Diana Richardson
Deputy Borough President of Brooklyn
In office
January 1, 2022 – October 17, 2022
LeaderAntonio Reynoso
Preceded byIngrid Lewis-Martin
Succeeded byKim Council
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 43rd district
In office
May 6, 2015 – March 30, 2022
Preceded byKarim Camara
Succeeded byBrian A. Cunningham
Personal details
Born (1983-01-16) January 16, 1983
Brooklyn, New York
Political partyDemocratic
Other political
affiliations		Working Families
Children1
Residence(s)Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
EducationMedgar Evers College (BA)
Baruch College (MPA)

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

  1. ↑ 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)
  2. 1 2 "New York State Assembly | Diana C. Richardson". nyassembly.gov.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Foderaro, Lisa W. (November 6, 2016). "Support, and Dismay, for Brooklyn Assemblywoman After Charges She Hit Her Son" – via NYTimes.com.
  4. ↑ "Crown Heights Tenant Union gains ground in landlord disputes". The Real Deal New York. April 29, 2014.
  5. ↑ Rosenberg, Eli (April 29, 2014). "Disparate Forces Align Over Affordable Rents (Published 2014)". Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via NYTimes.com.
  6. ↑ "The tenant movement's giant killer". The Real Deal New York. September 19, 2019.
  7. 1 2 Bellafante, Ginia (May 15, 2015). "Running on Rent, and Winning" – via NYTimes.com.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ "NYC assemblywoman charged with beating son, 12, with broomstick". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  10. ↑ CARREGA, CHRISTINA. "Brooklyn assemblywoman accused of beating son with broomstick sees felony assault charges dropped". nydailynews.com.
  11. ↑ Troutman, Matt (May 29, 2020). "NYPD, Protesters Clash At Rally Over George Floyd Killing". Prospect Heights NY Patch.
  12. ↑ "Former Senator Jesse Hamilton is running for Assembly". BK Reader. June 22, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  13. ↑ King, Nelson A. "Richardson thanks supporters for resounding victory - Caribbean Life". www.caribbeanlife.com.
  14. ↑ "Assembly Member Diana Richardson named Brooklyn deputy borough president - City & State New York". Cityandstateny.com. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso fires deputy Diana Richardson over toxic work environment". www.nydailynews.com. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Zellnor Myrie and Diana Richardson are engaged". City & State NY. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
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