Jimmy Van Bramer

A long time community organizer and activist and son of two active union members, Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer has a passion for public service infused in his bloodline. Jimmy is proud to have been educated in the Queens’ public school system. He has worked his way through St. John’s University, after which he began his post graduate career fighting to protect the rights of regular people in the democratic process by working on the Clean Money, Clean Elections campaign. As the organization’s Deputy Field Director, Jimmy brought together Queens community leaders and working people from every walk of like to win important changes in election laws.

Before serving in the New York City Council, Jimmy worked for the Queens Library System, devoted to making communities stronger and making life better for Queens families. From 1999-2009, he served as the Chief External Affairs Officers of QPL, linking community outreach with government officials. During his time with QPL Jimmy worked to protect and expand important library services, such as after-school programs and English language classes.

The ideals that Jimmy has worked for over his entire career – respect for working people, equality for all, and the importance of improving quality of life in our community – were instilled in him by his family and strong Catholic upbringing in Queens. His father, William Van Bramer, was a lifelong member of Printers’ and Pressman’s Union Local 2. Elizabeth Van Bramer, Jimmy’s mother, helped support the family by taking a variety of jobs in their neighborhood, and she was a member of Local 1893 of the International Brotherhood of Painters.

Jimmy is currently the Council Member for the 26th District in the NYC Council and sits on eight City Council Committees, including serving as the Chairman of the Cultural Affairs, Libraries & International Intergroup Relations Committee.

On July 28th, 2012, Jimmy became the first openly-gay elected official to wed his same-sex partner in the borough of Queens. Today he lives in Sunnyside Gardens with his husband Dan Hendrick.