For 30 years, Council Member Inez E. Dickens has taken an active role in the economic development and political landscape of New York's celebrated village of Harlem. A lifelong resident of the 9th Council District that includes Central Harlem, Morningside Heights, parts of the Upper West Side and part of East Harlem, Ms. Dickens is highly respected as a tireless and dedicated leader, completely committed to improving the quality of life for everyone in her community and in the City of New York.

In the course of her career, Inez Dickens has been in the business of rehabilitating housing throughout the City. Ms. Dickens was nurtured in her chosen profession working at the right hand of her father, the late District Leader and Assemblyman Lloyd E. Dickens, who is considered the dean of African American politics in New York City. She not only learned business acumen from her father but Ms. Dickens also acquired his sense of responsibility to community.

Ms. Dickens passion for small business and public service was instilled in her by her father, the late Assemblyman and Harlem businessman, Lloyd E. Dickens. Ms. Dickens trusted her father's vision and belief in the empowering partnership of small business, community, and political involvement. She embraced these principles and matured into a highly regarded professional in the field of real estate and a tireless worker on behalf of her community. Ms. Dickens believed in the value of a single vote and walked door to door spearheading many voter education and voter registration drives in her home of Harlem.

Ms. Dickens was first elected to office in 1974 as a County Committeewoman, County Judicial Committeewoman and State Committeewoman and eventually rose in party ranks to become the highest-ranking African American woman in the New York State Democratic party serving as the First Vice Chair of the New York State Democratic Committee. Ms. Dickens stepped down as First Vice Chair when she took the oath of office on January 1, 2006, after winning a hotly contested City Council race. She became the Council Member for the 9th Council District serving the communities of Central Harlem, Morningside Heights, part of the Upper West Side and East Side. As a newly elected Council Member, Ms. Dickens hit the ground running after Speaker Christine Quinn appointed her to the leadership position of Majority Whip and Chair of the Standing Committee on Standards and Ethics. Council Member Dickens serves on the following committees: Cultural Affairs, Libraries & International Intergroup Relations; Governmental Operations; Health; Land Use; Rules, Privileges & Elections, and the Land Use Sub Committee on Planning, Dispositions & Concessions.

During her campaign for public office, the Council Member focused on public health issues relating to childhood obesity, the early onset of adult diabetes in children, women's health issues and preventive health measures. As a member of the health committee, she wasted no time in advocating for significant funding for these issues that are so critical to the well being of her district and the City of New York. With the support of Speaker Quinn and the Chair of the Health Committee, Council Member Joel Rivera, she was able to secure funding for public health programs such as the Hip Hop Stroke/Greater Harlem Health Revival Initiative, a public health partnership with Harlem Hospital and Abyssinian Baptist Church; the Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership; Harlem United Community AIDS Center; and the Harlem Hospital Horizon Art Clinic.

In just her second term in office, the Council Member was able to secure a one million dollar podiatric, public health initiative. She looks upon her "Healthy Feet for Healthy Living" project initiative as one of her most significant achievements. This project is funded by the New York City Council and administered by the New York College of Podiatric Medicine in conjunction with Touro College. It is public health, outreach and screening initiative for children attending New York City public schools. The "Healthy Feet for Healthy Living" project identifies children who may be at risk for decreased activity and mobility because of foot dysfunction or ill-fitting show gear. The project also examines the connection between foot health and risk factors for obesity. The public schools participating in this initial project launch are inner city elementary and junior high schools located in underserved areas of the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn. The Council Member hopes to expand this project citywide. Overall, in her relatively short tenure in office, Inez Dickens has brought millions of dollars in services and resources to her community and the 9th Council District to improve the quality of life and create futures of promise for all of her constituents.

Among the many community organizations she serves, Ms. Dickens has gained a sense significant accomplishment through of her long association with Project Greenhope. Project Greenhope provides transitional housing for women leaving prison so they can reclaim their lives, reunite with their families and rebuild their communities. She is a past advisor and board member of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Children of Parents with AIDS, Inc., the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee, the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women, Women in Housing & Finance, the National Center for Housing Management, and the National Women's Leadership Forum.

Council Member Inez E. Dickens has been recognized for her work in economic development and community life. She has received the Distinguished Service Award from the New York State Association of Black and Latino Legislators, the Sojourner Truth Award from the National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women, the American Red Cross Achievement Award, the Public Education Award from the American Diabetes Association, the Women Who Make a Difference Award from the NAACP, and the Heritage Award from the Greater Harlem Real Estate Board. Other notable acknowledgments include: the Who's Who of American Women, Outstanding Citizen of the Year in Real Estate, the Woman of Excellence and Woman of Industry Awards, and the 2005 Women of Excellence Award from NY Senate Democratic Leader, Senator David A. Paterson.

In 2007, the Council Member was honored by Universal Sisters, a national network of professional, women of color who are dedicated to providing quality healthcare resources and information to underserved, women of color. She was nominated to receive this distinguished, national recognition by Mrs.Butts, the First Lady of Harlem’s historic Abysinnian Baptist Church.

Ms. Dickens is a product of the New York City public school system, where she was educated at P.S. 133 and Julia Richmond High School. She began her undergraduate studies in land economics at New York University and later at Howard University.