Kimberly Jean-Pierre, Assembly, 11th District

Kimberly Jean-Pierre

Democratic

BACKGROUND: Kimberly Jean-Pierre, 34, of Wheatley Heights, is on the Democrat, Independence, Reform and Working Families lines. She is seeking a third term in the Assembly after first being elected to the district seat in 2014. The daughter of Haitian immigrants, Jean-Pierre graduated from Brooklyn College with a bachelor of fine arts in creative writing in 2005. She also graduated with a master of science in public policy from Stony Brook University in 2007. Before being elected, she was director of the Wyandanch Resource Center. Earlier, she was vice president of properties for the Babylon Town Industrial Development Agency. Her first foray in politics was when she worked as a community outreach director for former Rep. Steve Israel for three years, and then as an aide to Suffolk Legis. DuWayne Gregory, the presiding officer, for two years. Jean-Pierre serves on the Assembly economic development, mental health, local government, and children and families committees. She is co-chair of the subcommittee on women of color. She is a member of the Assembly’s Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Caucus. She has one daughter and a stepson.

ISSUES: Jean-Pierre said she has worked to make sure her constituents receive adequate services for the taxes they pay including bringing in quality jobs. She said she fights for schools to be properly funded and has helped secure millions of dollars for capital projects. Jean-Pierre noted she got $30,000 for community programs both in Copiague and Lindenhurst to help schools combat drugs through prevention programs. Equity among all residents is important to her, she said. “I want to maintain the quality of life that we have here on the Island, but also maintain it for everyone, and not just certain pockets of the Island,” Jean-Pierre said. She added keeping millennials in her district and revamping downtowns are also important. “We are moving at a slow pace and we need to pick it up,” she said. “The reality is young people want to live downtown. They want to be near restaurants. They want to hop on a train and not drive all the time. We have to create a more accessible transportation system.”