NYC Gazette

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. has unveiled his 2024 class of community board appointees, marking a significant move towards ensuring diverse representation in local government.

A total of 355 appointees have been selected across Queens' 14 community boards, with 117 being new members. This marks the largest number of new members appointed in a single year under the Richards Administration.

Borough President Richards expressed his gratitude towards the appointees, stating, "It takes dedication and a true love of one’s neighborhood to apply to serve on a community. That’s what each member of this historic 2024 class signed up to do, and I am deeply grateful to all 355 of our appointees for answering the call of public service.”

Reflecting on the progress made in diversifying the community boards, Richards added, "We made tremendous strides this year toward correcting historic inequities on our boards, and I cannot wait to see the great work our new and reappointed members do over the next two years to make our neighborhoods better places to live, work and play.”

The appointments aim to address demographic imbalances on the boards, with a focus on inclusivity and representation. The 117 new community board members showcase a diverse mix, with nearly 55 percent identifying as female.

Furthermore, people of color are strongly represented among the new members, with Hispanic/Latinx, African American, East Asian/Pacific Islander, and South Asian individuals making up significant portions of the group.

In terms of age diversity, over half of the new members are under 45 years old, showcasing a growing interest among young people in community board membership. Additionally, there is representation from parents, immigrants, and LGBTQIA+ individuals among the new appointees.

The Queens community boards play a crucial role in addressing local issues, holding meetings, hearings, and issuing recommendations on matters that impact their communities. Each board consists of unsalaried members serving two-year terms.

The diverse appointments made by Borough President Richards for the 2024-2026 term demonstrate a commitment to creating inclusive and representative community boards across Queens.