Meet Jimmy
Jimmy Van Bramer is a lifelong resident of Western Queens and the son of two active union members. While growing up Jimmy sometimes followed his stepfather, a public-school custodian, to work. As he watched his stepfather polish classroom floors and scrub desks so that children and teachers could have a clean learning space, Jimmy learned the importance of hard work, and the powerful impact that small efforts can have on working people's lives. Jimmy has carried those lessons throughout his life.
Jimmy's career has been devoted to making our community stronger and making life better for Queens families like the one he grew up in. Currently, he serves as the Chief External Affairs Officer of the Queens Public Library. As the library's link between community members and government, Jimmy works to protect and expand important library services, such as after-school programs and English language classes. He also leads members of the Queens community on annual trips to Albany and Washington, D.C. to help them make their voices heard by government officials. Jimmy also works to improve our neighborhoods outside of his job, by serving as a member of Community Board Two and its Land Use Committee.
Before joining the leadership of the Queens Borough Public Library, Jimmy fought to protect the rights of regular people in the democratic process by working on the Clean Money, Clean Elections campaign. As the organization's Deputy Field Director, Jimmy brought together Queens community leaders and working people from every walk of life to win important changes in election laws. Jimmy has also worked as a reporter for Lesbian and Gay New York (LGNY), now Gay City News, a community newspaper, where he brought attention to the AIDS epidemic and bias/hate crimes.
The ideals that Jimmy has worked for over his entire career--respect for working people, equality for all, and the importance of improving quality of life in our community--were instilled in him by his family and strong Catholic upbringing here in Queens. His father, William Van Bramer, was a lifelong member of Printers' and Pressman's Union Local 2. Elizabeth Van Bramer, Jimmy's mother, helped support the family by taking a variety of jobs in their neighborhood, and she was a member of Local 1893 of the International Brotherhood of Painters.
Jimmy is proud to have been educated in Queens' public schools. He graduated from P.S. 70, J.H.S. 10, and William Cullen Bryant High School. Jimmy then worked his way through St. John's University. He represents his neighborhood on the New York State Democratic Committee. Additionally, he is the President of the West Queens Independent Democratic Club and a member of the Board of Directors of the Ridgewood Democratic Club.
Jimmy currently lives in Sunnyside Gardens with Dan Hendrick, his partner of ten years.
Meet Jimmy
Jimmy Van Bramer ha sido un residente de toda la vida de Western Queens y es hijo de dos sindicalistas activistas. Al crecer, Van Bramer a veces acompañaba a su padrastro, un hombre de limpieza de una escuela publica, para trabajar. Cuando limpiaba los pisos de las aulas y le quitaba la mugre a los escritorios para que los niños y los maestros podrían tener un espacio limpio para aprender, Van Bramer aprendí el significado de dedicarse al trabajo, y del impacto poderoso que pequeños esfuerzos pueden tener sobre las vidas de otros. Van Bramer ha llevado esas lecciones a traves de su vida.
Su carrera ha sido dedicada a hacer nuestra comunidad mas fuerte al fortalecer las familias de Queens, ya que el fue criado en este condado. Actualmente, se desempeña como el directivo de asuntos externos de la Biblioteca Publica de Queens. Cuando han habido discrepancias entre los integrantes de la comunidad y el gobierno, Van Bramer ha protegido y expandido los servicios importantes del sistema bibliotecario, como programas extraescolares y clases de ingles. Tambien ha dirigido a miembros de la comunidad de Queens a viajes anuales a Albano, la capital del estado, y Washington, D.C., la capital del pais, para hacer que sus voces sean oidas por funcionarios gubernamentales. Van Bramer tambien ha trabajado para mejorar nuestros vecindarios afuera de su trabajo, sirviendo como miembro voluntario de la junta comunitaria dos, una entidad que se dedica a asuntos publicos en los vecindarios de Long Island City, Sunnyside y Woodside.
Bantes de llevar adelante su liderazgo en la Biblioteca Publica de Quees, Van Bramer lucho por proteger los derechos de personas comunes en el proceso democratico trabajando en el protecto Dinero Limpio, Limpias Elecciones durante campañas electorales. Van Bramer tambien ha trabajado como un periodista para Lesbian and Gay New York (LGNY), actualmente Gay City News, un periodico de la comunidad, donde el trajo atencion a la epidemia del SIDA y tendencia de crimenes de odio.
Los ideales que Van Bramer le han servido a lo largo de su carrera entera respeto a los trabajadores, la igualdad para todos, y para la importancia de mejorar la calidad de la vida. Estos valores han fortalecido nuestra comunidad gracias a los valores que le otorgaron su familia y la educacion catolica y publica que recibío en Queens. Su padre, William Van Bramer, fue un miembro de por vida del Sindicato Local 2. Elizabeth Van Bramer, la madre, brindo apoyo profesional tomando una variedad de trabajos en su vecindario, y tambmen fue integrante de la Local 1893 de la Fraternidad Internacional de Pintores..
Van Bramer esta orgulloso de haberse formado en escuelas publicas. Se graduo de P.S. 70, J. H. S. 10 y William Cullen Bryant High School. Van Bramer luego se graduo de St. John's University, durante esa etapa formo la Alianza Estudiantil de Gay, Lesbianas y Bisexuales y fue un activista en el campus.
Van Bramer actualmente vive en Sunnyside Gardens con Dan, su companero sentimental de diez años. Van Bramer tambien representa su vecindario en el comite democrata del Estado de Nueva York. Adicionalmente, el es el Presidente del Club Democrata Independiente de Western Queens y es miembro de la Junta Directiva del Club Democrata de Ridgewood.