Farah Louis is from Brooklyn, New York and attended Midwood High School. Farah earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Long Island University and a master’s degree in public administration from New York University. 

Farah N. Louis - The New York City Council

Farah previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff in the City Council and also worked as a healthcare administrator at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Farah is currently a New York City Council Member representing District 45. She was first elected in 2019 and is currently serving her second term. In 2018, she ran for Judicial Delegate for the 42nd Assembly District and won.

As a city council member, launched support services for minority-owned businesses and enhanced nonprofit contract access.

Supports expanding the availability of food vendor permits, creating an office of street vendor enforcement, and establishing a street vendor advisory board.

- As a city council member, launched support services for minority-owned businesses and enhanced nonprofit contract access.
- Supports expanding the availability of food vendor permits, creating an office of street vendor enforcement, and establishing a street vendor advisory board.

Economy

As a city council member, prioritized legislation to protect domestic violence survivors, address food insecurity, and expand access to nonprofit services, education, reproductive rights, and healthcare.

- As a city council member, prioritized legislation to protect domestic violence survivors, address food insecurity, and expand access to nonprofit services, education, reproductive rights, and healthcare.

Public Services

Supports preserving and expanding affordable housing.

- Supports preserving and expanding affordable housing.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports upholding the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board's power to investigate bias-based policing and racial profiling.

As a city council member, led efforts to advance public safety initiatives.

Plans to address gun violence by working with non-profit partners, elected officials, and the community to secure more resources for the district to interrupt violence and create alternatives to crime.

As Co-chair of the Women’s Caucus, sponsored legislation against sexual harassment and urged Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

- Supports upholding the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board's power to investigate bias-based policing and racial profiling.
- As a city council member, led efforts to advance public safety initiatives.
- Plans to address gun violence by working with non-profit partners, elected officials, and the community to secure more resources for the district to interrupt violence and create alternatives to crime.
- As Co-chair of the Women’s Caucus, sponsored legislation against sexual harassment and urged Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

Public Safety

Supports making public transit fully accessible, advocating for partnerships between new properties and the MTA to achieve this goal.

- Supports making public transit fully accessible, advocating for partnerships between new properties and the MTA to achieve this goal.

Transportation & Infrastructure

As of September 3, 2025, Farah Louis’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Energy & the Environment

Supports access to abortion and contraception.

Supports legislation to expand healthcare access, centralize mental health resources, and create a provider pipeline.

- Supports access to abortion and contraception.
- Supports legislation to expand healthcare access, centralize mental health resources, and create a provider pipeline.

Healthcare

Supports policies that promote equity and excellence in education, such as providing free legal assistance in schools, creating remote learning training for parents, and ensuring families of children with disabilities have necessary resources for distance learning.

- Supports policies that promote equity and excellence in education, such as providing free legal assistance in schools, creating remote learning training for parents, and ensuring families of children with disabilities have necessary resources for distance learning.

Education

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Farah Louis

Farah Louis is from Brooklyn, New York. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Long Island University. She is also a proud product of the New York City public school system, attending Midwood High School in the heart of Flatbush. She lives with her family in East Flatbush and Flatlands.

Farah is a public servant. She has served as a Deputy Chief of Staff in the City Council, where she assisted with key legislative pieces and facilitated the district's portion of the city budget. Before joining the City Council, she worked as a healthcare administrator at Mount Sinai Hospital and was an active 1199 union member for eight years. In 2012, she founded Girls Leading Up (GLU), an organization that offers mentorship and leadership development for young women.

Farah is currently a New York City Council Member representing District 45. She was first elected in 2019 and is currently serving her first term. In 2018, she ran for Judicial Delegate for the 42nd Assembly District and won.

As of September 3, 2025, Farah Louis did not have a website or any information online.

James Auchincloss

Buket Urgen

As a city council member, prioritized legislation to address food insecurity.

Supports policies that expand maternal and reproductive health care, enhance economic mobility, and increase leadership opportunities for women and girls.

Supports equitable access to mental and reproductive health care.

Hatem El-Gamasy is from the River Nile’s Delta, Egypt. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Menoufia University and a master’s degree in international relations from Seton Hall University. He lives with his wife and two children in Brooklyn.

Hatem is a writer and commentator on global affairs. He previously worked as a professional interpreter.

Hatem El-Gamasy's run for City City Council District 45 in New York is his first run for public office. 

Supports reducing regulations for small businesses.

Opposes tax breaks for landlords with housing violations.

Supports creating jobs and opportunities that benefit the local community.

- Supports reducing regulations for small businesses.
- Opposes tax breaks for landlords with housing violations.
- Supports creating jobs and opportunities that benefit the local community.

Opposes overregulation, citing examples like receiving tickets for double parking in a bus lane when stopping to pick up family or unload groceries.

Opposes overregulation, citing examples like receiving tickets for double parking in a bus lane.

- Opposes overregulation, citing examples like receiving tickets for double parking in a bus lane.

Supports "fair housing that prioritizes residents over developers."

- Supports "fair housing that prioritizes residents over developers."

Wants to improve street safety and provide more support for youth and seniors.

- Wants to improve street safety and provide more support for youth and seniors.

Believes allocating millions for projects like dog parks while essential services suffer shows misplaced priorities.

- Believes allocating millions for projects like dog parks while essential services suffer shows misplaced priorities.

As of September 3, 2025, Hatem El-Gamasy’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports funding for school meal programs and community food initiatives to ensure every child has access to nutritious meals.

Supports fully funding public schools and investing in education.

- Supports funding for school meal programs and community food initiatives to ensure every child has access to nutritious meals.
- Supports fully funding public schools and investing in education.

Hatem El-Gamasy

Hatem El-Gamasy is from a small village in the River Nile’s Delta, Egypt. He has a bachelor’s degree in education from Menoufia University and a master’s degree in international relations from Seton Hall University. He lives with his wife and two children in Brooklyn.

Hatem is a writer and commentator on global affairs. He previously owned and managed a neighborhood convenience store (bodega) in Brooklyn. Before that, he taught in public schools in Egypt. He also worked as a professional interpreter, helping asylum seekers, immigrants, and refugee families navigate legal, medical, and community systems in New York.

Hatam El-Gamasy

Hatem El-Gamasy's campaign for New York City Council in District 45 is his first entry into politics. He previously served as a community board member, where he advocated for local solutions and community-driven initiatives to improve neighborhoods.

Walter Ley

Supports funding for school meal programs and community food initiatives to combat child hunger.

Supports prioritizing funding for school meal programs and community food initiatives to ensure every child has access to nutritious meals.

Plans to ensure every school in District 45 has crossing guards and safety measures.

Prioritizes safety, children, economic empowerment, community well-being, and rightful place in the city.

Joshua Elijah Diaz is from Flatbush, Brooklyn. He attended PS 217, Ditmas I.S. 62, and Midwood High School. He attended State University of New York, Purchase and has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Purchase College. He lives with his family in Brooklyn.

Elijah Diaz, Ballotpedia

Elijah has experience working as an entrepreneur, marketing professional, financial professional in life insurance & annuities, and in project management. 

Elijah's campaign for New York City Council Member, District 45 is his first entry into politics. He is the first Republican and Conservative Party candidate to win a primary in District 45's history.

Supports expanding Small Business Development Center resources through local non-profits and external programs.

Wants to expand the Small Business Development Center resources through local non-profits and external programs.

- Wants to expand the Small Business Development Center resources through local non-profits and external programs.

As of September 15, 2025, Joshua Elijah Diaz’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes there is a strain on the relationship between police officers and community members.

Wants to increase community trust, saying there is a strain on the relationship between police officers and community members.

Believes in preventing crime by expanding career pipelines, mentorship programs, and youth employment opportunities.

Wants to  prevent crime by expanding career pipelines, mentorship, and youth employment opportunities.

- Wants to increase community trust, saying there is a strain on the relationship between police officers and community members.
- Wants to  prevent crime by expanding career pipelines, mentorship, and youth employment opportunities.

Supports mental health response teams, expanding re-entry and rehabilitation programs, and investing in second chances to break the cycle of crime.

Supports mental health response teams, expanding re-entry and rehabilitation programs, and providing second chances to break the crime cycle. 

Supports legislation to stop the forced move to Medicare Advantage and protect traditional Medicare.

Supports  stopping the "forced move" to Medicare Advantage and protecting traditional Medicare.

Supports unions like the United Federation of Teachers, the City Supervisors Association, and the New York State United Teachers to advocate for worker protections and accountability from city hall.

- Supports mental health response teams, expanding re-entry and rehabilitation programs, and providing second chances to break the crime cycle. 
- Supports  stopping the "forced move" to Medicare Advantage and protecting traditional Medicare.
- Supports unions like the United Federation of Teachers, the City Supervisors Association, and the New York State United Teachers to advocate for worker protections and accountability from city hall.

Supports reinstating and compensating teachers.

Supports retiree protections for teachers. 

Plans to "Rebuild the Stabilization Fund...(AKA: Teachers tax dollars ---> Directly to fund)"

Wants to rebuild the Stabilization Fund and have teachers’ tax dollars go directly to it.

- Supports reinstating and compensating teachers.
- Supports retiree protections for teachers. 
- Wants to rebuild the Stabilization Fund and have teachers’ tax dollars go directly to it.

Joshua Elijah Diaz

Joshua Elijah Diaz is from Flatbush, Brooklyn. He attended PS 217, Ditmas I.S. 62, and Midwood High School. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Purchase College. He lives with his family in Brooklyn.

Joshua's campaign for New York City Council Member, District 45 is his first entry into politics. He is the first Republican and Conservative Party candidate to win a primary in District 45's history.

As of September 15, 2025, Joshua Elijah Diaz did not have a website or any information online.

Joshua's campaign for New York City Council Member, District 45 is his first entry into politics. 

Supports expanding Small Business Development Center resources through local nonprofits and external programs.

Wants to expand the  Small Business Development Center resources through local nonprofits and external programs. 

Supports mental health response teams, stronger re-entry and rehab programs, and investments in second chances to break the cycle of crime.

Supports the next generation of leaders and help us reach our matching funds goals. District 45 residents who donate $10 are matchable contributions.

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- City Council Members work together to enact local laws, approve the city budget, and oversee land use and zoning regulations. ​
- Council Members oversee city agencies, ensuring they effectively serve the public and address community needs. ​

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New York City City Council Member, District 45

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