Second Vice President

Costa Constantinides serves as the CEO for the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens. Variety serves over 4000 young people per year and in his new role Costa has helped secure millions in capital funding towards their re-imagined clubhouse that will serve 16,000 kids. In September 2021, Costa was appointed to the Board of Directors for the NYC Economic Development Corporation and NYC Environmental Justice Advisory Board.

Previously, Costa Constantinides represented the New York City Council’s 22nd District, which includes his native Astoria, as well as Rikers Island, parts of Jackson Heights, Woodside, and East Elmhurst. As chair of the Environmental Protection Committee from 2015 to 2021, he was committed to fighting the effects of climate change and keeping it from forever changing New York City’s landscape.

Costa is a nationally recognized expert on climate change. Sustainability, resiliency, and air quality have been among Costa’s top environmental issues long before he was sworn in. Growing up in western Queens meant seeing power plants go up in Astoria and Long Island City — often next to public housing — despite unified opposition from the community. As a volunteer after Sandy struck the area in 2012, Costa also saw first-hand what the storm did to the most vulnerable citizens.

In April 2019, Costa led the effort to pass the historic Climate Mobilization Act, the largest carbon emissions reduction ever mandated by any city in the world. The eight-bill package tackled greenhouse gas emissions from large buildings, made the first step toward closing fossil fuel power plants, and required green roofs on new buildings. Costa fought to pass and to finalize the Renewable Rikers Act in 2021, a vision to transform an island of horrors into a sustainable energy island that includes state of the art wastewater treatment system, renewable energy, battery storage and organics collection and reuse. In his 7 years plus in the NYC Council, Costa passed 44 bills as the lead sponsor to combat climate change and its effects on our city.

Costa was born, raised, and continues to reside in Astoria, Queens. He attended Queens College where he now teaches as an adjunct lecturer in both the Political Science and Urban Studies departments. In 2010, Costa received his Juris Doctor from Benjamin Cardozo School of Law and was admitted to the bar in 2014.