Karim Camara

Karim Camara
Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Faith Based Community Development Services
In office
February 2015 – June 2022
Preceded byposition established
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 43rd district
In office
November 2005 – February 2015
Preceded byClarence Norman Jr.
Succeeded byDiana Richardson
Personal details
Born
Karim Abdur-Razzaq

(1971-06-03) June 3, 1971 (age 53)[1]
Crown Heights, Brooklyn[2]
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseOrelia Merchant[3]
Children2[3]
Residence(s)Crown Heights, Brooklyn[2]
Alma materXavier University of Louisiana
New York Theological Seminary
ProfessionPolitician
WebsiteOfficial website

Karim Camara (born June 3, 1971)[1] is an American pastor and former Democratic member of the New York State Assembly, where he represented the 43rd Assembly District which includes parts of the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Crown Heights, Lefferts Gardens and East Flatbush.[3] He is the founding and senior pastor of the Abundant Life Church in Brooklyn[4] and was previously the executive pastor of First Baptist Church of Crown Heights.[3] He was also the New York State Faith Director for the then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.[5]

He was first elected to the State Assembly in a November 2005 special election to replace Clarence Norman Jr. In February 2015, he vacated his seat to become executive director of the Office of Faith-Based Community Development.[6][7]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Capitol Info was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Vote Smart was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Assembly bio was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Abundant Life Church". Abundantlifeny.com. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
  5. ^ "The Governor's Office of Faith-Based Community Development Services". Welcome to the State of New York. 2015-06-04. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  6. ^ McKinley, Jesse (February 20, 2015). "Cuomo Sets Special Election to Fill Grimm's Seat". The New York Times. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  7. ^ lovett, ken. "Karim Camara nearly doubles legislative salary in joining Cuomo administration". nydailynews.com. Retrieved Feb 19, 2021.