Andrea Stewart-Cousins Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Stewart-Cousins in 2020

Temporary President and Majority Leader of the New York State Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office January 9, 2019
Deputy	Michael Gianaris
Governor	Andrew Cuomo Kathy Hochul
Preceded by	John J. Flanagan
Acting Lieutenant Governor of New York
In office April 12, 2022 – May 25, 2022
Governor	Kathy Hochul
Preceded by	Brian Benjamin
Succeeded by	Antonio Delgado
In office August 24, 2021 – September 9, 2021
Governor	Kathy Hochul
Preceded by	Kathy Hochul
Succeeded by	Brian Benjamin
Minority Leader of the New York State Senate
In office December 17, 2012 – January 9, 2019
Deputy	Michael Gianaris Jeffrey D. Klein
Preceded by	John L. Sampson
Succeeded by	John J. Flanagan
Member of the New York State Senate from the 35th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1, 2007
Preceded by	Nicholas Spano
Member of the Westchester County Board of Legislators from the 16th district
In office 1996–2007
Preceded by	Herman Keith
Succeeded by	Ken Jenkins

Personal details
Born	Andrea Alice Stewart (1950-09-02) September 2, 1950 (age 75) New York City, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Thomas Cousins (m. 1979; died 2007)
Children	3
Education	Pace University (BA, MPA) Lehman College (GrCert)

Andrea Alice Stewart-Cousins, born on September 2, 1950, is an American politician and former educator from Yonkers, New York. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Since 2007, she has represented District 35 in the New York State Senate.

Since 2019, Stewart-Cousins has been the Majority Leader and Temporary President of the New York State Senate. This means she leads the main group of senators and helps guide their work. She made history as the first woman to lead a group in the New York State Legislature. She is also the first female Senate Majority Leader in New York. She also served twice as the acting lieutenant governor of New York under Governor Kathy Hochul. She was the first Black woman to hold this important role, even if for a short time.

Stewart-Cousins was first elected to the New York State Senate in 2006. Before that, she was a Westchester County Legislator from 1996 to 2006. In 2012, her fellow Democratic senators chose her to lead their group. When the Democratic Party gained more seats in the Senate in 2018, she became the Majority Leader in January 2019.

Growing Up and School
Public Service Journey
Awards and Recognition
Family Life
Related Topics

Growing Up and School

Andrea Alice Stewart was born in New York City on September 2, 1950. Her father, Bob Stewart, was a hero from World War II and worked as a repairman. Her mother, Beryl Stewart, was a secretary and helped her community. Andrea grew up in public housing in Manhattan and the Bronx. She also dealt with asthma when she was young.

Before becoming a politician, Stewart-Cousins worked for twenty years in private companies. For thirteen of those years, she worked in sales and marketing for New York Telephone. Later, she decided to go back to school. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Pace University in 1986. She also got her teaching certificate in Business Education from Lehman College. In 2008, she earned her Master of Public Administration degree from Pace University. She also worked as a teacher and a journalist for a short time.

Public Service Journey

Starting in Yonkers

Stewart-Cousins began her work in public service in 1992. She became the Director of Community Affairs for the City of Yonkers. In this role, she helped create a program for young people to gain work experience. She also worked to improve the city of Yonkers. She helped start "Art on Main Street" and "River Fest," a big celebration on the Hudson River.

Serving Westchester County

Before joining the State Senate, Stewart-Cousins was a Legislator for Westchester County. She represented Yonkers from 1996 to 2006. As a legislator, she helped create important laws. These included laws about fair wages and smoke-free workplaces. She also worked on laws to protect human rights and give tax breaks to seniors and veterans.

In the New York State Senate

Stewart-Cousins in 2007

Stewart-Cousins first ran for the New York State Senate in 2004. She lost that election by a very small number of votes. In 2006, she ran again and won, becoming a State Senator. Her district, District 35, includes parts of Yonkers and other towns.

She supported a law for same-sex marriage, which passed in 2011. In 2010, she was considered to be a running mate for Andrew Cuomo, who was running for governor. However, he chose someone else.

Leading the Democrats

On December 17, 2012, her fellow Democratic senators chose Stewart-Cousins to be their leader. This made her the first woman ever to lead a group in the New York State Legislature.

Becoming Majority Leader

In the 2018 elections, the Democratic Party won enough seats to become the majority in the Senate. On January 9, 2019, Stewart-Cousins was elected Senate Majority Leader. She became the first female Senate Majority Leader in New York's history. As Majority Leader, she helps decide which laws the Senate will work on.

In 2019, she supported a law to update rules for apartments in New York City. During her first year as Majority Leader, many new laws were passed. These laws covered topics like protecting the environment, making voting easier, and ensuring equal rights for everyone. She is known for working with others to reach agreements.

In 2021, when Governor Andrew Cuomo left office, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul became the new governor. According to state law, Stewart-Cousins then became the state's Acting Lieutenant Governor. She was the first Black woman to hold this position. This was also the first time New York had both a female governor and an acting female lieutenant governor. Governor Hochul later appointed Brian Benjamin as the full-time lieutenant governor. However, Benjamin resigned in April 2022. Stewart-Cousins again stepped in as acting lieutenant governor for a short time. Rep. Antonio Delgado then became the new lieutenant governor in May 2022.

Awards and Recognition

In 2019, Stewart-Cousins was recognized as one of the "Most Powerful Women in New York" by Crain's New York Business. This list comes out every two years.

In February 2021, she received the Nelson A. Rockefeller Award. This award honors people for their public service.

She also received the Samuel Untermyer award on September 14, 2021. This award celebrates great leadership in the community. The ceremony took place in her hometown of Yonkers, New York.