Farah Louis

Both of Louis's parents immigrated from Haiti. Her mother worked in healthcare, while her father was a law enforcement professional^{[clarification needed]} and later a yellow cab driver.^[1]

Louis attended Midwood High School, then received a BA in English from LIU Brooklyn and an MPA from New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.^[1][2]

Louis worked as a mental healthcare provider for eight years, then worked in Jumaane Williams' New York City Council office, first as director of community outreach, then as deputy chief of staff.^[1] She worked in Williams' office for six years and was still in that role when he was elected New York City Public Advocate, creating the vacancy Louis would be then elected to.^[3] Williams did not endorse Louis, but another challenger for the District 45 seat who also worked in his Council office, Monique Chandler-Waterman.^[4]

Louis won her Council seat in a special election on May 14, 2019, in a low-turnout election.^[5] She finished with 3,861 votes, a plurality of 41.81%, ahead of second-place Chandler-Waterman who finished with 2,790 votes cast (30.21%).^[6][7] She officially took office after being sworn in on June 13, 2019.^[8] As a result of New York laws, another special election was held to determine if she will serve the remainder of Williams' four-year term ending December 31, 2021.^[8] She won the June 25, 2019, Democratic primary 51.69% to Chandler-Waterman's 41.36%.^[9] On November 5, 2019, Louis won the general election gaining 93.1% to Anthony Beckford's 4.7%.^[10] On June 22, 2021, Louis won the Democratic Primary as the incumbent with 75.4% of the vote.^[11] Later in 2021 she ran unopposed in the general election on November 2 to win re-election.^[12]

In March 2026, federal investigators began investigating whether Louis accepted bribes in connection with the appropriation of funds directed towards a migrant shelter provider.^[13][14]