Indian American Civil Rights Lawyer Shekar Krishnan Elected to NYC City Council From District 25
- The son of immigrants from Kerala, he defeated Republican Shah Shahidul Haque, the president of the World Human Rights Development, by a significant margin.
Indian American civil rights lawyer Shekar Krishnan made history by becoming one of two South Asian American candidates elected to the New York City Council. Krishnan, a Democrat, is a community activist and civil rights attorney who specializes in housing discrimination.
Earlier, Shahana Hanif, the daughter of Bangladeshi immigrants and a community organizer, became the first Muslim woman elected to New York City Council, and the first woman of color to represent Brooklyn’s 39th District covering Park Slope, Kensington and parts of central Brooklyn.
Krishnan is the son of immigrants from Kerala and represents East Elmhurst and Jackson Heights in District 25. He defeated Republican Shah Shahidul Haque, the president of the World Human Rights Development, by a significant margin.
“When my parents came to this country 38 years ago, they never imagined their son would one day run for City Council,” he tweeted on Nov. 2. “Their sacrifices were on my mind as I voted just now — three generations together in this moment. Our South Asian communities have never had representation in this city. We change that today. Together, let’s make history. Let’s fight for a city that works for everyone, for our elders, our families, and for the generations to come.”
During his campaign, Krishnan noted that his expertise on housing touches on the three main issues in City Council District 25, which are hospital resources, community centers and open spaces, and bilingual education.
According to his website, Krishnan “has devoted his career to serving the most vulnerable communities in New York City. His advocacy has focused on amplifying the voices of those so frequently unheard and unseen by powerful institutions and on organizing for dignified and just treatment for communities of color.”
Krishnan is co-founder of Friends of Diversity Plaza, which is located on the border of Elmhurst and Jackson Heights and has become a national symbol of how public space can bring people together. It now serves a critical function in neighborhood organizing efforts and building solidarity across communities. He has also engaged in inclusive political organizing and grassroots community dialogue in support of progressive causes.
He is also co-founder of Communities Resist, a legal services organization highly acclaimed citywide for its community-rooted, intersectional approach to housing and racial justice in North Brooklyn and Queens. He represents tenants and neighborhood coalitions in fair housing litigation and anti-displacement advocacy in some of the most gentrified neighborhoods in NYC.
Krishnan began his legal career with the landmark Broadway Triangle fair housing struggle against the City of New York, a successful fair housing case challenging the rezoning of one of the largest plots of vacant land in Brooklyn.