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[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]

Early life and education

A native of Brooklyn, Camara (born Karim Abdur-Razzaq) spent most of his childhood in Crown Heights, Brooklyn[8] which is in the Assembly District he now represents. He also spent formative years both in Queens and on a farm in Westtown, New York (Orange County).

He graduated from Brooklyn Friends School in 1988.[9] He went on to attain his B.A. in English Literature and Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Masters of Divinity from the New York Theological Seminary.

Early career and personal life

He was the fundraising director for the Cush Campus Schools in Brooklyn, of which his mother is a founder and the principal.[10]

Camara resides in Brooklyn with his wife, Orelia E. Merchant, an assistant U.S. Attorney[10] and their two children.

Election results

Karim Camara (DEM)...8,411
Geoffrey A. Davis (IND)...1,818
Kenneth E. Cook (REP - CON)...1,093
Karim Camara (DEM - WOR)...11,873
Kenneth E. Cook (REP - CON)...983
Karim Camara (DEM - WOR)...26,769
Stuart Balberg (REP - CON)...2,096
Karim Camara (DEM - WOR)...17,923
Menachem M. Raitport (REP - CON)...1,538

References

  1. 1 2 "State Assembly: Karim Camara (D-WFP), District 43". Capitol Info. Archived from the original on March 29, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Assembly Member Karim Camara (NY)". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Assembly District 43, Karim Camara: Biography". New York State Assembly. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  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.
  8. ↑ "Candidate - Karim Camara". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  9. ↑ ""BFS Karim Camara '88 "". Archived from the original on 2007-11-21. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
  10. 1 2 "Orelia Merchant and Karim Camara". The New York Times. August 21, 2005.
  11. ↑ "Special Election Results, 43rd Assembly District: November 8, 2005" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
  12. ↑ "General Election Results, State Assembly: November 7, 2006" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 14, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
  13. ↑ "General Election Results, State Assembly: November 4, 2008" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 4, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
  14. ↑ "General Election Results, State Assembly: November 2, 2010" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 13, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
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