Thank you to Our Elected Officials
Laurie A. Cumbo Council Member,
35th District, Brooklyn
Laurie A. Cumbo, the founder of MoCada, was appointed as the Majority Leader for the New York City Council in January 11, 2018. She is the first African-American woman to serve in this capacity and proudly represents the 35th Council District in Brooklyn. In 2013, Ms. Cumbo was appointed to chair the prestigious Women’s Issues Committee and was selected to serve on the Finance, Cultural Affairs and Libraries, Higher Education, Youth Services and Public Housing committees. She remains an advocate for raising the minimum wage to $15, pay equity and breaking the cycles of domestic violence. She successfully championed for the implementation of the New York City Paid Family Leave policy. She passed the largest cultural legislative package almost tripling the budget for the Percent for Art Program and advocating for the largest increase in the Department of Cultural Affairs’ budget in 35 years. She passed legislation to create the first-ever citywide Minority and Women-Owned Businesses Task Force. Ms. Cumbo created the first-ever Mayor’s Office to Prevent Gun Violence. She is a fierce advocate for tenants’ rights. Ms. Cumbo has passed over two dozen pieces of legislation focused in the areas of tenants’ rights, seniors, foster care reform, sex education implementation, gun violence prevention, arts equity, women’s health, public safety and gender equity.
Farah N. Louis is a first-generation Brooklynite who was raised in an immigrant and pro-union household—an experience that later propelled her into advocacy, community organizing, and ultimately a career in public service.
After nearly six years of service as a staffer, Louis ran in the special election to fill the 45th Council District seat after it was vacated by former Council Member Jumaane D. Williams. She won the election with 42 percent of the votes following six contentious weeks of campaigning.
In 2019, Council Member Louis became the first woman to represent the 45th District, which comprises Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Marine Park, Flatlands, and Kensington in Brooklyn, NY.
During her first year in office, Council Member Louis rolled out an ambitious agenda and spearheaded critical legislation to protect survivors of domestic violence; close the food insecurity gap; expand access to nonprofit services, education, reproductive rights, and healthcare.
She is the Co-Chair of the Women’s Caucus and Vice Co-Chair of the Black, Latino/a, and Asian Caucus. She is also a member of the committees on Civil Service and Labor; Economic Development; Education; Finance; Housing and Buildings; Youth Services; and the Justice System.
Prior to joining the City Council, Louis worked as an administrator in healthcare at Mount Sinai Hospital and was an active 1199 member for eight years. Louis was also a seasoned publicist with fifteen years of experience and a journalist with several media outlets. In 2012, she founded Girls Leading Up (GLU), an organization seeking to transform girls and young women into emerging leaders through mentoring and hands-on experience.
As a staunch believer in civic engagement, Louis has worked closely with elected officials, city agencies, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses to bridge the opportunity gap through education. Her parents emigrated from Haiti to Brooklyn where they overcame language barriers, discrimination, and other challenges while rebuilding their lives in Brooklyn as a middle-class family.
Council Member Louis is a proud graduate of the New York City public school system as an alumna of Midwood High School, located in the heart of Flatbush. She holds a master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Strategic Communications from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Long Island University.