Murat Akaydin

Murat Akaydin served in the United States Army and achieved the rank of E-4 Specialist.

Growing up in Coney Island, Brooklyn, Mr. Akaydin learned two very important things from his mother: the importance of education and the value of helping others. Over the next few decades, he exemplified both lessons — earning prestigious degrees and serving his country in diverse roles. While his sense of community has expanded, and the nature of his work has shifted, Mr. Akaydin has
continued to fight for equality and local democracy.

Mr. Akaydin came of age at a pivotal time in New York’s history, as terrorists toppled the World Trade Center and America’s military entered two foreign wars. As a high schooler in the early 2000s, he founded a club to dispel misconceptions about Islam and led efforts to combat violence in his community. Seeking to make money for his family, serve his City, and gain access to an affordable higher education, Mr. Akaydin enlisted in the military. He was placed with the 101 Airborne Division and was deployed to Afghanistan Regional Command East, where he worked in military intelligence from 2010 to 2011.

After earning his bachelor’s degree from American Military University and his Master of Public Administration from CUNY John Jay, Mr. Akaydin served as a NYC Civic Innovation Fellow. In that role, he helped community boards across the City utilize New York’s Open Data to study community demographics and achieve equitable representation in community board appointments.

Currently, Mr. Akaydin works for the NYC Campaign Finance Board, advancing voter education efforts, such as the publication of NYC Voter Guides. This year, he was selected to join Community Board 7 on the Upper West Side. He also serves as the Chair of Generation Vote’s Education Fund and Vice President of Muslim Americans in Public Service NY, among many other roles. He is a proud and active member of his union, DC37 Local 1549.

His military service is only part of his already long public life, yet it continues to guide his values as he works to deepen his community roots, empower neighbors, and improve local government.