| Shekar Krishnan | |
| Office: | Member of the New York City Council from the 25th district |
| Term Start: | January 1, 2022 |
| Predecessor: | Daniel Dromm |
| Birth Date: | 5 June 1985 |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Education: | Cooper Union (BS) University of Michigan (JD) |
| Website: | |
Shekar Krishnan (born June 5, 1985)[1] is an American attorney and politician who is a member of the New York City Council for the 25th district, which covers the northwestern Queens neighborhoods of Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, parts of East Elmhurst, and a small piece of Woodside.[2]
Krishnan was born to immigrant parents from Kerala, India.[3]
He received a Bachelor of Sciences in engineering from The Cooper Union and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.[4]
Krishnan worked as an associate for law firms Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler.[5] He was also an attorney at Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, directing the organization’s fair housing and tenant advocacy divisions. He is the co-founder of Communities Resist, a legal services organization that represents tenants and neighborhood coalitions in fair housing litigation and anti-displacement advocacy in gentrified neighborhoods.[6] [7]
See also: 2021 New York City Council election. Krishnan announced his candidacy in the 2021 Democratic primary for the 25th District of the New York City Council on November 17, 2020.[8] Incumbent Councilmember Daniel Dromm was term-limited and could not run for reelection. He was endorsed by Dromm, U.S. Representative Nydia Velazquez, and State Senators Julia Salazar and John Liu.[9] He centered his campaign on immigrant rights, the taxi medallion crisis, affordable housing, and climate justice.[10]
Krishnan won the ranked-choice primary with 53.4% of all votes cast.[11] He won the general election with 60% of the vote.[12] Along with Shahana Hanif, Krishnan is one of the first South Asians to serve in the New York City Council.[13] Days after being elected, Krishnan was arrested along with Hanif and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani for protesting alongside taxi drivers.[14]