Assemblyman Ivan C. LaFayette 34th Assembly District (Includes parts of Jackson Heights, Corona and Elmhurst)
Ivan C. Lafayette, Democrat, was elected to the New York State Assembly in November, 1976. He was born in Monticello, Sullivan County, New York. He attended public schools in Brooklyn and received his collegiate degree from Brooklyn College. He served in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954.
He and his wife, Bertine (nee Rabin) have made their home in Jackson Heights since 1956. They have three sons, Jonathan, a reporter is married to Leslie (nee Elsenstein) and they have two children; Sara and Michael. Son Mark, an attorney is married to L isa (nee Orgera) and they have three children - triplets - Gregory, Eric and Marissa. The Lafayette's youngest son Richard, is a medical doctor and is married to Suzanne (nee Logan). Mr. Lafayette is an honorary member of the Samaritan Half-Way House, Italian Charities, Father Bellini Society, the Ollantay Center for the Arts and Queens Council on the Arts. he also served on the Faculty advisory Board of LaGuardia Community College S ecretarial Science Department.
Mr. Lafayette was the impetus for the formation of the Air Services Committee for LaGuardia and Kennedy Airports under the Queens Office of Economic Development Corporation.
Mr. Lafayette has received numerous awards and citations from groups such as the NYC Coalition of School - based Drug Prevention and Education Programs, Federation of Italian/American Democratic Organizations, the Woodside Houses Tenant's Patrol, twice by the Boy Scouts of America, St. Gabriel's C.Y.O., Italian Charities, Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities, Queens Independent Democrats, Local 504 Air Transport Workers Union, numerous Block Associations, the Langston Hughes Library, the Jackson Heights/Elmh urst Volunteer Ambulance Corp., North Queens Homeowners and Civic Association, Junction Boulevard Merchants Association, B'nai B'rith, Jewish War veterans, Father Bellini Society, Long Island Board of Realtors, Jackson Heights Community Development Corpor ation, The Astoria Heights Homeowners and Tenants Association, The Rachel Carson, Liberty and the John F. Kennedy Democratic Clubs, as well as LaGuardia Community College, Woodside Kiwanis Club, former Lieutenant Governor, Alfred Del Bello, Councilmen Pet er Vallone and Joseph Lisa, Congressmen Thomas Manton, Senator George Onorato, the Woodside Senior Assistance Program, the Catherine Sheridan Senior Center, the Steinway Senior Center and the East Elmhurst/Corona Civic Association, Elmjack Little League, which his is former umpire and the Lexington Center for the Deaf honored him with their Award of Merit. Most recently Mr. Lafayette was honored, for the third time by the North Queens Civic & Homeowner Association. Since 1988 Assemblyman Lafayette has participated in the Mayor's Adopt-A-Class program and "adopted" a seventh grade class, at J.H.S. 141 Q. They too gave him a Certificate of Merit for all of his hard work. The year his "adopted" cl ass is from the Joseph Pulitzer, U.S. 145 school in Jackson Heights. Mr. Lafayette also received a special award from the William Cullen Bryant High School for his outstanding commitment towards public education.
Ivan Lafayette is a former Democratic District Leader and state Committeeman. He is a past president of the John F. Kennedy Democratic Club and continues as a Board member. Mr. Lafayette is a Senior Member of the Assembly's Ways & Means Committee, Banks Committee, as well as the Commerce, Insurance and Transportation Committees.
