Who's On Harlem's Community Boards This Year? New Members Are Named

HARLEM, NY — Curious who's voting on new developments, liquor license applications and bike lanes in Harlem? The new appointments to Manhattan's dozen community boards have been revealed — and some of your neighbors may be on the list.

The appointments were made Friday by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine's office and shared exclusively with Patch. Half of each board was up for reappointment this year, with each board's 50 members serving staggered two-year terms.

Across Harlem's three community boards, there will be 21 new members joining this year, with roughly the same number of current members departing their neighborhood boards. (Scroll down to see the full list for each Harlem board.)

A total of 885 people applied to Manhattan community boards this year — the second-highest number ever — for just 319 positions. This year's appointees include 91 first-time members, according to Levine's office.

Harlem board members

Community Board 9 (West Harlem)

• Alex Hunter
• Annette Robinson
• Anthony Fletcher
• Arelis Mejia
• Barry Weinberg
• Carlton Davis (new)
• Carolina Ramirez (new)
• Carolyn Thompson
• Daniel Cohen
• Daria Hardeman
• David Hanzal
• Deirdre McIntosh-Brown
• Derrick Johnson
• Edwin Torres
• Georgiette Morgan-Thomas
• Heather Jason
• Jonathan Sinagub
• Hugo Torres (new)
• Iliana Mercado
• Jane Arendell-Johnson (new)
• Jenny Garcia
• John George
• John-Martin Green
• Jonathan Thomas
• Joyce Adewumi
• Kelsey Bettis
• Ken Miles
• LaQuita Henry
• Lydia Gerson (new)
• Maritta Dunn
• Marti Cummings
• Michael Palma
• Miriam Aristy-Farer
• Monica Dula
• Monique Hardin-Codero
• Padmore John
• Patricia Ramos (new)
• Patricia Watler Johnson
• Sean Farrow (new)
• Shaneeka Wilson
• Signe Mortensen
• Solomon Prophete
• Theodore Kovaleff
• Tiffany Khan
• Tina Lumley
• Victor Edwards
• Victoria Benitez
• Walter Alexander

Community Board 10 (Central Harlem)

• Asena Tuione (new)
• Bailey Jeremie (new)
• Barbara Nelson
• Brianna McClure (new)
• Charles Johnson
• Charles Powell
• Cheryl Smith
• Christina Curry
• Cicely Harris
• Dana Points
• Daniel Peterson
• Delsenia Glover
• Deneane Brown-Blackmon
• Derek Perkinson
• Dominick Boyce
• Donna Gill
• Elvin Garcia (new)
• Fatoumata Magassa (new)
• Genisha Metcalf
• George Harrell
• Hazel Dukes
• Jaran David Manzanet
• Jose Mendez
• Kamaria Milford
• Karen Dixon
• Karen Horry
• Kathy James
• Keith Taylor
• Kimberly McLaurin
• LaShanda Myers
• Leevert Holmes (new)
• Lisa Downing
• Lydel Tyson (new)
• Ma’at Mack (new)
• Marquis Harrison
• Maurice Franklin
• Mikaela Berry (new)
• Milan Reed
• Nathan Quist (new)
• Shadawn Smith
• Shamier Settle
• Shawn Brannon
• Staci Ramos
• Stanley Gleaton
• Stephanie Palmer
• Tahanie Aboushi
• Tiffany Bowen (new)
• Valone Brown (new)
• Verna Diggs
• Wilma Brown

Community Board 11 (East Harlem)

• Adem Brija
• Alonzo Johnson
• Angela Donadelle
• Ann Marie Vasquez
• April Autry
• Arturo Perez
• Beverly Pabon
• Brandon Gillespie
• Briana Dacosta
• Carlos Diaz
• Claudia Perez
• David Giodano
• Dawn Sanders
• Devan Cronshaw
• Diane Collier
• Erick Aucancela
• Ernando "Jason" Villanueva
• Eugene Rodriguez
• Giselle Malave
• Hilda Candy Vives-Vazquez
• Isaac Scott
• James Horton
• Jason Wu
• Jennifer Meyer
• Jessica Elliot
• Jessica Morris
• Jewel Jones
• John Green
• Jordan Wright
• Jose Altimirano
• Judith Febbraro
• Juhaid Choudhury
• Kenneth Crouch
• Leroy Andino
• Malik McCollough
• Marissa Mack
• Michelle Wiltshire Clement
• Natassia Rodriguez
• Nilsa Orama
• Osendy Garcia
• Raja Flores
• Roberto Perez
• Rosa Diaz
• Russell Shuler
• Shavasia Robinson-Teague
• Stephanie Arroyo
• Vincent Torres
• Wanda Hopkins
• Wilma Brown
• Xavier Santiago

Besides making key votes on neighborhood issues, community board members often use their platforms as springboards for higher office: disgraced ex-Lieutenant Gov. Brian Benjamin got his start as chair of CB10, for example, while West Harlem Councilmember Shaun Abreu formerly served on CB9.

Half of all community board members are recommended by the local City Council member, while the rest are appointed directly by the borough president's office.

New this year, Levine's office asked applicants to say whether they owned cars — the first time that question has been posed. The result: 79 percent of first-time members say they don't have a car, which Levine's office says aligns more closely with Manhattan's demographics.

In a reflection of added outreach to underrepresented groups, 70 percent of first-time appointees identify as BIPOC, including an increased percentage of African American, Hispanic/Latinx, and Asian American/Pacific Islander members.

Nearly 18 percent identify as LGBTQ, and 40 percent are renters, compared to 30 percent who say they have an ownership stake in their residence.

"We need to ensure our community boards are composed of diverse local leaders so that we can recover from this pandemic equitably and stronger than we were before," Levine said in a statement, noting that he had served on a community board himself before entering politics.

Other statistics of note: 48 percent of first-time appointees identify as women, compared to 42 percent as men and 1 percent as gender nonconforming.

About 26 percent are under the age of 30, including six who are under the age of 20 — a "significant increase," according to Levine's office.