Sanders’ passion for public service was ignited as a young man, when he served in the company of his friend and mentor, the former United States Congressman, Reverend Floyd Flake, working to engineer civic and community projects that helped to revitalize the social and economic prospects of Far Rockaway. In the mid 1980’s, he began to take an interest in youth and educational affairs, working to organize and assist students and other youth throughout the Rockaways and beyond. He served as the first African American President of Queens School Board 27 for seven of the ten years he was a member.

In 2001, ambition met with opportunity, when Sanders decided it was time to channel his energies and passion for public service into the City Council. In 2001, in the tumultuous wake of the 9/11/01 terror attacks, Sanders was elected to the New York City Council from the 31st Council District, representing the communities of Laurelton, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens, Edgemere, Bayswater, Arverne, and Far Rockaway.

Making an immediate impact in his new role, Councilman Sanders was unanimously voted the first African-American Chair of the Economic Development Committee in the history of New York City. As Chair, Sanders had oversight of the Economic Development Corporation, and the Department of Small Business Services. Among his signature achievements during his charge of the committee, he commissioned a major disparity study that became the basis upon which NYC reinstated affirmative action.

Throughout his career, Councilman Sanders has been a leading advocate and champion for the working people and families of his district, and has led battles against some of the worst influences affecting the South Eastern Queens community. He is the author of the toughest anti-predatory lending bill in the country, and has passed legislation criminalizing the sale of ammunition to minors.

He has rebuilt and updated many of the parks and libraries in his 31st Council District, and hosts a yearly music concert series, the Garvey-Tubman Series, in conjunction with the Margert Community Corporation of Far Rockaway.

Along with the NYPD, he sponsored a gun buy-back program that removed more than 900 guns from the streets, and has led the charge against sexual assaults throughout Queens, his office having formed a women’s coalition of community activists to champion safety and other issues effecting women.

A lifelong champion of public education, he has vigorously supported the expansion of science and technology in schools in his district, and allocates $50,000 per school per year for the purchase of new technologies.

Councilman Sanders served as Chair of the Civil Service and Labor committee, and is a member of the Land Use, Economic Development, Community Development, Veterans and Juvenile Justice Committees.

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