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Shahana Hanif

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Shahana Hanif
Member of the New York City Council
from the 39th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2022
Preceded byBrad Lander
Personal details
Born (1991-02-05) February 5, 1991 (age 33)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationBrooklyn College (BA)
Signature
WebsiteOfficial website
Campaign website

Shahana K. Hanif (born February 5, 1991)[1] is an American politician who is a member of the New York City Council for the 39th district, which covers Park Slope and other neighborhoods in central Brooklyn.

Early life

Hanif was born and raised in Kensington, Brooklyn, New York, to immigrant parents from Bangladesh.[2] She graduated from Bishop Kearney High School and went on to receive her B.A. from Brooklyn College.[3]

At age 17, Hanif was diagnosed with lupus, an incurable and potentially fatal autoimmune disease.[4] Hanif has cited her experience with the chronic illness, which forced her to navigate the healthcare system for years despite having inadequate health insurance, as her first window into disability justice and community organizing.[5]

Career

Hanif began working for Councilman Brad Lander in 2017, first as his liaison to the Bangladeshi community and eventually as his director of organizing and community engagement.[6] During her time working for Lander, Hanif helped a Bangladeshi woman escape a forced marriage, which she cited as an important factor in her eventual decision to run for the New York City Council herself.[7]

New York City Council

In late 2019, with her boss Lander facing term limits, Hanif announced her intention to run for the City Council's 39th district in 2021.[8] The district, which had previously been represented by Mayor Bill de Blasio and which was soon to promote Lander to the City Comptroller's office, was described as a "political launching pad" by Gotham Gazette.[9]

Hanif faced six other candidates in the June 2021 Democratic primary, most notable among them activist Brandon West. Hanif and West both ran on similar left-wing policy platforms, but West received the support of the Democratic Socialists of America and other socialist elected officials, while Hanif was backed by the Working Families Party and other more traditional progressive organizations; Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, issued an unusual dual endorsement of both candidates.[10][11]

On election night, Hanif held a 32-23% advantage over West.[12] When absentee ballots and ranked-choice votes were counted two weeks later, Hanif emerged with a 57-43% lead, and declared victory on July 3.[13][14] She faced minimal opposition in the November general election, and handily won the race, making her the first Muslim woman and the first Bangladeshi American elected to the New York City Council and the first woman to represent the 39th district.[15][16] The final tally showed that she had 89% of the vote.[17]

In 2022, Hanif pushed to reduce the number of housing units that could be built on a rezoned block in Gowanus, Brooklyn. The original plan proposed to allow the construction of buildings that were 95 feet and nine stories, but after Hanif's intervention, the lot only allowed for 55 feet and five stories. The lower height limit was likely to reduce the number of affordable housing units in the buildings, in part because developers are required to include affordable units when they exceed a certain size.[18]

References

  1. ^ @ShahanaFromBK (February 5, 2021). "TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY! When I look back on the last year I'm beyond grateful and energized by the support we've received across the district. My 30th birthday wish is that you'll consider donating $30 to the Sean Casey Animal Rescue in our district". Twitter. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  2. ^ Sarah Spellings (December 11, 2019). "What to Wear When You're 28 and Running for Office - Shahana Hanif is a community organizer in Brooklyn". The Cut. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Meet Me". Shahana From BK. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  4. ^ Carly Miller (October 5, 2016). "Shahana Hanif Is The New Face Of Kensington". Bklyner. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  5. ^ Tara Kenny. "Shahana Hanif interview with Tara Kenny". Sister Studios. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  6. ^ Tanais (April 14, 2020). "Shahana Hanif, Feminist Organizer and Advocate, Is Running for New York City Council". Teen Vogue. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  7. ^ Adriana Carranca (April 12, 2019). "She Was Forced to Marry in Bangladesh. In Brooklyn, She Made Her Escape". The New York Times. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  8. ^ Zainab Iqbal (September 18, 2019). "Shahana Hanif Is Running To Represent District 39 In City Council". Bklyner. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  9. ^ Laura Glesby and Kira Silbergeld (June 20, 2021). "In Brooklyn Political Launching Pad, Another Highly Competitive Council Race". Gotham Gazette. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  10. ^ Ben Brachfeld (June 7, 2021). "AOC Endorses Candidates for City Council. Sort Of". The Brooklyn Paper. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  11. ^ Ross Barkan (July 6, 2021). "How DSA Won — and Lost — in New York City Elections". Jacobin Magazine. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  12. ^ "Bangladeshi-origin Shahana Hanif set to represent NYC council as first Muslim woman". Dhaka Tribune. June 23, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  13. ^ Anna Quinn (July 6, 2021). "Shahana Hanif Wins Brooklyn's 39th District City Council Race". Patch.com. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  14. ^ @ShahanaFromBK (July 3, 2021). "WE DID IT BROOKLYN!". Twitter. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  15. ^ Gold, Michael; Zraick, Karen (2021-11-02). "Shahana Hanif makes history as the first Muslim woman elected to the New York City Council". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
  16. ^ Quinn, Anna (2021-11-03). "Shahana Hanif Wins Brooklyn's 39th District City Council Race". NY Patch. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
  17. ^ "New York City Council Election Results". The New York Times. 2021-11-02. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  18. ^ Mellins, Sam (2022-10-27). "City Council Moves Forward With Gowanus Rezoning After Slashing Affordable Housing". New York Focus.
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