Esmeralda Simmons, Esq. is a distinguished civil and human rights attorney of Caribbean American heritage whose work centers on advancing racial justice for people of African descent. She was the founding Executive Director of the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College (CUNY), leading the organization for 34 years before retiring in 2020. She continues to support the Center as a dedicated volunteer.

Throughout her career, Esmeralda has been a powerful advocate for voting rights and racial justice. She currently serves as an appointed board member of the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board, which oversees police misconduct within the NYPD. Her previous leadership roles include serving as First Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights for New York State, Civil Rights Attorney for the U.S. Department of Education, New York State Assistant Attorney General, and law clerk to a federal judge.

A lifelong activist, Esmeralda made history in 1981 when she and co-counsel successfully sued the NYC Board of Elections for violating the Voting Rights Act, prompting U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall to cancel a citywide election. She went on to co-lead the Coalition for Community Empowerment’s Legal Committee, which provided free legal support to Black and Latino candidates, ushering in a new era of political representation in New York City.