Farah S. Despeignes is the current president of the District 8 Community Education Council. Farah is a teacher by profession, a community organizer by default and a political activist by design. She is the mother of two fantastic young men, Amden and Rilan, who are the loves of her life. Farah is passionate about the youth (from conception/cradle to career) and education. She is ferocious in her defense and advocacy of children and public education.

Her teaching career began at the City College of New York, where she obtained her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Literature and History. There, she taught Comparative Literature, the classics and Humanities classes. She has also taught GED classes at the Equal Opportunity Center in Harlem, operated by the Borough Manhattan Community College. She has taught American History and Human Services classes at Touro College. As a Permanently Certified New York State Teacher, she has taught secondary school English and was a lead teacher for many years.

She received many accolades for her approach in the classroom that resulted in the overall success of her students. Farah believes that there is a direct correlation between the states of under-resourced schools and the larger underserved community. Underserved schools will improve when the surrounding community is uplifted. As a result of this conviction, she became a community organizer, a political activist and even ran for office. She has also received recognition for her work in the community.

Farah is devoted to the improvement of our educational system and the elevation of underserved communities through the empowerment of individuals (children and adults), families and the community at large. She is determined to help build a future in which every child receives a proper education because she knows that education is the road that leads to freedom and prosperity, which is the inalienable right of every human being.

Farah is currently fighting for students to have a remote option this upcoming school year.