Naiima Fauntleroy is a Dynamic, Dedicated, Devoted, Daughter of East Orange that is ready, willing, and able to be a voice for her beloved Mighty 5th Ward and a representative that East Orange can be proud of.

 

Naiima’s parents were long-time members of the Democratic Party and raised their daughter to be an active part of the City of East Orange and the 5th Ward community. As a teen, Naiima served for on the Executive Board of the Mayor's Youth Council. After graduating Oak Knoll High School in 1996, Naiima attended Bowdoin College in Maine where she majored in Political Science, Africana Studies, and Sociology with a minor in Theology. Naiima continued her love of service at Bowdoin as an Executive member of the Campus Activities Board, Black and Latino Student Unions.  After graduating, Naiima returned to East Orange’s Mighty Fifth ward, where she continues to live with her family.

 

For more than 22 years, Naiima has been committed to her passion to “improve her city and improve the lives of the people that live here”. As an employee of the city of East Orange, a few of Naiima’s accomplishments have been:

 

•    Worked with community residents to Redesign and improve Elmwood Park, Columbian Park, and the Skate arena at Memorial Park.

•    Worked with local artist to find funding to create the City’s largest public art mural and public art process including youth arts in the park programming and the municipal utility box program.

•    Worked with the City Administrators and City Council to draft legislation which would allow food trucks in East Orange, providing a way for small food entrepreneurs who could not afford brick and mortar spaces to offer products and services to East Orange residents.

•    Drafted the grant that provided funding for 2018 streetscape revitalization of Lower Main Street.    

•    Currently Naiima is working on creating a new East Orange Main Street Arts District Plan.

 

When she isn’t serving the community as a civil servant or a volunteer and “Neighborhood Mom”, Naiima enjoys traveling and spending as much time as possible with friends, family and especially her ten-year son. She is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Phillips Academy PTA, serves as a mentor to teens girls  in crisis.