Kristin Richardson Jordan

Jordan was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1987 to physicians Lynne D. Richardson and Desmond Jordan. Her parents were both raised in Harlem, and the family returned after her father's internship at Johns Hopkins University,[4] where she grew up.[5][6][3] She graduated from the Calhoun School and then from Brown University in 2009, double-majoring in Africana studies and literary arts.[4][6][3][7] Jordan is a lesbian activist.[8]

Jordan ran for New York City Council in 2021 against incumbent Councilmember Bill Perkins, narrowly defeating him in the Democratic primary,[2] virtually assuring her election in the overwhelmingly Democratic district.[6]

A member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Jordan was not endorsed by that organization,[6] as it wanted to focus support on other candidates in that year's elections.[9] Members of her campaign have also speculated that the DSA may have been dissatisfied with her past membership in the Party for Socialism and Liberation.[1]

Jordan was criticized in the aftermath of a fatal shooting in her district where two Latino NYPD police officers, Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora were shot and killed in a domestic disturbance call; choosing instead to issue tweets about a local community garden. After criticism by residents, she stated she was told not to tweet about the slain officers.[10] Several days later, she publicly sent condolences to the family of Lashawn McNeil, the alleged killer who was shot and killed by a third officer, alongside the families of the fallen cops. Explaining her motivation, Jordan stated "I mourn the loss of literally all human life. I don’t see it as contradictory to mourn the life lost of Lashawn as well as the lives of Officer Rivera and Officer Mora."[11]

In 2022, Jordan said she "would rather have lots sit empty than have them filled with further gentrification."[12]

In February 2022, Jordan received criticism for her tweet thread blaming the U.S., NATO, and the European Union for their role in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[13] She said, "In 2014, the U.S. helped overthrow Ukraine’s democratically elected leader in an illegal coup, helped install a fascist government and empowered a far right military all with the goal of destabilizing Russia."[14]