Who's On Harlem's Community Boards This Year? New Members Are Named

Harlem NY

17 May, 2022

12:16 PM

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HARLEM, NY — Curious who's voting on new developments, liquor license applications and bike lanes in Harlem? The new appointments to Manhattan's dozen community boards have been revealed — and some of your neighbors may be on the list. The appointments were made Friday by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine's office and shared exclusively with Patch. Half of each board was up for reappointment this year, with each board's 50 members serving staggered two-year terms. Across Harlem's three community boards, there will be 21 new members joining this year, with roughly the same number of current members departing their neighborhood boards. (Scroll down to see the full list for each Harlem board.) A total of 885 people applied to Manhattan community boards this year — the second-highest number ever — for just 319 positions. This year's appointees include 91 first-time members, according to Levine's office. Harlem board members Community Board 9 (West Harlem) Alex HunterAnnette RobinsonAnthony FletcherArelis MejiaBarry WeinbergCarlton Davis (new)Carolina Ramirez (new)Carolyn ThompsonDaniel CohenDaria HardemanDavid HanzalDeirdre McIntosh-BrownDerrick JohnsonEdwin TorresGeorgiette Morgan-ThomasHeather JasonJonathan SinagubHugo Torres (new)Iliana MercadoJane Arendell-Johnson (new)Jenny GarciaJohn GeorgeJohn-Martin GreenJonathan ThomasJoyce AdewumiKelsey BettisKen MilesLaQuita HenryLydia Gerson (new)Maritta DunnMarti CummingsMichael PalmaMiriam Aristy-FarerMonica DulaMonique Hardin-CoderoPadmore JohnPatricia Ramos (new)Patricia Watler JohnsonSean Farrow (new)Shaneeka WilsonSigne MortensenSolomon PropheteTheodore KovaleffTiffany KhanTina LumleyVictor EdwardsVictoria BenitezWalter Alexander Community Board 10 (Central Harlem) Asena Tuione (new)Bailey Jeremie (new)Barbara NelsonBrianna McClure (new)Charles JohnsonCharles PowellCheryl SmithChristina CurryCicely HarrisDana PointsDaniel PetersonDelsenia GloverDeneane Brown-BlackmonDerek PerkinsonDominick BoyceDonna GillElvin Garcia (new)Fatoumata Magassa (new)Genisha MetcalfGeorge HarrellHazel DukesJaran David ManzanetJose MendezKamaria MilfordKaren DixonKaren HorryKathy JamesKeith TaylorKimberly McLaurinLaShanda MyersLeevert Holmes (new)Lisa DowningLydel Tyson (new)Ma'at Mack (new)Marquis HarrisonMaurice FranklinMikaela Berry (new)Milan ReedNathan Quist (new)Shadawn SmithShamier SettleShawn BrannonStaci RamosStanley GleatonStephanie PalmerTahanie AboushiTiffany Bowen (new)Valone Brown (new)Verna DiggsWilma Brown Community Board 11 (East Harlem) Adem BrijaAlonzo JohnsonAngela DonadelleAnn Marie VasquezApril AutryArturo PerezBeverly PabonBrandon GillespieBriana DacostaCarlos DiazClaudia PerezDavid GiodanoDawn SandersDevan CronshawDiane CollierErick AucancelaErnando "Jason" VillanuevaEugene RodriguezGiselle MalaveHilda Candy Vives-VazquezIsaac ScottJames HortonJason WuJennifer MeyerJessica ElliotJessica MorrisJewel JonesJohn GreenJordan WrightJose AltimiranoJudith FebbraroJuhaid ChoudhuryKenneth CrouchLeroy AndinoMalik McColloughMarissa MackMichelle Wiltshire ClementNatassia RodriguezNilsa OramaOsendy GarciaRaja FloresRoberto PerezRosa DiazRussell ShulerShavasia Robinson-TeagueStephanie ArroyoVincent TorresWanda HopkinsWilma BrownXavier Santiago Besides making key votes on neighborhood issues, community board members often use their platforms as springboards for higher office: disgraced ex-Lieutenant Gov. Brian Benjamin got his start as chair of CB10, for example, while West Harlem Councilmember Shaun Abreu formerly served on CB9. Half of all community board members are recommended by the local City Council member, while the rest are appointed directly by the borough president's office. New this year, Levine's office asked applicants to say whether they owned cars — the first time that question has been posed. The result: 79 percent of first-time members say they don't have a car, which Levine's office says aligns more closely with Manhattan's demographics. In a reflection of added outreach to underrepresented groups, 70 percent of first-time appointees identify as BIPOC, including an increased percentage of African American, Hispanic/Latinx, and Asian American/Pacific Islander members. Nearly 18 percent identify as LGBTQ, and 40 percent are renters, compared to 30 percent who say they have an ownership stake in their residence. "We need to ensure our community boards are composed of diverse local leaders so that we can recover from this pandemic equitably and stronger than we were before," Levine said in a statement, noting that he had served on a community board himself before entering politics. Other statistics of note: 48 percent of first-time appointees identify as women, compared to 42 percent as men and 1 percent as gender nonconforming. About 26 percent are under the age of 30, including six who are under the age of 20 — a "significant increase," according to Levine's office.