Shaun Abreu
Shaun Abreu | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New York City Council from the 7th district | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Mark Levine |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 8, 1991 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Columbia University (BA) Tulane University (JD) |
| Website | Official website Campaign website |
Shaun Abreu (born January 8, 1991)[1] is an American politician and tenants' rights attorney from New York City. His ancestors came from the Dominican Republic. He is a member of the Democratic Party serving as the city councilman for the 7th district of the New York City Council.
Early life and education
[edit]Abreu was born in Washington Heights, Manhattan, the son of immigrants from the Dominican Republic. His mother was a clerk at Zabar's, and his father was a union member and a janitor at Port Authority Bus Terminal. At nine years old, his family was evicted from their home, forcing them to stay with neighbors.[2]
Abreu graduated from George Washington High School in Washington Heights, and went on to receive a degree in political science and government from Columbia University and a J.D. degree from Tulane University Law School. After graduating law school in 2018, he became a tenants' rights attorney with the New York Legal Assistance Group.[3]
Career
[edit]While still a student at Columbia, Abreu worked as Mark Levine's deputy campaign manager during Levine's successful 2013 campaign for the New York City Council. He also served as a member of Manhattan Community Board 9.[3]
2021 City Council campaign
[edit]In November 2020, Abreu announced his 2021 campaign to succeed the term-limited Levine in the City Council's 7th district, which covers Morningside Heights, Manhattan Valley, Hamilton Heights, and parts of Harlem and Washington Heights.[4] Garnering endorsements from Levine, U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat, and most of the city's major unions, Abreu was regarded as the frontrunner in the race.[5][6]
Five of Abreu's eleven opponents – Maria Ordoñez, Stacy Lynch, Marti Allen-Cummings, Dan Cohen, and Corey Ortega – sought to counter this advantage through ranked-choice voting and formed a coalition, wherein each of the five candidates advised their own voters to rank the other four coalition members on their ballot.[7]
On election night on June 22, Abreu led the field with 27 percent of the vote, with four members of the opposing coalition coming in second through fifth.[8] When ranked-choice votes and absentee ballots were taken into account two weeks later, Abreu maintained his lead, with 63 percent of the vote to Ordoñez's 37 percent; Abreu formally declared victory on July 2, and his opponents conceded in the succeeding days.[9][10] In the November general election, Abreu won with over 88% of the vote.
Tenure
[edit]Abreu is a member of the Vote Blue Coalition, a progressive group and federal PAC created to support Democrats in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania through voter outreach and mobilization efforts.[11] In 2024 Abreu opposed a ballot measure approved by New York City voters to empower the New York City Department of Sanitation to enhance cleaning and sanitation in New York City [12]
Personal life
[edit]Abreu lives in Manhattan Valley. He is a member of UAW Local 3235, an association for legal aid attorneys.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ @ShaunAbreu (January 8, 2021). "Today is my 30th birthday, and I have one special request!". Retrieved July 13, 2021.
- ^ a b "Meet Shaun". Shaun Abreu, Democrat for City Council. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ a b Nick Garber (June 15, 2021). "NYC Council District 7 Election: Shaun Abreu Seeks Uptown Seat". Patch.com. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ Politics NY (November 11, 2020). "Attorney Shaun Abreu Throws Hat into the Ring for City Council". Politics NY. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ Nick Garber (March 3, 2021). "Mark Levine Endorses Abreu In Upper Manhattan City Council Race". Patch.com. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ "Congressman Adriano Espaillat Endorses Shaun Abreu for City Council District 7". Shaun Abreu, Democrat for City Council. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ Nick Garber (June 10, 2021). "5 Harlem Council Candidates Endorse Each Other In Unusual Move". Patch.com. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ "2021 Primary Election Unofficial Election Night Results, Member of the City Council 7th Council District - Democratic". New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ "Unofficial Ranked Choice Rounds, Member of the City Council 7th Council District - Democratic". New York City Board of Elections. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ @ShaunAbreu. "I have never been prouder to call District 7 my home. I can't wait to get to work". Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ "Coalition". Vote Blue. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
- ^ https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-ballot-measure-would-expand-trash-pickup-and-street-vendor-crackdowns
- 1991 births
- 21st-century New York (state) politicians
- American politicians of Dominican Republic descent
- Columbia College (New York) alumni
- George Washington Educational Campus alumni
- Lawyers from New York City
- Living people
- New York (state) Democrats
- People from Washington Heights, Manhattan
- Politicians from Manhattan
- Tulane University Law School alumni