Diana Richardson (born January 16, 1983) is an American politician who served as a member of the New York Assembly. She was elected on the Working Families Party line in a 2015 special election to replace Karim Camara in the 43rd district, which comprises the Crown Heights and Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhoods of Brooklyn.[1]
Early life and education
Richardson was born in Brooklyn, to Caribbean immigrant parents from Aruba,[2][3] and raised in Crown Heights.[3]
Richardson has an undergraduate degree in public administration from Medgar Evers College, and a Master of Public Administration from Baruch College, both campuses of the City University of New York.[2][3]
Career
Richardson was a Brooklyn Community Board 9 member when the Crown Heights Tenant Union, an advocacy organization for tenants that organizes, educations, and helps residents in housing court cases,[4][5] convinced her to run for an open New York Assembly seat on an anti-gentrification platform.[6]
She won the May 2015 special election,[7] on the Working Families Party (WFP) ballot line, the first to do so in the state legislature.[7] She also won the general election the following November, on both the Democratic Party line as well as the WFP.[3]
In 2016, Richardson was arrested for hitting her 12-year-old son with a broomstick and was charged with assault, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal possession of a weapon and menacing.[8][9] The felony charge was dropped in April 2017, though she still faced six misdemeanor charges.[10]
In 2020, Richardson was pepper-sprayed by the New York City Police Department while marching at a demonstration over the murder of George Floyd.[11]
Richardson faced a primary challenge in the 2020 elections from Jesse Hamilton.[12] She defeated Hamilton in a landslide.[13]
In January 2022, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso selected Richardson to be the deputy borough president.[14]
On October 17, 2022, Richardson was fired for hosting a toxic work environment following a string of staff and constituent complaints about her behavior while working at Borough Hall.[15][16]
References
- ^ VIVIAN YEEMAY 5, 2015 (May 5, 2015). "Working Families Candidate Diana Richardson Wins Brooklyn Assembly Post - The New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "New York State Assembly | Diana C. Richardson". nyassembly.gov.
- ^ a b c d Foderaro, Lisa W. (November 6, 2016). "Support, and Dismay, for Brooklyn Assemblywoman After Charges She Hit Her Son" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "Crown Heights Tenant Union gains ground in landlord disputes". The Real Deal New York. April 29, 2014.
- ^ Rosenberg, Eli (April 29, 2014). "Disparate Forces Align Over Affordable Rents (Published 2014)". Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "The tenant movement's giant killer". The Real Deal New York. September 19, 2019.
- ^ a b Bellafante, Ginia (May 15, 2015). "Running on Rent, and Winning" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ Foderaro, Lisa W. (November 7, 2016). "Support, and Dismay, for Brooklyn Assemblywoman After Charges She Hit Her Son (Published 2016)". Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "NYC assemblywoman charged with beating son, 12, with broomstick". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- ^ CARREGA, CHRISTINA. "Brooklyn assemblywoman accused of beating son with broomstick sees felony assault charges dropped". nydailynews.com.
- ^ Troutman, Matt (May 29, 2020). "NYPD, Protesters Clash At Rally Over George Floyd Killing". Prospect Heights NY Patch.
- ^ "Former Senator Jesse Hamilton is running for Assembly". BK Reader. June 22, 2020. Archived from the original on February 21, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- ^ King, Nelson A. "Richardson thanks supporters for resounding victory - Caribbean Life". www.caribbeanlife.com.
- ^ "Assembly Member Diana Richardson named Brooklyn deputy borough president - City & State New York". Cityandstateny.com. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ "Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso fires deputy Diana Richardson over toxic work environment". www.nydailynews.com. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
- ^ "Zellnor Myrie and Diana Richardson are engaged". City & State NY. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
