MEET KIM

“I’m laser-focused on leveling the playing field.”

Kim Council is a nonprofit executive, respected faith leader, senior reference law librarian at a prominent law firm, a dedicated community servant, and mother of two running for Brooklyn Borough President.

A lifelong Brooklynite, Kim grew up in HUD-subsidized housing the oldest of 5 children. Her family faced many struggles, including staving off evictions, food insecurity, and living in poverty even though both of her parents worked full time jobs.

But even though they didn’t have much, Kim’s family showed boundless love and support. And, in the community where she grew up, neighbors always had each other’s backs.

Decades later, the community where Kim grew up is still facing the same struggles. She works doubletime to confront these inequities and level the playing field.

“I believe in a community-first approach to leadership.”

Since before she can remember, Kim’s community always came together to lend a hand and solve problems.

Even though they didn’t have much, Kim’s mom became the guardian for 3 neighborhood children so that they wouldn’t be forced into foster care after child services took them away from their parents. She organized transportation to youth groups to prevent kids from joining gangs. Community service is in Kim’s bones and she applies this community-first approach to public service.

As a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. at North Carolina Central University, she regularly tutored inner city High School students, visited seniors in nursing homes, and made sure families had food and toys to celebrate the holidays.

As the Executive Director of the Berean Community and Family Life Center, she provided preventative health care, built affordable housing, created youth development programs and violence prevention programs, and provided life-sustaining resources for seniors.

As the President of the East Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation, she spearheaded the construction of over one thousand units of truly affordable housing.

As the Vice Chair of the Local Development Corporation of East New York she has provided a wealth of resources to small businesses.

As a member of the Executive Board of Women of Faith Advocating Change, she raised awareness of the health disparities faced by women of color.

As a member of State Senator Velmanette Montgomery’s working group on Juvenile Justice, she developed policy changes to reform the juvenile justice system.

As a 2011 Fellow in the White House Community Leader Briefing Series, she advised senior policy advisors in the White House and the Department of Education on federal education policy.

When she learned that an acquaintance needed a kidney donation she volunteered to get tested and was a match. After donating her kidney, Kim served as an ambassador to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation.

“I’m determined to make the exception the rule.”

Kim holds a B.A. in political science from North Carolina Central University, an HBCU, and an M.S. in Library Science from the Pratt Institute.

Even though her family struggled when she was growing up, she has been able to forge a good life for herself and her children, but she knows that she is the exception, not the rule.

Kim does everything in her power to make sure everyone has the opportunities that she had, so that she can be the rule, not the exception.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Oversaw a preventative care clinic in a health care desert
Combated Brooklyn’s obesity epidemic by providing nutritional education and managing a youth summer camp
Organized programs offering academic tutoring and extracurricular activities
Developed over 1,000 units of 100% affordable housing, including dedicated housing for seniors
Oversaw violence prevention programs
Organized wellness fairs for seniors, including providing education on fraud prevention
Combated food insecurity by expanding an emergency food pantry into a weekly operation
Provided microloans for small businesses, helped MWBEs obtain certification, and organized a variety of services for small businesses, from financial education to graffiti removal

AWARDS:

Mid Bedford Heights Lions Club Humanitarian Award, 2019
Congressman Edolphus Towns’ Men’s Caucus Community Service Award, 2008
Dr. Sandy F. Ray Religious and Humanitarian Award, 2008
Berean Community and Family Life Center’s Hands that Help in the ‘Hood Award, 2007

ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Former President, Law Librarian Association of Greater New York
Member of the Advisory Board of the Dreyfus Health Policy and Research Center
Member, NAACP
Member, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
Member, Church Women United
Member, National Council of Negro Women