Zellnor Myrie

Last updated

Diana Richardson
​
(m. 2024)​
Zellnor Myrie
Myrie Senate Full Headshot.jpg
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 20th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
Education Fordham University (BA, MA)
Cornell University (JD)
Signature Zellnor Myrie Signature.png
Website Official website

Zellnor Myrie (born November 3, 1986) is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served in the New York State Senate since 2019, representing the 20th state senate district, which includes parts of Brooklyn. In 2024, Myrie formed an exploratory committee to run for Mayor of New York City in the 2025 mayoral election. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Myrie was born in Brooklyn, New York City to Costa Rican-born immigrant parents and raised in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood. [2] He graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and attended Fordham University, earning his undergraduate and Master's degrees in urban studies. [3] [4] After graduate school, he earned his Juris Doctor from Cornell Law School where he served as student government president, prison law instructor, and pro bono scholar. [5] [6]

Early career

Before law school, Myrie worked for the New York City Council as a legislative director where he helped draft the Tenant Bill of Rights. After law school, he joined Davis Polk & Wardwell. As an associate at the firm, Myrie worked more than 600 pro bono hours in one year. [7] His pro bono work included cases brought by victims of police brutality, special education students seeking services from the Department of Education [ which? ], domestic violence victims, and asylum seekers. [8]

Political career

In the 2018 elections, Myrie ran for New York State Senate in the 20th district. He challenged Jesse Hamilton, a former member of the Independent Democratic Conference, in the Democratic Party primary election. [9] Myrie defeated Hamilton in the September primary, earning 54% of the vote. [10] [11] Hamilton remained on the ballot in the November general election under the Independence and Women's Equality ballot lines, where Myrie defeated him again, earning over 92% of the vote. [12]

Myrie speaking in the Senate Chamber in 2022 (05-31-22) Senator Myrie in the Senate Chamber.jpg
Myrie speaking in the Senate Chamber in 2022

Myrie chairs the Elections Committee in the state senate. [13] He is also a member of the Senate's consumer protection committee. [14] Myrie supported the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019. [15] [16] He also sponsored legislation to ban most evictions during New York's COVID-19 state of emergency. [17] [18]

On May 30, 2020, Myrie was pepper-sprayed and handcuffed while taking part in protests following the murder of George Floyd. [19] [20] On October 29, 2021, six New York City firefighters were suspended for threatening the staff of Myrie in regards to his support of firing certain city employees who were unwilling to be vaccinated against COVID-19. [21]

Myrie supports financial institutions having the right to deny lending capital to ammunition and gun industries. [22] Myrie has advocated for requiring food regulators to target corporations that advertise unhealthy foods. [23] In 2021, Myrie was one of two members of the New York State Senate to vote against a bill designating baseball as the official state sport of New York. [24]

In 2021, Myrie authored the Community Violence Intervention Act, which declared gun violence a public health crisis and which provides millions of dollars to local hospital- and community-based violence intervention programs. [25] [26] Myrie also authored a first-in-the-nation law that classifies illegal gun sales as a nuisance, which could open gun manufacturers to liability. [27] [28]

Mayoral exploratory committee

On May 9, 2024, Myrie announced that he was forming an exploratory committee to prepare for a potential campaign for Mayor of New York City in the 2025 mayoral election. [1]

Personal life

He is married to former politician Diana Richardson. [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York State Senate</span> Upper house of the New York State Legislature

The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term limits. There are 63 seats in the Senate. The Democratic Party has held control of the New York State Senate since 2019. The Senate Majority Leader is Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diane Savino</span> American politician

Diane J. Savino is an American Democratic politician who represented the 23rd Senate District in the New York State Senate, in northern Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn, including Sunset Park, Bay Ridge, Bath Beach, Brighton Beach, and Coney Island. She currently serves as a senior advisor to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marty Golden</span> American politician

Martin J. Golden is an American politician from Brooklyn, New York, one of the five boroughs of New York City. A Republican, Golden represented the 43rd district in the New York City Council from 1998 to 2002 and represented the 22nd district of the New York State Senate from 2003 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Parker (New York politician)</span> American politician from New York (born 1967)

Kevin Parker is an American politician from the state of New York. He is a member of the New York State Senate representing the 21st district, which comprises portions of the Brooklyn neighborhoods of East Flatbush, Flatbush, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Kensington, Park Slope, and Windsor Terrace. A Democrat, Parker was first elected to the Senate in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Adams</span> Mayor of New York City since 2022

Eric Leroy Adams is an American politician and former police officer who has served as the 110th mayor of New York City since January 1, 2022. Adams was an officer in the New York City Transit Police and then the New York City Police Department (NYPD) for more than 20 years, retiring at the rank of captain. He served in the New York State Senate from 2006 to 2013, representing the 20th district in Brooklyn. In 2013, Adams was elected Brooklyn Borough President, the first African-American to hold the position, and reelected in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodhull Medical Center</span> Hospital in New York, United States

Woodhull Medical Center, branded as NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, is a health care system located in the Bedford–Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York City, United States. Its focus is on preventing disease and promoting healthy lifestyles in the community of North Brooklyn through its fifteen centers. Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center falls administratively under New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. As of 2018, the current CEO is Gregory Calliste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian P. Kavanagh</span> American politician

Brian Patrick Kavanagh is an American politician who represents the 27th district in the New York State Senate, representing Lower Manhattan since December 2017. Before the redrawing of legislative districts in January 2023, Kavanagh represented the west part of Brooklyn. He previously served in the New York State Assembly representing the East Side of Manhattan. Kavanagh is a Democrat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Lander</span> American politician

Bradford S. Lander is an American politician, urban planner, and community organizer who currently serves as the New York City Comptroller. A member of the Democratic Party, Lander is a progressive politician, and has been described as "one of the most left-leaning politicians in the city."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jumaane Williams</span> American politician (born 1976)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Cornegy</span> American politician

Robert E. Cornegy Jr. is an American politician. He is a former New York City Council Member for the 36th district, representing Bedford-Stuyvesant and northern Crown Heights in Brooklyn.

Jesse Hamilton is an American lawyer and politician in New York City. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented the New York State Senate's 20th District, including parts of the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Crown Heights, Brownsville and East Flatbush from 2015 to 2018. Hamilton is a former member of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), a group of Democratic senators who allied themselves with Senate Republicans. Hamilton is the Secretary of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, the official organization of the Democratic Party for Brooklyn. He was defeated in the September 2018 Democratic primary election by lawyer Zellnor Myrie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diana Richardson</span> American politician

Diana Richardson is an American former progressive Democratic politician who served as a member of the New York Assembly. She was elected on the Working Families Party line in a 2015 special election to replace Karim Camara in the 43rd district, which comprises the Crown Heights and Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhoods of Brooklyn. She also served as the deputy Brooklyn borough president for ten months in 2022, until she was fired.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalman Yeger</span> American politician

Kalman Yeger is an American politician who serves in the New York City Council for the 44th district. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes all or parts of the Bensonhurst, Borough Park, Gravesend, Kensington, and Midwood neighborhoods in Brooklyn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Rose</span> American politician (born 1986)

Max Rose is an American military officer and politician who served as a United States Representative from New York for a single term from 2019 to 2021. A moderate Democrat, he served on the committees for Homeland Security and Veteran's Affairs and played a key role in bringing a stalled bill for a fund for victims of the September 11 attacks to a vote in the United States House of Representatives. Rose served in the Biden administration as senior advisor to the United States Secretary of Defense for COVID-19 from January 2021 to July 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Salazar</span> American politician

Julia Salazar is an American politician and activist. She is the New York State Senator for the 18th district, which covers much of northern Brooklyn, centered on Bushwick. She won the seat as a first-time candidate after unseating incumbent Senator Martin Malave Dilan in the Democratic Party primary in 2018. She attracted national media attention for her support for sex workers' rights and other views. A member of the Democratic Socialists of America, she became the first member of the organization to serve in New York's state legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Ramos</span> American politician

Jessica Ramos is an American politician from the state of New York. Ramos is a member of the Democratic Party. Since 2019, she has served in the New York State Senate representing District 13, which currently includes the Queens neighborhoods of Corona, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York's 20th State Senate district</span> District of the New York State Senate

New York's 20th State Senate district is one of 63 districts in the New York State Senate. It has been represented by Democrat Zellnor Myrie since 2019, following his victory over IDC-aligned incumbent Jesse Hamilton in the 2018 primary election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in New York City</span> 2020 civil unrest in New York City after the murder of George Floyd

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 New York State Senate election</span>

The 2022 New York State Senate election was held on November 8, 2022. Elections were held to elect representatives from all 63 districts across the State of New York. This election coincided with New York elections for the governorship, U.S. Senate, and state assembly, among others. Districts for this election were redrawn following the 2020 United States census. Democrats had held a majority in the New York State Senate since January 2019, as a result of the 2018 elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2025 New York City mayoral election</span>

An upcoming election for the mayor of New York City is scheduled to be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent mayor Eric Adams is running for re-election to a second term. He was indicted on federal corruption charges in September 2024 and has faced calls to resign from office.

References

  1. 1 2 Mays, Jeffery C.; Fitzsimmons, Emma G. (May 8, 2024). "Second Democrat Emerges to Challenge Mayor Adams's Path to Re-election". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  2. ↑ King, Nelson A. "Young lawyer wants Sen. Jesse Hamilton's job". Caribbean Life. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Brooklyn Tech Alumni". www.facebook.com. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  4. ↑ N, Miah Md. "Success Stories". www.fordham.edu. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  5. ↑ Technologies, Instructional and Web Services, Cornell Information. "Zellnor Myrie '16 Success Story". www.lawschool.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ Technologies, Instructional and Web Services, Cornell Information. "Recent Grad Zellnor Myrie '16 Wins New York State Senate Race". www.lawschool.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ Board, The Editorial (August 28, 2018). "Opinion | The New York Times Endorses Alessandra Biaggi, Jessica Ramos and Zellnor Myrie for State Senate in Thursday's Primary". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Amsterdam News Primary Endorsements, Part 2". amsterdamnews.com. August 30, 2018. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Primary Election Results - BKLYNER". bklyner.com. September 14, 2018. Archived from the original on September 15, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Home | NYC Board of Elections" (PDF). vote.nyc.ny.us. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  11. ↑ d_evers (September 27, 2018). "Zellnor Myrie's fight is not over". Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Home | NYC Board of Elections" (PDF). vote.nyc.ny.us. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Brooklyn Dems Win, Felder Does Not - BKLYNER". bklyner.com. December 11, 2018. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  14. ↑ "State lawmaker slams Optimum over hidden fee, demands refund for customers". nydailynews.com. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  15. ↑ Lennard, Natasha (May 14, 2019). "Across the Country, Progressives Are Pushing for Universal Rent Control — and New York Is Next". The Intercept . Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2019. The proposals are being sponsored by progressive freshman Democrats like state Sens. Julia Salazar and Zellnor Myrie, and born of tenants' rights organizing around the state by the Upstate/Downstate Housing Alliance.
  16. ↑ Slattery, Denis (June 14, 2019). "New York enacts pro-tenant rent law overhaul as landlords plan legal challenge". New York Daily News . Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn), a freshman lawmaker and vocal supporter of strengthening tenant protections, wiped tears from his eyes before addressing a crowd of advocates.
  17. ↑ Rubinstein, Dana (December 28, 2020). "New York Bans Most Evictions as Tenants Struggle to Pay Rent". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  18. ↑ "NY Senator Wants to Stop Evictions for a Year After Covid-19 - the Real Deal". July 7, 2020.
  19. ↑ "State senator says he was pepper sprayed, handcuffed at Barclays protest". May 31, 2020. Archived from the original on June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  20. ↑ Gay, Mara; Gale, Jordan (May 31, 2020). "Opinion | The Nation's Largest Police Force Is Treating Us as an Enemy". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  21. ↑ "NYC Firefighters Suspended for Threatening Lawmaker's Staff over Vax Mandate". The Daily Beast . October 30, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Rule That Could Force Banks to Fund Gun Industry Decried by BK Senator". January 4, 2021.
  23. ↑ Verde, Ben (October 29, 2021). "State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, a carrot, targets junk food advertising • Brooklyn Paper". www.brooklynpaper.com. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  24. ↑ Harding, Robert (July 14, 2021). "NY Senate passes Oberacker's bill to designate baseball as official state sport". Auburn Citizen. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Federal, state funding heads to Brooklyn anti-gun violence programs". Brooklyn Eagle. April 28, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  26. ↑ "BK Sen. Zellnor Myrie Named Lawmaker of the Year by Gun Safety Orgs". Bkreader.com. August 16, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  27. ↑ "State Sen. Zellnor Myrie takes on the rise in gun violence - City & State New York". Cityandstateny.com. August 17, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  28. ↑ Ferré-Sadurní, Luis (June 9, 2021). "It's Hard to Sue Gun Makers. New York Is Set to Change That". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Myrie delivers stump speech, but isn’t running for mayor (yet)," City & State.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.