Diana Richardson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diana Richardson
Deputy Borough President of Brooklyn
In office January 1, 2022 – October 17, 2022
Leader	Antonio Reynoso
Preceded by	Ingrid Lewis-Martin
Succeeded by	Kimberly Council
Member of the New York State Assembly from the 43rd district
In office May 6, 2015 – March 30, 2022
Preceded by	Karim Camara
Succeeded by	Brian A. Cunningham
Personal details
Born	(1983-01-16) January 16, 1983 (age 42) Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Other political affiliations	Working Families
Spouse	Zellnor Myrie ​ (m. 2024)​
Children	1
Residences	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Education	Medgar Evers College (BA) Baruch College (MPA)

Diana Richardson (born January 16, 1983) is an American politician who has served in important roles in New York. She was a member of the New York Assembly, which is part of the state's government. She was first elected in 2015 to represent the 43rd district in Brooklyn. This district includes the neighborhoods of Crown Heights and Prospect Lefferts Gardens. Later, she also served as the deputy Borough President for Brooklyn in 2022.

Early Life and Education

Diana Richardson was born in Brooklyn, New York. Her parents moved to the United States from Aruba, an island in the Caribbean, in the 1960s. She grew up in the Crown Heights area of Brooklyn and went to Edward R. Murrow High School.

For her college education, Richardson studied public administration. She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (BA), from Medgar Evers College. Later, she continued her studies and received a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Baruch College. Both of these colleges are part of the City University of New York.

Political Career

Before becoming a state assembly member, Diana Richardson was involved in her local community. She was a member of Brooklyn Community Board 9. This board helps local residents and advises the city government on community needs.

Richardson was encouraged to run for a seat in the New York Assembly by a group called the Crown Heights Tenant Union. This group works to help people who rent their homes by teaching them about their rights and supporting them in housing issues. Richardson's campaign focused on making sure tenants had more rights.

Becoming a State Assembly Member

In May 2015, Diana Richardson won a special election for the 43rd State Assembly district. A special election is held when a political office becomes empty before the regular election time. She won with just over half of the votes, running on the Working Families Party (WFP) ballot line. This was a notable achievement because she was the first person to win a state legislature seat in New York on the WFP line. Later that year, in November, she also won the general election, running on both the Democratic Party and the WFP lines.

Key Moments in the Assembly

During her time in the New York State Assembly, Diana Richardson was a strong voice for her community. In 2020, she was part of a demonstration related to the murder of George Floyd. During this event, she was affected by pepper spray used by the New York City Police Department.

She also faced a challenge in the 2020 elections from Jesse Hamilton, who was a former State Senator. However, Richardson was able to win the primary election and continue to represent her district.

Serving as Deputy Borough President

In January 2022, Diana Richardson was chosen by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso to serve as the deputy borough president for Brooklyn. In this role, she helped the Borough President manage the affairs of Brooklyn. Her term as deputy borough president ended in October 2022.

Personal Life

In November 2022, it was reported that Diana Richardson became engaged to Zellnor Myrie, who is a New York State Senator. In February 2024, Senator Myrie shared that they had married.