MEET ROBERT “ACTION” JACKSON
Community First
Leadership that shows up, listens, and delivers for District 31
Leadership should never be distant. It should be present, accountable, and rooted in the people it serves.
For me, public service has always been about standing with our communities, listening carefully, and turning the concerns of everyday New Yorkers into action. That belief has guided every chapter of my work—from fighting for fair school funding to advancing policies that strengthen our neighborhoods and protect working families.
Why I Serve
Public service did not begin for me in government. It began as a parent determined to make sure our children received the opportunities they deserve.
Growing up in Northern Manhattan with eight brothers and sisters, I understood early how much the strength of a community matters. I saw how teachers, mentors, and neighbors could open doors that might otherwise remain closed. That experience shaped my belief that government must work hand in hand with the people it serves.
I serve because our communities deserve leadership that shows up, fights for fairness, and never forgets who sent it to Albany.
Why They Called Me Action Jackson
Community First isn’t branding. It’s how I lead.
Let me be clear — I don’t believe in distant leadership.
I believe in showing up. In standing with tenants. In visiting our schools. In answering constituent calls. In turning community demands into law.
For as long as I have been in public life, my work has been rooted in a simple idea: the people closest to the challenges we face are also closest to the solutions.
Representing District 31 in the New York State Senate, I fight for the communities that power New York’s future. That work has meant taking on difficult fights and refusing to back down—from launching the Campaign for Fiscal Equity school funding lawsuit, walking 150 miles to Albany to bring attention to the cause, and helping secure a court judgment that ultimately delivered $16 billion for New York City public schools, to sponsoring legislation that protects small businesses and strengthens the economic life of our neighborhoods.
In 2025, I was named one of Albany’s Top 10 Most Effective Lawmakers. That recognition wasn’t about visibility—it was about results. Together with colleagues and community partners, we have passed more than 32 bills into law and helped secure over $26 billion in Foundation Aid for public schools across New York.
But the work is far from finished.
Every day, I meet families concerned about the cost of living, tenants fighting to remain in their homes, students working toward a future that their zip code should never limit, and small businesses striving to survive in a changing economy.
Those conversations guide my work.
Because leadership is not about speeches or titles. It is about responsibility—to listen, to act, and to deliver.
A Life of Service
Growing up in Northern Manhattan with eight brothers and sisters, I often found times challenging. As a student at P.S. 186, I never imagined that one day I would serve in the New York State Senate.
That journey was made possible through hard work, perseverance, and the support of teachers, mentors, and neighbors who believed in my potential. One of those mentors, my track coach at Benjamin Franklin High School, Mr. Irwin Goldberg, made sure I went to college—an opportunity that changed the course of my life.
Those experiences shaped my lifelong commitment to knocking down barriers and ensuring every child receives the education and opportunity they deserve.
Fighting for Fair School Funding
As President of my local Community School Board, I filed a lawsuit against New York State to challenge an inequitable school funding formula that was cheating our schools and undermining our children's future.
To bring attention to the issue, I led a 150-mile walk from New York City to Albany alongside parents and educators demanding justice.
The effort resulted in a landmark court decision that ultimately delivered $16 billion for New York City public schools.
For this work—and for the belief that education is a basic civil right—NY1 honored me as New Yorker of the Year.
A Champion for Workers
My commitment to working families began long before I held elected office.
For 23 years, I worked in the labor movement advocating for union workers. I began my career at the New York State Department of Labor and later worked with the statewide labor union Public Employees Federation (PEF).
Today, I continue that commitment in Albany as Chair of the Senate Civil Service & Pensions Committee, fighting to protect the rights, retirement security, and dignity of public workers across New York.
Service in the New York City Council
In 2001, I was elected to represent Northern Manhattan in the New York City Council, where voters returned me to office twice and entrusted me to serve for 12 years.
During that time, I chaired the Education Committee, the Contracts Committee, and served as Co-Chair of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus.
Working alongside community partners, we delivered real results for our neighborhoods:
• Created more than 4,000 new pre-K seats
• Prevented thousands of teacher layoffs
• Launched the Drop-Out Prevention Initiative
• Sponsored the Small Business Jobs Survival Act
• Passed a landmark MWBE law expanding opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses
• Expanded immigrant services
• Advocated early for marriage equality
• Led efforts to combat bullying and strengthen school safety
• Protected senior centers, libraries, and firehouses during difficult budget cycles
I also worked with community organizations to help reduce gun violence—supporting gun buyback programs and advocating for stronger state and federal laws to keep guns off our streets.
In 2015, I was elected District Leader and helped found the progressive grassroots organization Uptown Community Democrats.
Leadership in the State Senate
In 2018, as part of the wave that delivered a Democratic majority in the New York State Senate, I was elected to represent District 31—serving Washington Heights, Inwood, and parts of the Bronx.
Now serving my third term, I continue to advocate for fairness and equality at the state level.
My work in Albany has focused on:
• Fully funding public education and advancing fiscal equity
• Reducing class sizes in New York City schools
• Expanding access to higher education for immigrants and veterans
• Strengthening tenant protections
• Safeguarding clean air and water
• Supporting workers’ rights and fair pay for nurses
• Protecting voting rights
• Supporting veterans and 9/11 recovery workers and their families
• Ensuring a fair retirement for civil service workers
