection due to term limits. Only the Queens borough president was eligible to seek re-election after winning a special election in 2020.
Meisha Ross Porter is an American educator who served as the New York City Schools Chancellor in 2021.
Pierina Ana Sanchez is an American politician from the Bronx,New York City. Since 2022,Sanchez has represented the 14th district on the New York City Council,encompassing Kingsbridge,Fordham,University Heights,and Tremont. A Democrat,Sanchez formerly served in the mayoral office of Bill de Blasio as a policy advisor.
Annual Housing Conference, in collaboration with City Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson and the Tenant, Block, & Neighborhood Council