13 NYC Elected Officials Chosen as New Class of Lindsay Fellows in Government Leadership & Practice
By Mia Greco, Policy Analyst
Recognizing their promise as the next generation of leaders of New York, 13 recently elected members of the New York City Council and State Legislature have been selected as the 2022 cohort of the Lindsay Fellowship in Government Leadership and Practice, announced today by the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance (ISLG).
The Lindsay Fellowship is a 10-month program for New York City leaders who have been elected to the city and state legislative bodies within the past four years. Through a series of informative, interactive, and open-dialogue panels with policy and leadership experts, Fellows gain deeper insight into the pressures that influence policy decision-making, enhance their policy knowledge and leadership capacities, and collaborate with peers to more positively impact the future of New York City and State.
"In elected office, opportunities to come together with colleagues to exchange ideas and discuss common challenges are too rare. Being a Lindsay Fellow connected me to a community of practitioners and fellow public servants from across the five boroughs—many from districts quite different from my own, but all of them committed to good government and thoughtful public policy. I'm grateful for my experiences as a Fellow and congratulate this year's class,” said New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie, 2019 Lindsay Fellow.
The 2022 class of Lindsay Fellows includes:
• City Council Member Shaun Abreu, Manhattan District 7
• City Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, Queens District 31
• City Council Member David Carr, Staten Island District 50
• State Senator Cordell Cleare, Manhattan District 30
• City Council Member Amanda Farías, Bronx District 18
• City Council Member Shahana Hanif, Brooklyn District 39
• City Council Member Crystal Hudson, Brooklyn District 35
• City Council Member Rita Joseph, Brooklyn District 40
• City Council Member Sandra Nurse, Brooklyn District 37
• City Council Member Lincoln Restler, Brooklyn District 33
• State Assembly Member Karines Reyes, Bronx District 87
• City Council Member Marjorie Velázquez, Bronx District 13
• City Council Member Nantasha Williams, Queens District 27
Named for former New York City mayor John Lindsay, the Fellowship seeks to recognize his legacy by recruiting new, upcoming elected officials—especially from communities of color and other groups underrepresented in government leadership—and seek ways to advance their growth, learning, and careers. The Fellows meet several times throughout the year to hear and exchange ideas with experts from the public and private sectors, including business, civic and academic institutions, and government.
“The fresh eyes, experiences and ideas that newly elected individuals bring to public service is an important part of shaping the direction of New York City and State—a direction that, now more than ever, will define the future for generations to come. We’re honored to work with this dynamic cohort of Lindsay Fellows to help them hone their policy knowledge and develop their leadership skills to position them to be at the forefront of these critical conversations,” said Michael P. Jacobson, executive director of the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance.
To kick off this year’s program, the Fellows attended a half-day opening summit in late June that focused on key topics and tools for effective leadership and policymaking: city and state budgeting; communications and media; negotiations; and ethics. Michael Jacobson and Marc Shaw, the co-founders of CUNY ISLG, hosted the event and moderated panel discussions. Moving forward, Lindsay Fellows will meet monthly with experts to dig more deeply into key issues such as public health, health care access, criminal justice, affordable housing, public infrastructure and transportation, and environmental policy.
All members of the New York City Council and the New York State Legislature elected within the past four years are invited at the beginning of the year to apply to become Lindsay Fellows. Applicants are asked to submit a resume and complete an interview with ISLG leadership and Lindsay Fellowship Advisory Board members about what they hope to gain from the program, what issues compelled them to run for office, and the greatest obstacles they face as elected officials.
The Lindsay Fellowship in Government Leadership and Practice is administered by the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance.
About the Lindsay Fellowship in Government Leadership and Practice
The Lindsay Fellowship in Government Leadership and Practice was created on the 50th anniversary of the election of John Lindsay as mayor of New York City. The program honors his many years of public service as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, during which he played a leading role in the enactment of such historic legislation as the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the 1965 Immigration Reform Act, and as the mayor of New York City, during which he emphasized recruiting young talent, especially individuals from communities of color and others underrepresented in government leadership, and sought ways to encourage their growth, increase their skills, and advance their careers. The Lindsay Fellowship honors his public service by supporting young city and state legislators in broadening their understanding of key constituencies and the pressures and concerns that impact government deliberations and decision-making. The Fellowship also provides fellows with ongoing opportunities to collaborate with their peers and to build relationships with civic leaders and former government officials, as well as leaders from academia, the media, and business.