
Assembly Member Stefani L. Zinerman — Advocate, Visionary Leader, Trailblazer
New York State Assembly Member Stefani L. Zinerman represents Brooklyn’s 56th Assembly District, encompassing Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights. A third-generation resident of historic Bed-Stuy, she has dedicated her career to community advocacy, progressive leadership, and transformative policymaking.
Since her election in 2020, Assembly Member Zinerman has emerged as a legislative force, championing policies that address systemic inequities and expand opportunity for all New Yorkers. Her legislative victories include the Community Hiring Act and the Plain Language Bill, which simplify ballot proposals for voters and create equitable hiring practices in public projects.
As Chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Workforce, she leads efforts to connect young people to career pathways in clean energy, transportation, and technology — fields that shape New York's future workforce. She has also advanced legislation addressing food justice, urban agriculture, homeowner protections, tenant rights, and cultural preservation.
A staunch advocate for health equity, Assembly Member Zinerman secured $6 million for a state-of-the-art Bed-Stuy Volunteer Ambulance Corps facility, which will include the district’s first birthing center. She also led efforts to establish the Cultural Museum of Art – Eric Edwards Collection, ensuring the celebration of African heritage in Central Brooklyn.
Appointed Deputy Majority Whip by Speaker Carl Heastie, she serves on the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus, the Legislative Women’s Caucus, and as Vice President of the NYS Black Legislative Taskforce, where she continues to advocate for working families, civil rights, and equity.
Beyond Albany, Zinerman is a community builder, leading the Underground Reading Railroad literacy program, supporting Age Friendly Central Brooklyn, Inc., and spearheading Power Up: Youth Leading Change — a six-month civic engagement curriculum that equips young people with the tools to engage government and advocate for their communities.
Her leadership extends to economic development, as she spearheads the creation of a Central Brooklyn Innovation Center — a model for community-led revitalization, workforce development, and affordable housing in the face of gentrification.
In cultural preservation, she partners with the Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State to lead the Inaugural Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Legacy Tour, offering educational journeys that honor Black resilience, resistance, and history.
Stefani’s leadership inspires collaboration among colleagues, constituents, and institutions, unified by her vision for a stronger, more just New York.