ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Layla Law-Gisiko
WHY AM I RUNNING
Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen deserve a representative who listens before deciding and who turns plans into results. I’m exploring a run for City Council in District 3 (West Village, Chelsea, Hell's Kitchen) to help guide the big changes ahead with clear information, careful planning, and deep respect for the people who live here. After years working on land use, housing, and transit, I understand how the system works, and how to make it work for us.
A THRIVING CAREER
I was born in Paris, France, to a French father and a Tunisian mother. After graduating from high school, I entered La Sorbonne (Université Paris-Sorbonne), where I earned a master’s in French literature and a master’s in journalism. I began my career in France as a journalist and documentary filmmaker. At 25, I moved to New York. I traveled across the United States to produce and direct documentaries on current affairs for French and international outlets.
Over the years, my work shifted from telling New York’s story to helping shape it. I’ve spent the last decade deep in the details of land use, housing, affordability, and transit, listening to neighbors, reading the fine print, and turning complex policy into clear choices. I’m exploring a run to bring that same rigor and respect for community to elected office: practical solutions, steady leadership, and outcomes that match our values.
Leadership & Service
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President, The City Club of New York: leading a civic organization focused on good government, urban planning, civil rand accountability.
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District Leader, Assembly District 75 Part A: elected neighborhood representative and community organizer.
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Former Chair, Manhattan Community Board 5 Land Use Committee: stewarded major land-use and zoning reviews with public, transparent process.
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Author & civic educator: creator of the weekly Four-Corners Wednesday newsletter and frequent presenter on housing policy, land use, Penn Station, and through-running rail.
Recognitions
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Women of Influence Crain's Award (2024): honored for leadership in community and advocacy.
What I’m Fighting For
Homes we can actually afford.
Repair public housing instead of razing it. Tie any new growth to enforceable deep affordability, not marketing slogans. Use public land for public good, with real community benefits negotiated in public, not behind closed doors.
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Neighborhood planning with teeth.
No more power grabs that bypass community voices. Land-use decisions must be transparent, data-driven, and accountable to the people who live here. If a project doesn’t pencil out for residents, schools, transit, open space, small-business vitality, it shouldn't get a rubber stamp.
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LGBT Rights
I started my career as a producer on a show focused on fighting the AIDS epidemic, at a time when public awareness and public policy decisions directly affected who lived, who got care, and who was protected. That experience made something clear: government action matters. Today, as LGBT rights are being challenged again, I will be a consistent vote and a consistent voice for full equality, access to healthcare, and stable, affordable housing for LGBT New Yorkers—because civil rights are enforced through laws, budgets, and oversight, not speeches.
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Transit that unlocks the city.
Fix Penn Station the right way and modernize commuter rail with through-running so trains move people, not just into a terminal, but through it. Protect and improve subways and buses with stable funding and rider-first metrics.
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A climate-ready West Side.
Stormwater, heat, and waterfront resilience are not abstractions here. Albany must fund infrastructure that keeps our streets dry, our air cleaner, and our parks vibrant, without handing over public assets to the highest bidder.
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Small businesses as community anchors.
Cut red tape that strangles mom-and-pop shops, curb predatory practices, and align commercial policy with neighborhood vitality. When storefronts thrive, streets feel safe and communities stay strong.
