Hi everyone! I’m Shanel Thomas-Henry, a lifelong Queens resident and neighbor, City Council Member, and community advocate.
We're in new territory and so, I figured it was time to reintroduce myself. I am the newly elected District 21 Council Member, committed to building stronger neighborhoods, supporting local families, and making sure our communities have a seat at the table. This work is better when we do it together. Follow, share your concerns, and help shape the future of District 21.
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#citylife #citycouncil #government #queens #D21
My oath is not to a seat, but to EVERY neighbor in District 21.
With your trust and support, I move forward carrying our stories, our hopes, and our voices to City Hall.⭐️
Meet Shanel Thomas-Henry @shanelforcouncil the newest member for the 21st District in Queens. Shanel Thomas-Henry is a lifetime resident of the Corona/East Elmhurst community, and is looking forward to delivering for constituents as a @nyccouncil member. Congratulations and welcome Shanel! #newyork #nyccouncil #cityhall #corona #elmhurstqueens
Spent the day in Staten Island with @mw_cmkamillahmhanks visiting small businesses, hearing directly from owners, and learning more about the challenges they’re facing every day.
Thank you for the invitation and for creating space for these conversations. The best solutions come from listening to the people doing the work on the ground, and those conversations are critical as we continue pushing for policies that truly support small businesses across our city.
Before City Hall, before the title, I was a mother.
And motherhood changes the way you move through the world. It teaches you that love can look like sacrifice, strength, patience, and showing up, even on the hardest days.
Happy Mother’s Day to every mother, grandmother, guardian, and woman helping shape our communities with love and strength. 💐
As Chair of the Small Business Committee, I am partnering with the the Committee on Immigration to examine the real impacts on our small businesses, workforce, local economy, and what our city agencies are doing to respond.
When policies shift at the federal level, our neighborhoods feel it first. From workforce disruptions to barriers for entrepreneurs, we owe it to our communities to ask the hard questions and push for solutions that protect opportunity for all New Yorkers.
Swipe to read today’s edition of Inside Government with PoliticsNY featuring Council Member Shanel Thomas-Henry.
Council Member Thomas-Henry represents the 21st Council District in Queens which includes the neighborhoods of Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, North Corona, Elmhurst, Corona and Rego Park.
Visit PoliticsNY.com or link in bio to read Council Member Thomas-Henry’s full Q&A and stay tuned for more!
🏠 This one is personal. 🏠
Thank you, Council Member @cmshanelth , for stopping by La Casita and sharing such heartfelt, powerful words about NHS of Queens and the community we serve.
Council Member Thomas-Henry is not just a supporter of this work — she is part of this story. A lifelong Corona and East Elmhurst resident, a former board member of NHS of Queens, and now the Council Member for District 21 — the very heart of the community La Casita is built to serve.
Having her stand in this space on Día de los Trabajadores — International Workers’ Day — with her neighbors, her colleagues, and the families she has always fought for, reminded us exactly why we do this work.
La Casita is for this community. And this community has always been hers. 🗝️❤️
Thank you, Council Member. We are so proud to call you family.
#NHSofQueens #LaCasita #District21 #QueensNYC #DiaDeLosTrabajaadores
“It’s gonna be May”… and we’re still doing the work!
Behind the scenes from today’s stated meeting as we head into Q2 of the 2026 @nyccouncil session—focused, energized, and not afraid to bust a move.
#nyc #nyccouncil #workfun #itsgonnabemay #queensnyc
Proud to stand alongside advocates today for Denim Day.
This is about more than awareness, it’s about shifting culture, supporting survivors, and making clear that there is no excuse for sexual violence. One community, one future where everyone is safe.
From our parks to our streets, this is what community care looks like.
As your Council Member, I collaborated with @nhsofqueens and @nysunworks for an interactive Earth day event committed to building a cleaner, healthier Queens for today and for the next generation.
