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District 45 - Council Member - Democrat - Farah N. Louis represents the 45th Council District which is comprised of Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Marine Park, Flatlands, & Kensington in Brooklyn, NY. She is a member of the committees on Civil Service and Labor; Economic Development; Education; Finance; Housing and Buildings; Committee on Youth Services; and Justice System. Council Member Louis is also a proud member of the Women’s Caucus as well as the Black, Latino/a, and Asian Caucus. - Farah Louis is a first-generation Brooklynite whose upbringing in an immigrant and pro-union household would propel her into advocacy, community organizing, and ultimately a career in public service. 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. Louis’ mother was a long-time healthcare professional and 1199 member while her father worked as a law enforcement professional and later a yellow cab driver. Their experience, determination, and service to the community would serve as a foundation for Louis’ work in social justice, immigrants’ and workers’ rights, gender equity, and women’s empowerment. Louis is an experienced leader in the City Council, where she began as the Director of Community Outreach for former Council Member Jumaane D. Williams of the 45th District in Brooklyn. Her responsibilities quickly grew and she was ultimately promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff and Budget Director. In this capacity, she worked with faith-based and community stakeholders to expand access to critical programs and services for local residents. Additionally, she ensured the district office was a liaison between constituents and city agencies; oversaw the allocation of $4 million in discretionary funding for nonprofit organizations; and managed the participatory budgeting process that empowered local residents to vote for various projects to fund with a cumulative total of $1 million. Based on the issues and concerns voiced by the community, Louis proposed and helped develop legislation to improve their quality of life. As a staunch believer in community engagement and empowerment, Louis has worked closely with elected officials, city agencies, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses to bridge the opportunity gap through education. She has facilitated informational forums and workshops throughout the City and State of New York, in partnership with or on behalf of former NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson, then-Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, State Senator Kevin Parker, City Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Assembly Member Helene Weinstein and Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte. In 2018, Louis ran an aggressive campaign and was elected as a Judicial Delegate for the 42nd Assembly District to lead community conversations on the judicial process and civil rights in the court system. 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, who is now the city’s public advocate. After six contentious weeks of campaigning, she won the election with 42 percent of the votes. As Council Member, Louis plans to continue her work to curb gun violence, tenant displacement, and education inequality, while preserving affordable housing, bolstering economic development and access to quality healthcare. She is the first woman to represent the 45th District and second Haitian-American to serve in the New York City Council. Prior to joining the City Council, Louis was a mental health professional and healthcare administrator in Brooklyn as well as 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) to transform girls and young women into emerging leaders through mentorship and hands-on experience. This organization was a comprehensive grassroots initiative to teach its members how to prepare mentally and emotionally to compete in today’s challenging economic market with a unique skill set. Her dedication to youth and women’s empowerment stems from life-changing experiences that she has used to enact positive change. As a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence, Louis knows firsthand the importance of readily available city resources and supportive programs for people in need. Louis continues to stand up and speak out for survivors of gender-based violence including human trafficking, many of whom continue to suffer in silence and are too afraid to access wrap-around services. She 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. Louis 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.
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