Tafadar Sourov's Biography

Photo by Jeff Rae, Laborers Local 79

Born in Sylhet, Bangladesh, Tafadar Sourov immigrated to the United States when he was just three years old, growing up in the Bronx.

Attending public school his whole life, he went to Belmont Preparatory in Fordham for high school. It was at Belmont that he became involved in activism as a youth advocate for public education. One among many students around the city organizing to stop the closure of public schools in low income neighborhoods, he believes that our schools need real investment instead of being set up for replacement by charter schools.

Tafadar attended college for two years at the City College of New York in Harlem, majoring in political science before he was forced to drop out due to his financial situation.

In 2017, Tafadar began an apprenticeship with Laborers Local 79, working on construction sites all over New York City. Becoming very involved with the community and labor organizing campaigns of his union, he worked on everything from local zoning policies to getting legislation passed in Albany. After he completed the apprenticeship, he was selected to work for the organizing department of the union, which is his current occupation.

Tafadar volunteers every year as a disaster relief responder with the charitable tax-exempt organization HEART 9/11, taking two trips to North Carolina and one to the Bahamas following devastating hurricanes. He was appointed to Community Board 11 in 2021 by Council Member Gjonaj and resides in the Morris Park section of the district.