Shakur Joseph

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Shakur Joseph

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 24, 2025

Personal

Birthplace

New York, N.Y.

Profession

Education administrator

Contact

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Shakur Joseph (Democratic Party) ran for election to the New York City Council to represent District 16. He lost in the Democratic primary on June 24, 2025.

Joseph completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Shakur Joseph was born in New York, New York. His career experience includes working in education, youth development, and nonprofit work. He has been affiliated with National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Black Lives Matter, and Democratic Socialists of America.

Elections

2025

See also: City elections in New York, New York (2025)

General election

General election for New York City Council District 16

Incumbent Althea Stevens and Emmanuel Findlay Jr. are running in the general election for New York City Council District 16 on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Althea Stevens (D / Working Families Party)
	Submit photo	Emmanuel Findlay Jr. (R / Conservative Party)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic Primary for New York City Council District 16

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Althea Stevens in round 1 .

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
	Submit photo	Althea Stevens	70.9	7,243	0	Advanced (1)
		Shakur Joseph	28.1	2,867	0	1
		Undeclared Write-insUndeclared write-in candidates may advance past the first round in some ranked-choice elections. If the official source reports write-in votes by candidate name, Ballotpedia displays them alongside the ballot-qualified candidates. However, if write-in votes are reported without a name, they will instead be included in the total write-in votes figure in Round 1. Please consult the official elections source for more details about unnamed write-in candidate vote totals past Round 1.	1.0	105	0

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,215
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Republican primary election

Republican Primary for New York City Council District 16

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Emmanuel Findlay Jr. in round 1 .

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Emmanuel Findlay Jr.

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Conservative Party primary election

Conservative Primary for New York City Council District 16

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Emmanuel Findlay Jr. in round 1 .

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Emmanuel Findlay Jr.

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Working Families Party primary election

Working Families Primary for New York City Council District 16

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Althea Stevens in round 1 .

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Althea Stevens

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Endorsements

To view Joseph's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us an endorsement, click here.

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Shakur Joseph completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Joseph's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a lifelong Bronx resident, public school leader, and first-time candidate running to bring working-class leadership to the New York City Council. I was raised in a two-bedroom apartment with my mother and seven brothers after my father passed away. My life has been shaped by the very challenges I’m running to change: housing instability, underfunded schools, food insecurity, and a criminal legal system that has harmed more than it has helped.

As a child, I watched my mother work tirelessly to keep our family together. By the age of 14, I was contributing to the household. At 16, I was living independently, juggling school, rent, and multiple jobs. As a Black man, I experienced firsthand the failures of the legal system, both through the effects of mass incarceration on my family and my own arrest at the age of 12. Those moments didn’t break me, they built me.

For over 14 years, I’ve worked across education, nonprofit, youth advocacy, and suicide prevention sectors. I currently serve as a Network Director of Operations at a New York City public school. Every decision I make is rooted in the belief that we must fight for what we believe in and refuse to accept the scraps we’ve been handed.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I’m running to bring Bronx-centered, working-class leadership to our City Council. I know the struggles Bronx families face because I’ve lived them. From housing insecurity to underfunded schools and the impacts of mass incarceration, I’ve seen firsthand the impacts of poverty. I’m not a career politician. I’m a public school leader and lifelong Bronx resident committed to putting everyday people first.
• I’m fighting for real investment in our communities. My campaign is about delivering tangible change: truly affordable housing through a reformed Housing Connect program, school-based health clinics and universal after-school programs, access to quality food through a city-operated distribution system, increased school food funding to support all residents, and meaningful criminal justice reform that centers rehabilitation. These aren’t just policies. They’re lifelines for our community.
• We deserve more than the bare minimum. This campaign is a call to action. We’re fighting for a Bronx that works for all of us, not just the well-connected few. We will no longer accept scraps. We’re fighting for tomorrow and building a people-powered movement to take back the Bronx.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I believe in truly affordable housing, universal access to food, equitable public education, and a reimagined legal justice system focused on rehabilitation, not punishment. My priorities include reforming the Housing Connect program, expanding school-based clinics and after-school programs, extending the free lunch program to operate year-round for all residents in need, and ending the reliance on families to provide basic essentials to incarcerated loved ones. These policies are grounded in my experience growing up in the Bronx and witnessing how failed systems harm families. We need bold, people-first solutions that invest in our communities and meet our most urgent needs.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to three people who have shaped who I am. First, my mother, she raised eight boys on her own after my father passed, working multiple jobs to keep us fed, housed, and together. Her strength taught me resilience. Second, my middle school teacher, Noah Mackert, he saw potential in me before I saw it in myself and became a mentor and father figure during a critical time in my life. And third, Bernie Sanders, his unapologetic commitment to justice, working-class people, and systemic change showed me that politics can be bold and rooted in values. Together, they remind me to lead with heart, vision, and purpose.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

An elected official must be accountable to the people, not political interests. They should lead with integrity, transparency, and urgency, especially when representing working-class communities. The most important principle is proximity, knowing and understanding the realities that people live through every day. An effective leader listens more than they speak, takes action instead of making excuses, and never forgets who they serve. We don’t need career politicians. We need public servants who are willing to challenge the status quo and fight for the communities that are always overlooked.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I was born and raised in this district. I’ve faced housing instability, attended underfunded schools, and lived through the impact of incarceration in my family. I’ve worked since I was 14, supported myself since 16, and spent the last 14 years serving my community through education, youth development, and nonprofit work. I know what it’s like to struggle and still show up. That’s the energy I’m bringing to this seat. Someone who’s lived it, led through it, and is ready to fight for a better Bronx.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A City Council member’s core responsibility is to serve the people, not just pass legislation. That means showing up, listening, and fighting for resources that improve daily life, like housing, education, healthcare access, and public safety rooted in care. They must hold city agencies accountable, ensure the budget reflects community needs, and advocate for policies that close equity gaps.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to leave a legacy that shows what’s possible when everyday people step up and lead with purpose. I want young people in the Bronx to know they don’t have to change who they are to make a difference. They can lead from their truth. I want my legacy to be rooted in action: that I fought to make housing truly affordable, brought resources into our schools, made food and healthcare accessible, and helped shift power back into the hands of our community. I don’t just want to be remembered as someone who ran; I want to be remembered as someone who delivered.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event I remember clearly was the September 11 attacks. I was six years old at the time. I didn’t fully understand what was happening, but I remember the fear and confusion around me. It made me aware early on of how deeply national events could impact local communities, especially those already struggling.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was as a Principal’s Intern at my middle school when I was 14. I helped with attendance, deliveries, and supported office staff before and after class. It taught me responsibility, professionalism, and how to show up for a team. From there, I never stopped working.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the local government?

The City Council is one of the most direct lines of government to the people. Council members influence the city’s budget, shape laws, and oversee agencies that impact everyday life, like housing, education, sanitation, and public safety. What makes this office unique is its proximity to the community. It’s an opportunity to be hands-on, responsive, and accountable to neighbors.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

NYClass, Lights Out Coalition and The League of Humane Voters of New York City

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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