Sandy Nurse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sandy Nurse
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| Member of the New York City Council from the 37th district |
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| Assumed office January 1, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Darma Diaz |
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| Born | April 3, 1984 Panama |
| Political party | Democratic |
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Sandy Nurse was born on April 3, 1984, in Panama. She is an American politician and a skilled carpenter. Since 2022, she has been a member of the New York City Council. She represents the 37th district, which includes areas like Bushwick in northern Brooklyn, New York City.
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Early Life and Background
Sandy Nurse was born in Panama. She grew up in the United States, raised by her mother. Her mother was a veteran who served in the U.S. Navy.
Working Life and Community Work
Before becoming a politician, Sandy Nurse had many different jobs. She worked as a waitress and delivered food. She was also a janitor and helped organize communities. Her main job was being a carpenter, which means she built and repaired things made of wood.
Sandy Nurse also started her own organizations to help her community:
- She founded BK ROT, a group in Brooklyn that focuses on composting. Composting turns food scraps and other waste into rich soil.
- She helped start Mayday Space. This is a place where groups working for positive social change can meet and hold events.
Running for Office in 2020
In 2019, Sandy Nurse decided to run for a political position. She first planned to run for the New York State Assembly. This is a part of the state government.
However, a different opportunity came up in January 2020. A City Council member, Rafael Espinal, left his job. This created an open spot in the 37th district of the New York City Council. Sandy Nurse decided to run for this open spot instead.
The election for this spot became complicated because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The election was first delayed, then canceled.
- Rules for getting on the ballot changed, making it harder for some candidates.
- Sandy Nurse tried to fight these new rules, but she was not successful.
- Because of this, another candidate, Darma Diaz, ran without anyone opposing her. She won the election.
Winning the City Council Seat in 2021
Even though she didn't win in 2020, Sandy Nurse decided to run again. In July 2020, she announced she would try for the same City Council seat in the regular 2021 election.
She ran a campaign focused on progressive ideas. Many important political figures and groups supported her. These included:
- Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nydia Velázquez
- Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
- The Working Families Party
On election night, Sandy Nurse had a strong lead. After all the votes were counted, including ranked-choice votes, she officially won. She defeated Darma Diaz with about 65% of the vote. She then won the final election with over 86% of the votes. This meant she became the City Council member for the 37th district.
Personal Life
Sandy Nurse lives in Cypress Hills, a neighborhood in Brooklyn. She identifies as Afro-Latina.
