At age 17, Hanif was diagnosed with lupus, an incurable and potentially fatal autoimmune disease.[4] Hanif has cited her experience with the chronic illness, which forced her to navigate the healthcare system for years despite having inadequate health insurance, as her first window into disability justice and community organizing.[5]
Career
Hanif began working for Councilman Brad Lander in 2017, first as his liaison to the Bangladeshi community and eventually as his director of organizing and community engagement.[6] During her time working for Lander, Hanif helped a Bangladeshi woman escape a forced marriage, which she cited as an important factor in her eventual decision to run for the New York City Council herself.[7]
New York City Council
In late 2019, with her boss Lander facing term limits, Hanif announced her intention to run for the City Council's 39th districtin2021.[8] The district, which had previously been represented by Mayor Bill de Blasio and which was soon to promote Lander to the City Comptroller's office, was described as a "political launching pad" by Gotham Gazette.[9]
Hanif faced six other candidates in the June 2021 Democratic primary, most notable among them activist Brandon West. Hanif and West both ran on similar left-wing policy platforms, but West received the support of the Democratic Socialists of America and other socialist elected officials, while Hanif was backed by the Working Families Party and other more traditional progressive organizations; Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, issued an unusual dual endorsement of both candidates.[10][11]
On election night, Hanif held a 32-23% advantage over West.[12] When absentee ballots and ranked-choice votes were counted two weeks later, Hanif emerged with a 57-43% lead, and declared victory on July 3.[13][14] She faced minimal opposition in the November general election, and handily won the race, making her the first Muslim woman and the first Bangladeshi American elected to the New York City Council and the first woman to represent the 39th district.[15][16] The final tally showed that she had 89% of the vote.[17]
In 2022, Hanif pushed to reduce the number of housing units that could be built on a rezoned block in Gowanus, Brooklyn. The original plan proposed to allow the construction of buildings that were 95 feet and nine stories, but after Hanif's intervention, the lot only allowed for 55 feet and five stories. The lower height limit was likely to reduce the number of affordable housing units in the buildings, in part because developers are required to include affordable units when they exceed a certain size.[18]
