“We must ensure that we are hiring and retaining qualified, diverse candidates not only to teach in our classrooms, but to work at the DOE overseeing our students' education.”

American lawyer and politician, New York attorney general since 2019

Letitia James is an American lawyer and politician from New York. She has served as New York’s attorney general since 2019 and was first elected in 2018. A Democrat, she is the first Black person to hold the office of New York attorney general and the first Black woman elected to statewide office in New York. Known as Letitia Ann “Tish” James, she has built her career in public service and state politics. Her public profile is tied to law, government, and representation in New York, where she has held a historic office and broken long-standing barriers in statewide politics.