Aracelia Cook

Aracelia Cook is a vibrant and dedicated community advocate. She is a member of the 113th Precinct Council, where she works on various projects like Prom Day and the National Night Out Against Crime. She has given scholarships, in honor of her son, since 2005 and has worked with MAG-Mothers Against Guns, a community-based organization, to bring awareness to gun violence.

Ms. Cook is a member of Community Board 12 and part of the Inwood Block Association, where she advocated for public safety regarding dangerous traffic conditions. She served as a school secretary with the Department of Education for 30 years and advocated for parents of children with special needs.

She was chapter leader with the United Federation of Teachers and a delegate for the UFT, as well as a delegate for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT). She was also a member of the AFT Black Caucus NYS Chapter.

Ms. Cook is a member of Sheltering Arms, an organization that conducts community outreach, mainly helping homeless and LGBTQ individuals, and the Vice President of the 149th Street Civic Association in South Ozone Park.

The 149th Street Civic Association has been networking with elected officials and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to address issues and concerns of affected residents. They knocked on doors to assess the needs of the residents. They prepared meals with local churches to feed those in hotels, and seniors affected by the backup. In collaboration with the 113th Precinct and other Queens organizations, they also held a holiday party for the community. She has maintained strong connections with the DEP to ensure residents were assisted throughout the sewage clean-up process.

Ms. Cook has also been a professor at Queens College. She was offered the position after graduating with her B.A./M.A. in Urban Studies in May 2019 with a 4.0 from the institution. Ms. Cook taught the class, “Poverty and Affluence,” which discussed environmental racism.