About Melissa Mark-Viverito
Melissa Mark-Viverito is the Speaker of the New York City Council. She is the member from the Council’s 8th District – which currently includes East Harlem – Randalls and Wards Islands – as well as Port Morris and part of Mott Haven in the Bronx. In November 2013 – she won re-election to her third term in the Council – and her close ally Bill de Blasio was elected mayor. Mark-Viverito was elected City Council Speaker on January 8 – 2014 at age 44 – becoming the first member of the Council’s Black – Latino and Asian Caucus to hold this position. She is co-chair of the Latino victory fund super PAC. She assembled a coalition of female activists and launched the Young Women’s Initiative—a group she said would combat racial and gender inequality.