Hakeem Sekou Jeffries, from Crown Heights, is the first African American to lead a party caucus in either chamber of Congress. Jeffries was elected unopposed as House Democratic Leader for the 118th Congress in November 2022, with 212 votes in his favor.
But, before that, he was a kid growing up in 1970s Brooklyn. Jeffries was born on August 4, 1970, at Brooklyn Hospital Center to parents Laneda and Marland Jeffries, a social worker and counselor, respectively, who raised him in Crown Heights.
Jeffries graduated from Midwood High School and began studying political science at the State University of New York at Binghamton. After college, he earned a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University and attended law school at New York University where he was on the law review.
After graduating law school, he worked as a clerk for a federal district judge and as an attorney at a white-shoe firm, then at Viacom and finally at CBS.
He is married to Kennisandra Arciniegas, with whom he has two children.
Hakeem Jeffries in Office
He started his political career after joining the New York State Assembly in 2006 as the Democratic representative of the 57th district, which includes Fort Greene and Clinton Hill and parts of Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights.
In 2012, he was elected to New York’s 8th congressional district, which includes parts of Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, Canarsie, East New York, Ocean Hill, Spring Creek, East Flatbush, Bergen Beach, Gerritsen Beach, Howard Beach, Marine Park, Mill Basin, Sea Gate, Clinton Hill, Flatlands, Fort Greene, Ozone Park, Brighton Beach, and Coney Island.
In 2019, he became chairman of the Democratic caucus, making history as the youngest member in leadership. Jeffries was also an impeachment manager during the Senate trial of then-President Donald Trump.
In 2022, when Nancy Pelosi announced she was stepping down from her post, Democrats united around Jeffries as the new Speaker. Jeffries is currently the Minority Leader of the U.S House of Representatives.
“I just look forward to the opportunity to do the most good for the greatest number of people possible for as long as I have the opportunity to do so and can operate at the highest level,” he said of his new role to CNN.
In addition to his new duties as one of the most powerful Democrat in Congress, he still represents Congressional District 8 in Brooklyn. At his “State of the District” event in late January 2023, he promised to always look out for his hometown.
"Brooklyn, I've got your back!"Jeffries said.
The Causes He Cares About
The legislative issues Jeffries has championed during his career include affordable housing, criminal justice reform and the climate. He has also worked to provide financial support for veterans, the elderly and parents through progressive legislation.
He has also pushed for police reform — including the national ban on chokeholds following the death of Eric Garner, a Black man who was killed in a chokehold by police. Jeffries also co-sponsored the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that passed the House but failed in the Senate.
He has supported many issues, including reducing recidivism, making investments in domestic clean energy production, lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, stopping human trafficking, among others.
His bills are countless, but he summed up his motivations in his speech to congress at his swearing-in as Minority Speaker:
“House Democrats,” he said, “will always put American values over autocracy, benevolence over bigotry, the Constitution over the cult, democracy over demagogues, economic opportunity over extremism, freedom over facism, governing over gaslighting, hopefulness over hatred, inclusion over isolation, justice over judicial overreach, knowledge over kangaroo courts, liberty over limitation, maturity over Mar-a-Lago, normalcy over negativity ...
"Opportunity over obstruction, people over politics, quality of life issues over QAnon, reason over racism, substance over slander, triumph over tyranny, understanding over ugliness, voting rights over voter suppression, working families over the well-connected, xenial over xenophobia, ‘Yes, we can’ over ‘You can do it' and zealous representation over zero-sum confrontation.”
To read more bills that Jeffries has sponsored, click here.
In 2025, he has been outspoken about the Trump administration's conservative agenda. He also has been a prolific fundraiser for Democratic candidates across the country.
Hakeem Jeffries, we are grateful for your work in Washington and Brooklyn, and your dedication to uphold liberal values.
*Sources: CNN.com, BKReader.com, Jeffries.house.gov.
