Julissa Ferreras
| Julissa Ferreras | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New York City Council from the 21st District | |
|
Assumed office February 24, 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Hiram Monserrate |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 2, 1976 Corona, New York |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Aaron Copeland |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | Official website |
Julissa Ferreras (born November 2, 1976) is the Council member for the 21st District of the New York City Council. She is a Democrat. The district includes portions of College Point, Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Flushing, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Jackson Heights and LaGuardia Airport in Queens.
Ferreras serves as the chair of the Finance Committee, the Council's most powerful committee. She is the first woman, the first person of color, and the youngest member to be elected Finance Chair.
Ferreras, an only child, grew up in Corona, Queens. Her parents, Josefina Ferreras-Palaez and Julio Alejandro Ferreras, are immigrants from the Dominican Republic and both are retired; she was an office aide for the city’s Human Resources Administration, and he was a subway car inspector.
At age 19, after graduating from high school, she became the director of a Beacon program housed in one of the most crowded public schools in the world, Public School 19Q.
Her political career officially commenced in 2001 when she became a Democratic National Convention delegate appointed by Assemblyman Ivan Lafayette. She then became the chief of staff and campaign manager for her then-predecessor Councilman Hiram Monserrate. She briefly left the public sector and went on to become the New York Director of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials for two years.
When Councilman Monserrate became involved in a scandal (in 2012, he pleaded guilty to mail fraud), Ms. Ferreras was among those questioned and cleared. “It was an experience I learned a great deal from,” she said. “It was something I overcame and was able to step into my own.” “This was a lesson learned,” she said, “especially since I worked so hard at building my name and my integrity, to have this little bit of tarnish is not something I ever want to have to face again.”
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