A VOICE FOR YOU - CRISTINA FONTANELLI for Council Member District 3

My Bio

I was born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn to Rocco and Francesca Fontanelli and lived there until, at the age of 3 years old, we moved to Lynbrook, Long Island. Although I was fortunate to have had a basically happy childhood my only sibling, John, became one of the first victims of heroin drug addiction and died in a car crash at the age of 21. I was 18 years old.

I have had many personal challenges in my life which have made me stronger and very determined to do good in the world. These hardships caused me to have much insight and compassion for many of the issues we face today.

I helped support my polio-stricken mother after my parents were divorced. Her ankle was fused as a child and her foot was deformed. She had to wear 2 sizes of shoes her whole life. But these things never stopped her. One of her favorite expressions was “Sweet perseverance” and I believe I inherited that quality from her.

She was diagnosed with dementia, from which she eventually passed. She lived in Hoboken, NJ and had to be evacuated after Hurricane Sandy. I advocated for her care at home, in hospitals and nursing homes. I was also the healthcare proxy for my sweetheart who died of a brain tumor. I fiercely advocated for his care at Columbia Presbyterian hospital, facing the entire administration of the neurosurgery department alone. Ditto for my mother’s care. I was their fierce defender and I would bring the same fierce determination to protecting the residents and businesses of District 3.

After graduating high school, I followed the dream of my life to move to NYC and to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts on Madison Avenue and joined the roster of many famous alumni. After graduating the Academy, and still with the love of acting, I chose the path of studying opera and decided to be a singer. In order to pay for my voice lessons and to continue to help support my mother, I started working as a legal secretary at Rosenman & Colin Law Firm in their zoning department at the height of the real estate boom in Manhattan.My few years as a legal secretary taught me many important life and real-world work lessons. I always worked and even had a job as a singing waitress at the Golden Lion Pub which was in the heart of Times Square in District 3! I am proud of how I supported myself throughout my life, even hiring musicians, hiring young singers as a business owner.

22 years ago, in addition to my traveling all over the country and the world as an opera singer, I became a producer and formed an LLC production company. I am proud of how I supported myself throughout my life, even hiring musicians, hiring stage managers, hiring young singers, etc. as a business owner. I also founded a nonprofit organization The Cristina Fontanelli Foundation, Inc. and have successfully produced concerts which have given hundreds of children/youth performance opportunities, including at Carnegie Hall. These concerts have raised funds over the last 22 years for children’s charitable causes which has been a personal cause of mine.

I learned to speak fluent Italian and I sing in 9 languages. I felt it was important to reach the audiences in the countries where I traveled in a special, personal way. These international credentials are a big asset in an international city such as NY.

Becoming a successful and self-sustaining artist in the very difficult profession of show business requires tremendous focus, intelligence, energy and determination. I am proud of the career that I built and want to bring the same positive outcome of effort and beauty of vision to District 3 that I have been bringing to audiences all over the United States and the world through all these years.

Thank you for your kind consideration.

Please WRITE my name in at the end of the line on the ballot: City Council Member CRISTINA FONTANELLI.

Together we can build a better and brighter future in our neighborhoods.

My Key Issues