Laurie Cumbo

Laurie Cumbo
Member of the New York City Council from the 35th District
Assumed office
January 1, 2014
Preceded by Letitia James
Personal details
Born (1975-02-21) February 21, 1975
Brooklyn, New York
Political party Democratic
Alma mater Spelman College (B.A.)
New York University (M.A.)
Website Official website

Laurie Cumbo (born February 4, 1975) is the Council member for the 35th District of the New York City Council. She is a Democrat.

The district includes portions of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Boerum Hill, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, East Flatbush, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Prospect Park, Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Vinegar Hill in Brooklyn.

Background and education

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia in 1997, receiving a degree in Fine Arts. She received a Master's degree in Visual Arts Administration from New York University in 1999.[1]

Arts administration

Based on her 1999 NYU graduate work[2] and a trip to Bilbao, Spain, Cumbo founded[1][3] and served as the executive director of the Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts (MoCADA).[4][5] She told the New York Times's Local, "prior to [receiving her master's in 1999] I would say I was very inspired by the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. This museum created a whole economy for this particular city after its shipping industry died. It made Bilbao and the museum a must destination when visiting Spain. I know that MoCADA can do that for Brooklyn as well."[6] Originally based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, the museum moved to its current location in Brooklyn's gentrified Fort Greene section within the BAM Cultural District with the help of the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Local Development Corporation, which included Bruce Ratner, the Barclays Center and Atlantic Yards developer, on its board.[3][7]

In 2012, the museum landed a $100,000 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to pay for a two-year program that brought monthly concerts to public spaces in NYCHA Houses like Walt Whitman, Ingersoll, and Farragut in Fort Greene that drew crowds up to 500 or 600.[8] The following year in 2013, MoCADA launched another art performance series, Soul of Brooklyn, which is "a series of block-party style arts events meant to bring the community together and promote local businesses." From 2001 to 2011, Cumbo served as a graduate professor in the Arts and Cultural Management program at Pratt Institute's School of Art & Design.[1]

In December 2013, one month before Cumbo was sworn in, a series of attacks took place targeting Jewish residents of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, totaling at least eight victims including children. The attacks in were alleged to be part of a trend of "knockout attacks", and antisemitism was cited by a number of community leaders, politicians and media outlets as a precipitating factor in the attacks.[9][10][11][12][13] Following the attacks, Cumbo publicly expressed that her African American and Caribbean constituents had expressed fear of being “pushed out of their homes by Jewish landlords”, and that resentment towards the Jewish residents of Crown Heights "offer possible insight as to how young African-American/Caribbean teens could conceivably commit a 'hate crime' against a community that they know very little about." She wrote "I admire the Jewish community immensely.... I respect and appreciate the Jewish community’s family values and unity that has led to strong political, economic and cultural gains. While I personally regard this level of tenacity, I also recognize that for others, the accomplishments of the Jewish community triggers feelings of resentment, and a sense that Jewish success is not also their success." Her response was covered widely on blogs and in the New York press.[14][15][16][17][18][19]

Cumbo's statements raised concerns among many residents,[20][21] and in addition to the local mainstream media, the story was featured in local Jewish media outlets.[22][23][24][25] Cumbo later apologized to her constituents for her remarks,[26][27][28][29] saying in a statement, “I sincerely apologize to all of my constituents for any pain that I have caused by what I wrote … and I understand now that my words did not convey what was in my heart, which is a profound desire to bring our diverse communities closer together.” [30] The next year she allocated thousands of dollars in district council money to a Crown Heights Orthodox Jewish community group.

Earlier, in April 2010, while head of MoCADA, she was quoted in the New York Times's Local with another remark regarding Jews. She said, "I’m trying to figure out new ways to do what I want to do to grow the museum.... You have a Jewish children’s museum, but you don’t feel that there should be a black-centered museum?"[6]

New York City Council

Election

In 2013, she moved into the 35th council district to run for its city council seat. By the end of August 2013, Cumbo's political campaign had received at least $80,000 from Jobs for New York PAC, a pro-development political action committee unpopular in an already rapidly gentrifying area.[14] In an AARP-sponsored discussion a week later she claimed that she received no money from the Real Estate Board of New York (backers of Jobs for New York), and that they have given no contributions to her campaign.[31] She denied it again when confronted with the issue at a Brooklyn community board committee meeting in February 2015[32] even though she told the Brooklyn Paper at her victory party in 2013 that she will be more developer-friendly than her predecessor and that “It would be almost malpractice to be a councilmember and to have no relationship with the developers who are building this community.”[33]

Elected in 2013 in a crowded Democratic primary race, Cumbo, unchallenged by a Republican candidate,[4] succeeded Letitia James. Formerly the executive director of MoCADA, she was handpicked to run by Brooklyn Congressman Hakeem Jeffries.[34] Cumbo's political leanings are in some ways more conservative than that her predecessor,[14][35] and she has been the subject of controversy. Cumbo had previously denounced the practice and encouraged voters to blow the whistle on excessive corporate support of political campaigns during her campaign.[36] She did not appear at the public debate before the primary election for the council district seat on August 21, 2013.[31][37] Despite this, she won the council seat in a crowded race[37] on a platform, in part, of expanding and developing arts and cultural tourism in the district and making improved use of public spaces including parks.[4] Her platform also included "Investing in Economic Development, Strengthening Not-for-Profits and Service Employees, Reforming Education."[38] From being handpicked to run by Brooklyn Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and endorsed by New York State Assemblyman Walter Mosley,[34] a plethora of endorsements followed, including from the Working Families Party, co-founded by now-Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Election results
Location Year Election Results
NYC Council
District 12		 2013 Democratic Primary √ Laurie Cumbo 35%[33]
Olanike T. Alabi 25.75%
Ede S. Fox 25.60%
Jelani Mashariki 6.43%
F. Richard Hurley 5.97%
NYC Council
District 12		 2013 General √ Laurie Cumbo (D) 99.70%

Tenure

Cumbo took office in January 2014. She was appointed chair of the Women's Issues Committee and also serves on the following committees: Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations; Finance; Higher Education; Public Housing; and Youth Services. She is also a member of the Women’s Caucus; the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus; and the Jewish Caucus.[39] She is specifically passionate about women’s issues such as domestic violence, workplace discrimination, girls education, and sex trafficking.

In her first six months in government, when city council members were working on the FY 2015 Budget, she and Council Member Ritchie Torres, chair of the Public Housing Committee, along with many residents advocated to stop 57 NYCHA community and senior centers from experiencing cuts in funding. As a result, the Council allocated $17 million to keep these centers open.[40]

Early in October 2014, Cumbo, as chair of the Women's Issues Committee, and her colleague Vanessa L. Gibson, chair of the Public Safety Issues Committee, announced the council allocated nearly $6 million to support domestic violence programs and initiatives: CONNECT, Inc. Community Empowerment Program – $600,000; Domestic Violence and Empowerment (DoVE) Initiative – $4 million; Immigrant Battered Women’s Initiative – $1 million; and HRA Legal Services for Domestic Violence Victims – $350,000. On October 15, 2014, Cumbo joined by Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Rosemonde Pierre-Louis, commissioner for the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence and other citywide elected officials, posted at subway stations across the city in a campaign that Cumbo organized in order to raise awareness of the problem of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in honor of "NYC Go Purple Visibility Day".[41] Her and her office partnered with the "Not on My Watch!" campaign back in June 2014.[42]

She was also in strong support of hosting the 2016 Democratic National Convention in New York City, specifically Brooklyn, which failed.[43] In arguing in favor of the convention coming to her borough, she argued “We have swag on lock down,” continuing, “A convention anywhere else in the United States of America is just going to be ‘eh.'” [44] This earned her an ingratiating visit from Senator Chuck Schumer at her first "state of the district" address at the Brooklyn Museum.

She made headlines again in late March 2015 when she asked why there were “blocs” (possibly "blocks"[45]) of Asians living in two Fort Greene housing projects. Colleague and Manhattan councilwoman Margaret Chin, who is Chinese-American, said "She certainly could’ve chosen her words a bit more carefully. The fact is that there are many Asian-American families . . . who have applied to live in public housing.” Cumbo issued an apology, but then said she only wanted to know if the NYCHA “uses a cultural preference priority component” in picking tenants to which NYCHA chair Shola Olatoye replied that it did not, saying its vacancy rate is less than 1 percent, making such an influx almost impossible. The Brooklyn councilwoman then told the New York Post, “There could be some benefit to housing people by culture . . . I think it needs to be discussed.”[45][46][47] Queens Congresswoman Grace Meng, also Asian-American, denounced Cumbo's idea, saying that it was "thinly disguised segregation based on race, color, creed or national origin.”[48] City council speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito while defending Cumbo called her comments "unfortunate."[49]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Alumnae Profiles: Laurie Cumbo". Spelman College. May 17, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Cumbo to Hold Inauguration Party at Ingersoll Community Center". The Nabe. Jan 10, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Mission History. ''Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts''. mocada.org. Accessed January 3, 2014". Mocada.org. February 17, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 "Laurie Cumbo Wins Crowded NYC Council Race in District 35.". Theepochtimes.com. September 12, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts website". Mocada.org. October 24, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Bebea, Ines (2010-04-01). "MoCADA's Laurie Cumbo: Looking For Pink Elephants - The Local – Fort-Greene Blog - NYTimes.com". Fort-greene.thelocal.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  7. ↑ Day, Adrienne (July 7, 2006). "BAM Goes the Neighborhood". The Village Voice.
  8. ↑ "A $100,000 grant will bring free concerts to Brooklyn housing projects". New York: NY Daily News. June 26, 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "''ADL statement''". Newyork.adl.org. November 21, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Police Added in Brooklyn Neighborhood Amid "Knockout Game" Attacks". WNBC. November 20, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  11. ↑ Velez, Natasha (November 22, 2013). "Jewish man clocked in 'knockout' attack | New York Post". New York Post. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  12. ↑ "4 Men Arrested In Apparent 'Knockout' Attack In Brooklyn " CBS New York". WCBS-TV. November 22, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Sucker Punch: Possible Spike in 'Knockout Game' Attacks " ABC News". ABC Nightline. November 26, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  14. 1 2 3 "Councilwoman Blames 'Knockout' Attacks on Tension Between Blacks and Jews - Crown Heights - DNAinfo.com New York". Dnainfo.com. December 5, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  15. ↑ Ben Yakas (December 4, 2013). "2013-12-04. Councilwoman: "Knockout" Attacks Triggered By Resentment Of Jewish Success.". Gothamist.com. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Laurie Cumbo Says 'Knockout' Attacks In Brooklyn Caused By Resentment Of Jewish Success". Huffingtonpost.com. December 5, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  17. ↑ "NYC councilwoman's talk of black-Jewish resentment, 'knockouts' called racist". New York: NY Daily News. December 5, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Laurie Cumbo Says 'Knockout' Attacks In Brooklyn Caused By Resentment Of Jewish Success news". Dailynewsen.com. December 5, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  19. ↑ "New York Democrat Blames Knock-Out Game on "Jews With Bags of Money" | FrontPage Magazine". Frontpagemag.com. December 4, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  20. ↑ Gelernter, David. "A Frightening Portent for New York City « Commentary Magazine". Commentarymagazine.com. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  21. ↑ "The Yeshiva World ADL: Cumbo's Knockout Comments – Classic Anti-Semitic Stereotypes " " Frum Jewish News". Theyeshivaworld.com. December 4, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  22. ↑ "NYC Councilwoman-Elect: 'Knockout' Triggered by Jewish Success". The Jewish Press. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  23. ↑ "NYC Pol Links 'Jewish Landlords', 'Knock Out Game' - Jewish World - News". Israel National News. December 5, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Incoming councilwoman: Knockout game attacks caused by black-Jewish tension | Jewish Telegraphic Agency". Jta.org. December 5, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  25. ↑ Jonathan Mark (December 31, 2013). "Knockout Comes To Crown Heights". The Jewish Week. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  26. ↑ "2013-12-10. Cumbo regrets statement. ''Collive.com''". Collive.com. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Councilwoman apologizes for insensitive comments. ''CrownHeights.info''". Crownheights.info. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Cumbo Apology. ''DNAinfo.com''. Dec 10, 2013". Dnainfo.com. December 10, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Cumbo Apology. ''CBS News''". Newyork.cbslocal.com. December 10, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Brooklyn Councilwoman-Elect Laurie Cumbo Apologizes For "Knockout Game" Comments". Daily News. New York.
  31. 1 2 Goldstein, Sasha (September 6, 2013). "Brooklyn: Attacks continue at last-minute debate for hotly contested District 35 City Council race". New York: NY Daily News.
  32. ↑ "CB9 ULURP Meeting, February 4, 2015". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  33. 1 2 Bredderman, Will (2013-09-11). "Brooklyn wins big at the primaries • The Brooklyn Paper". Brooklynpaper.com. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  34. 1 2 "U.S. Congressman Hakeem Jeffries endorses Laurie Cumbo for NYC Council". Retrieved December 18, 2013. "TK attends the endorsement announcement by US Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of Laurie Cumbo for City Council District 35
  35. ↑ Miller, Stephen. "After Street Safety March, Ken Thompson Talks Tough on Traffic Justice". Streetsblog website.
  36. ↑ "Laurie Cumbo on Jobs for New York (video by third party)". YouTube.
  37. 1 2 Blau, Reuven (August 22, 2013). "Candidate in tight race to represent Fort Greene in the City Council ducks the only debate set before the election". New York: NY Daily News.
  38. ↑ http://www.decidenyc.com/election-candidate/laurie-cumbo/
  39. ↑ http://council.nyc.gov/d35/documents/012414cc.shtml. Retrieved 14 October 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  40. ↑ council.nyc.gov http://council.nyc.gov/html/pr/062514budget.shtml. Retrieved 21 October 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  41. ↑ "Cumbo "Goes Purple Against Domestic Violence". Brooklyn Reader. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  42. ↑ "Not On My Watch Movement". Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  43. ↑ Moore, Martha T.; Camia, Catalina (February 12, 2015). "Democrats pick Philadelphia for 2016 convention". USA Today.
  44. ↑ Ross Barkan (2014-08-11). "Charles Schumer Mocks Other Cities As Brooklyn Vies for Convention". Observer. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  45. 1 2 "Pol makes bizarre claim about Asians moving into NYCHA". Daily News. New York. March 26, 2015.
  46. ↑ Gartland, Michael (March 27, 2015). "NYC councilwoman: It might be 'beneficial' to assign public housing by ethnic group". New York Post.
  47. ↑ "Editorial: Laurie Cumbo the divider". Daily News. New York. March 26, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Congresswoman slams Cumbo's comment on Asians in NYCHA". Daily News. New York. March 29, 2015.
  49. ↑ "Mark-Viverito: Laurie Cumbo comments on Asians 'unforunate'". Daily News. New York.
Political offices
Preceded by
Letitia James		 New York City Council, 35th District
2014–present 		Incumbent
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