Newly elected Council Member Kayla Santosuosso was sworn in as District 47’s first female council member during an inauguration ceremony Jan. 18 at the High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology, where family, friends, lawmakers — including her City Council colleagues — and community members packed the auditorium.
With her husband, Christopher Ghiorizi, by her side, Santosuosso took the oath of office administered by Kings County Criminal Court Judge Hemalee J. Patel. The ceremony followed her formal swearing-in at City Hall last month.
Santosuosso, the former chief counsel to term-limited Council Member Justin Brannan, won 59% of the vote against Republican challenger George Sarantopoulos in one of the most closely watched Council races in the city. The purple district includes Bay Ridge, Coney Island, Sea Gate, and parts of Dyker Heights, Bath Beach and Gravesend.
An attorney, small business owner and community organizer, Santosuosso reaffirmed her commitment to cutting red tape for small businesses, fighting for universal child care and improved NYCHA housing, and protecting “those who speak out against injustice.”
“You can count on me to always believe in what is possible, to fight for what we deserve, and to treat everyone with dignity and respect along the way, because that is what all of you in this room have instilled in me,” Santosuosso told the crowd.
In her remarks, Santosuosso paid tribute to South Brooklyn political stalwart Joanne Seminara, who died in 2022 at 66. Seminara ran for City Council three times and served on the New York State Democratic Committee and as an executive committee member of the New York State Democratic Party.
“Though I am the first woman to hold this seat, I am by no means the first woman who tried,” said Santosuosso, who wore Seminara’s City Council campaign pin. “She campaigned for this seat and others multiple times and never held it in what I consider to be a classic case of a woman who was too good for her time.”
Brannan, Santosuosso’s former boss, said local government mattered more than ever given “the chaos, cruelty, and uncertainty at the federal level,” adding that her experience prepared her to respond to attacks on immigrant communities.
“As an attorney, she knows that as we inch towards authoritarianism, equal application under the law and making sure people know their rights is what will save our democracy,” Brannan said. “As a longtime advocate for our immigrant community, Kayla will stand up for our neighbors who are scared to death by what’s oozing out of DC every day.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the packed auditorium was a testament to American democracy and to Santosuosso’s long-standing commitment to justice.
“The fact that this auditorium is full on a snowy Sunday morning is a testament to Kayla and that democracy is alive and well, no matter what the hell they tell us in Washington,” the Brooklyn-born lawmaker said. “It’s a great day for the 47th District. And it’s a great day for America. What we’re doing here today is the antidote to the horrible [situation] that’s going on. What the ICE agents are doing in Minnesota and across the country is despicable, killing people, not letting people protest; it’s so against our democracy.”
Newly minted City Council Speaker Julie Menin, the first Jewish speaker, said Santosuosso would lead with distinction, compassion and integrity, noting that the women-majority Council grew from 31 to 32 members with her election.
“Nothing against the male elected officials in this audience, but studies show that women elected officials are more focused on building consensus, inclusivity, trying to get to a compromise finish line in terms of policy that is really going to move the needle forward, but it’s also about focusing on issues that affect women,” Menin said.
Other speakers included former Comptroller and congressional candidate Brad Lander, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and state Sen. Andrew Gounardes.
Lander described Santosuosso as a much-needed “bridge builder” during what he called a “dark moment in the country.”
“We don’t build bridges by ignoring oppression or being afraid to seek honesty about it,” Lander said. “We build bridges by bringing our whole selves to the fight, speaking of when our people face wrongs, but then understanding the connection between that and people who are different from us, who have their own history of facing oppression and struggle, and that is what Kayla has done every step of the way.”
Gounardes highlighted Santosuosso’s long record as a community organizer, even during challenging times.
“It is not an exaggeration to say she has been a major part of every single thing that has happened in this community in the last decade,” Gounardes said. “She has played not just a small part, but a starring role in every single change that has happened in this community for the last 10 years plus. What excites me most of all about her taking her seat in City Hall now is that she is going to continue to write the history of this community for the next eight years and then beyond into the future.”
