Stefani Zinerman has worked with Robert E. Cornegy since former President Barack Obama’s campaign in 2012. After the Obama campaign, Cornegy wanted to run for City Council, and hired Zinerman as his petition and campaign manager.
“It was my first campaign and we won the election by 68 votes!” said Zinerman. Once the campaign was over, Cornegy hired her as his chief of staff.
Cornegy’s district office serves residents of Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights. Since the 1940s, African-Americans have migrated into these districts. Although there are many resources available for people in the Bed-Stuy and Crown Height communities, it is hard for the average family to have their voices heard when they trying to engage with the government.
“I enjoy working with Cornegy because I believe he serves his community well,” said Zinerman, “Almost four years ago, Interfaith Medical Center was in bankruptcy, but the Bed-Stuy community organized the Coalition for the Transformation of Interfaith, which includes the unions 1199 and NYSNA and elected officials have organized, strategized and developed an economic development plan that will promote job growth and wellness for generations to come. The community’s advocacy secured funding for the project through Gov. Cuomo’s $1.4 Billion Vital Brooklyn initiative. I am a personal believer in being beneficial in your community. A community is only as successful as the people who put in the effort to make it so! However, it is not always the easiest thing when your job is in public service. I had seen people in my community believe that they cannot complete goals like affordable housing because of the lack of resources we have! I believe that if we had a vigorous unity, we could achieve anything!”
Zinerman is a member of the Black Latino and Asian Caucus. The Black Latino and Asian Caucus is made up of 26 out of 51 City Council officials. She believes that because she is a member of BLAC, it allows her to be an effective activist.
“From Eric Garner to fighting for equity in housing, policing and fiscal policies that govern the city, the BLAC is the largest caucus in the Council that represents the largest constituency in New York City,” she said. “The BLAC is empowered by their constituency to move the mayor, the governor as well as our state and federal officials to respond and act on issues of concern. Whether it’s the Raise the Age campaign or pushing to have the murder of Timothy Caughman listed as a hate crime, the BLAC works to ensure that needs and concerns of Black and Brown people are a top priority.”
Zinerman studied at Rochester Institute of Technology with a concentration in business management. She is also a mother of one, Courtney. “Family is extremely important to me,” she said. “My family keeps me grounded and very supportive with everything I do.”
Her parents were originally from Bedford-Stuyvesant and met as members of Wind City Toppers Drum and Bugle Core. Her mother was a majorette and her father was a trumpet player. After her mother graduated from high school, her parents got married at the Cornerstone Baptist Church. Her parents lived in Clinton Hill until NYCHA applications came through and moved to Gowanus.
Zinerman grew up in Downtown Brooklyn in Gowanus Housing. During the time she growing up, people who lived in public housing were seen as future homeowners. But nowadays, people consider it differently.
“I enjoyed living in Gowanus,” said Zinerman. “Residents always had a vigorous relationship with one another and a strong sense of pride. Til this day, we still keep in contact on our Facebook page, Gowanus Forever. Every August, we come together and celebrate Gowanus Day and Old Timers Day.”
Since middle school, she had always had some interest in politics. “My parents would take me to voting booths, have discussions on world events and encouraged me to be on student council,” she said.
After former Mayor Michael Bloomberg defunded a program, that forced thousands of New Yorkers out of jobs in 2012, she realized the importance of getting involved in politics. “It was then that I realized that you needed to do more than just vote and elected someone into office,” she said. “You must stay engaged, listen to what they are saying, observe and read about what they are doing, and then praise or call them on the carpet if they are not representing the people. It’s not about anyone’s personal needs per se because no elected official can address every one’s need. It’s about the public good. Everyone must ask themselves the question about their elected representatives. Are the actions of this elected official benefiting the people he or she serves?”
Zinerman heads Cornegy’s Small Business Committee. “Council members are heavily involved with small business all over New York City, especially Councilmember Cornegy,” she said. “We have established relationships with the commissioner of SBS, the five Chambers of Commerce and CBOS and other agencies that support small businesses.”
On May 30, Cornegy’s office will be hosting an event for the Chambers on the Go Initiative. The COTG is an initiative that was established in 2015. It provides entrepreneurs and small businesses along commercial corridors with assistance from SBS. Zinerman said it has already helped more than 5,000 small businesses all over New York City.
“What I most enjoy about being on the Small Business Committee is that I am able to meet with creative and innovative people throughout Brooklyn and the rest of the city,” Zinerman told the AmNews. “We know that when small businesses grow, more people are employed. We want to create partnerships that will create career path, provide skill development and wrap around social services for the 36 percent of 16 to 25 year olds who are out of work and school.”
In June, Cornegy’s office is hosting their annual “Walk Through History Tour.” At this event, they are celebrating African-American luminaries who are buried in Cypress Hills.
For more information about the Small Business Committee, please contact Szinerman@council.nyc.gov, or call (212) 482-6677.