Earlene Hill Hooper

Earlene Hill Hooper represented District 18 in the New York State Assembly from 1988 to 2018. Hooper's district included large portions of Nassau County, New York. Hooper served as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly; she is the first woman to hold that position.[4] First elected in a special election held on March 15, 1988, Hooper was (at one time) the only New York state legislator of color from Long Island.[4][5]

A former social worker, with a B.A. in English from Norfolk State University and a Master's in Social Work from Adelphi University, she previously served as an administrator in New York State's Department of Social Services Division of Child and Family Services.[4]

Hooper also served on the Democratic Platform Committee during 1988.

On September 13, 2018, Hooper was defeated in the Democratic primary by psychologist and political newcomer Taylor Raynor, who was described as "a loose jezebel that has two kids and no husband" in fliers spread within the assembly district.[6][7] Hooper was criticized during her campaign for comparing Raynor to a slave and comparing Nassau County Democratic Committee chairman Jay Jacobs to a plantation owner.[7][8]