Yusef Salaam’s net worth in 2024 is estimated to be around $5 million. Salaam is a famous American entrepreneur, activist, motivational speaker, and politician. He is one of the Central Park Five’s exonerated members and has made history by winning the Democratic primary for a seat on the Harlem City Council. Salaam has earned his wealth from his career as a motivational speaker, author, activist, and politician.
Yusef Salaam’s Net Worth, Salary, and Career Earning
Yusef Salaam is an American entrepreneur, activist, motivational speaker, and politician. He is one of the Central Park Five’s exonerated members who spent nearly seven years in prison before DNA evidence cleared his name and that of four other Black and Latino teenagers. Salaam has earned his wealth from his career as a motivational speaker, author, activist, and politician. His net worth is estimated to be around $5 million.
Yusef Salaam Awards and Achievements
Yusef Salaam is a member of the Democratic Party and has served as a member of New York City’s 9th City Council district since 2024. Salaam was one of the Central Park Five who were wrongfully convicted of raping a woman in Central Park in 1989. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities in 2014 and is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama in 2016.
Yusef Salaam Wiki & Bio
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Yusef Salaam |
| Date of Birth | 1974 |
| Current Occupation | Politician, Motivational Speaker, Activist |
| Political Affiliation | Democratic Party |
| Current Position | New York City Council Member, District 9 (since 2024) |
| Notable Accomplishments | – Exonerated member of the Central Park Five |
| Personal Life | – Practicing Muslim |
| In the Media | – Featured in Ken Burns’ documentary “The Central Park Five” (2012) |
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Additional Notes:
- Yusef Salaam was falsely accused, convicted, and later exonerated of raping a woman in Central Park in 1989.
- He dedicates much of his work to advocating for criminal justice reform and supporting the wrongly convicted.
- He was elected to the New York City Council in 2023.
Salaam’s Parents, Siblings, and Personal Life
Yusef Salaam was born in 1974 in New York City to Sharonne Salaam. He has ten children, three of whom are stepchildren. Salaam married nurse and speaker Sanovia Guillory in 2007.
Yusef Salaam: A Life of Resilience and Activism
Early Life and College
Yusef Salaam was born in 1974 in New York City to Sharonne Salaam. He attended Dutchess Community College and Hunter College.
Central Park Jogger Case and Conviction
On April 19, 1989, Trisha Meili, a woman jogging in Central Park, was assaulted and raped by Matias Reyes. Authorities accused Salaam, Korey Wise, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, and Raymond Santana of assaulting her; the five teenagers, all of the black and Latino race, became known as the “Central Park Five”. At the time, Salaam was 15 years old.
The teenagers confessed to assaulting her but later claimed the confessions were the result of beatings and threats by police officers.
Salaam later claimed that police had deprived the teenagers of “food, drink or sleep” for more than a day. All five were convicted in 1990. The Appellate Division upheld his conviction which was again upheld in 1993 by the Court of Appeals of the State of New York. He was released from prison in 1997.
His conviction was vacated in 2002 and in 2014 New York City paid $41 million to settle a civil rights lawsuit brought by the Central Park Five.
Career
Following his release in 1997, Salaam worked as a construction worker in an apartment complex in the Mitchell-Lama Housing Program on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard. He was fired after the company discovered who he was.
Salaam then worked at Weill Cornell Medicine. He has served on the board of the Innocence Project.
In 2021, Salaam considered running for the New York State Legislature but decided against it due to residency requirements. Salaam moved back to New York City from Georgia in 2022.
On February 4, 2023, Salaam announced his candidacy for the 9th City Council District of New York City representing Harlem in the 2023 elections. During the campaign, he was endorsed by Cornel West.
He won the Democratic primaries on July 5, replacing outgoing councilwoman Kristin Richardson Jordan and defeating assemblymembers Inez Dickens and Al Taylor.
In January 2024, Salaam’s car, which had Georgia license plates and dark-tinted windows that are illegal in New York, was stopped in Harlem by a New York City police car.
When the officer approached his car, Salaam said he was a city council member and on city business, though he was going to dinner with his wife and four of his children.
Electoral History
Yusef Salaam is currently serving as a member of New York City’s 9th City Council district since 2024. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
FAQs
where is Yusef Salaam now?
Salaam, a member of the exonerated “Central Park Five,” is currently serving as a member of the New York City Council from the 9th district.
what nationality is Yusef Salaam?
Salaam is an American citizen.
where did Yusef Salaam go to college?
Salaam attended Dutchess Community College and Hunter College.
how long was Yusef Salaam in prison?
Salaam was imprisoned for almost seven years.
where was Yusef Salaam born?
Salaam was born in New York City, New York, United States.
how old is Yusef Salaam?
Salaam was born in 1974, which makes him 49-50 years old.
where did Yusef Salaam do his jail time?
Salaam served his jail time in various prisons in New York.
how old was Yusef Salaam when he was convicted?
Salaam was 15 years old when he was convicted.
what is Yusef Salaam a doctor of?
Salaam is not a doctor.
how tall is Yusef Salaam?
Yusef Salaam is 5 feet and 10 inches tall.
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