Erik Martin Dilan is a lifelong resident of North Brooklyn. Born in Bushwick on May 11, 1974, he is of Puerto Rican and African American descent and was raised in a family deeply connected to public service.
He is the son of former New York State Senator Martin Malavé Dilan and Debra Dilan—bringing lived neighborhood experience and a clear understanding of how government decisions impact working families.
A product of New York City public schools, Erik attended P.S. 151, Philippa Schuyler Middle School, and Norman Thomas High School.
He later attended St. John’s University, earning an Associate of Science in Business Administration—an academic foundation that supports his focus on operational discipline, budgeting, and measurable results in government.
Erik’s public service began locally—serving on Community School Board #32 and Brooklyn Community Board #4, helping shape education priorities and neighborhood policy with other civic leaders and residents.
He has also remained active at the community level as a volunteer baseball and basketball coach—reflecting a steady commitment to youth, families, and neighborhood life.
Prior to the State Assembly, Erik served 12 years in the New York City Council. During his tenure, he chaired the Housing & Buildings Committee and the Brooklyn Delegation and served on the budget negotiating team.
In these roles, he helped set legislative priorities on housing and construction, supported the passage of the City budget, and advanced strategic investments in neighborhood schools, parks, senior centers, cultural institutions, and nonprofit partners across Brooklyn.
Erik was first sworn into the New York State Assembly in 2015 and has continued serving the 54th District, including parts of Bushwick, Cypress Hills, and East New York.
In 2023, he was appointed Chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Correction, with a focus on improving transparency, safety, and independent oversight. In 2025, the Correction omnibus law—legislation he prime sponsored—advanced reforms aligned with those priorities.
He has also emphasized reducing unnecessary incarceration through sentencing reform, earned time, merit time, and expanded alternatives to incarceration.
- Chair, Assembly Committee on Correction
- Member, Ways & Means Committee
- Member, Energy Committee
- Member, Insurance Committee
- Member, Corporations, Authorities & Commissions Committee
- Member, Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus
- Member, Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force
Erik resides in the Cypress Hills section of Brooklyn with his wife, Jannitza, and their children, Daniel, Lea, and Matthew.
As a husband and father of three, he brings a family-first lens to public safety, housing stability, and neighborhood opportunity—priorities that directly affect daily life in North Brooklyn.