The New York Metropolis Council on Wednesday unanimously elected Manhattan Council Member Julie Menin as speaker — the primary Jewish particular person to carry the publish, a job by which she pledged to be a speaker for “every single member of this council.”
Menin was elected in the course of the Council’s 2026 Constitution Assembly on Jan. 7, opening a brand new legislative session and persevering with a women-majority Council. She succeeds former Speaker Adrienne Adams, who was term-limited, and assumes the highly effective place answerable for setting the Council’s agenda, overseeing committee assignments, and serving as a central negotiating determine with the mayor’s workplace.
In her first speech as speaker, Menin thanked her colleagues for his or her help, saying she was “humbled by the faith, trust, and confidence you have placed in me.” Menin had introduced in November that she had secured sufficient votes from throughout the political divide to land the position come Jan. 7, ending the quick‑lived race for Speaker.
Speaker Menin, a three-time metropolis commissioner and former regulatory legal professional, wove her household’s historical past into her remarks, describing her mom and grandmother as Holocaust survivors who immigrated to New York within the Nineteen Fifties.
“When I think about what that honor means, I think about what brought me to this moment, and what brought all of us here today: It is the story of America, which is the story of New York — and that is the story of immigrants,” she stated.
She described her path into public service, together with opening a restaurant in Decrease Manhattan earlier than the Sept. 11 assaults. “That broken promise forged a new one within me — a promise to take on large corporations that engaged in predatory conduct,” Menin stated.
Menin additionally recalled her position as chair of Manhattan Neighborhood Board 1, together with supporting the creation of an Islamic cultural heart close to Floor Zero amid public opposition and threats.
“We live in a day when the first Muslim mayor of New York City, and the first Jewish speaker of this Council, are serving at the same time,” she stated. “This moment truly is historic.”
Julie Menin delivers her first speech as New York Metropolis Council speaker in the course of the 2026 Constitution Assembly at Metropolis Corridor on Jan. 7.Picture by Lloyd Mitchell
In outlining her agenda, Menin pledged a extra proactive Council targeted on affordability, housing, well being care prices and financial inequality. She cited previous Council work on combating antisemitism, addressing well being disparities and maternal mortality, and advancing common little one care.
“As the first Jewish speaker, I want my vision of leadership to be as focused on dissolving division as it is on uniting all coalitions,” Menin stated.
She closed by emphasizing collaboration among the many Council’s 51 members. “As a body of 51 individuals, the legislation that is most life-changing and forward-thinking comes from the collection of policies to which all of us contribute,” she stated.
Menin stated her objective as speaker can be to guide a Council that works collectively to make New York “a city that leaves no one behind.”
Afterwards, Menin introduced a senior management staff for her workplace, together with historic firsts for the Council.
Miguelina Camilo will function chief of workers, the primary lady and Latina to carry the place, whereas Simone A. Jones will function deputy chief of workers and the Council’s first-ever chief fairness officer.
“I’m proud to announce this exceptional and diverse team of senior leaders, who bring deep experience in government and a shared commitment to serving New Yorkers,” stated Menin stated in an announcement. “Together, we will work to build a city that’s more affordable, with a stronger, more equitable economy, more affordable housing, and greater investments in our communities. This team reflects the values of New York City and the future we are building together.”
Different members of Menin’s senior staff embody Jonathan Szott as senior deputy chief of workers, Bhav Tibrewal as chief advisor, and John Tritt as senior advisor for exterior affairs.
