Council Member Shahana Hanif represents New York City’s 39th Council District, which includes Kensington, Borough Park, Windsor Terrace, Park Slope, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, and the Columbia Waterfront. She made history in 2021 as the first Bangladeshi and Muslim woman elected to the New York City Council, and the first woman to represent the 39th District. In June 2025, she was re-elected for a second term.
Born and raised in Brooklyn to working-class Bangladeshi Muslim immigrant parents, Council Member Hanif brings lived experience and deep community ties to her work in government. Her personal journey—navigating public schools and the healthcare system after being diagnosed with Lupus at age 17—informs her commitment to building a city rooted in care, equity, and dignity for all.
She has delivered millions in funding for schools, parks, sanitation infrastructure, tenant organizing, youth programming, and cultural and faith-based institutions—including Muslim-led organizations in her district and citywide. Her office has supported halal food access in schools, mosque infrastructure needs, and multilingual civic education to increase Muslim political participation.
A former community organizer, Hanif continues to champion Participatory Budgeting and grassroots democracy, ensuring that neighbors have a real say in how city dollars are spent. As a legislator, she has passed landmark bills on:
Climate justice (Local Law 85 – universal composting),
Reproductive rights (Local Laws 75 & 76 – protecting abortion access),
Immigrant protections (Local Law 161 – Immigrant Workers Bill of Rights),
Gender-based violence (Local Law 45 – safety upgrades for survivors of domestic violence).
Hanif currently serves as Co-Chair of the New York City Council Progressive Caucus, where she led the charge to end solitary confinement in city jails and increase police transparency through the How Many Stops Act. As former Chair of the Immigration Committee, she helped launch Promise NYC, a first-in-the-nation childcare program for undocumented families. She also co-chairs the Task Force to Combat Hate, where she advocates for Muslim, Jewish, and other marginalized communities facing rising violence and discrimination.
As she enters her second term, Council Member Hanif is focused on expanding universal childcare, securing deeper investments in public housing, and uplifting the political voice of Muslim and immigrant communities across New York City.
Her leadership reflects the power and presence of Muslim women in public life—unapologetic, rooted in justice, and committed to building a multiracial, multifaith city that serves us all.