Vincent Morgan
Vincent "Vince" Morgan (born April 22, 1969) is an African-American Democratic candidate for the United States House of Representatives for the 15th Congressional District of New York. He announced his candidacy on October 16, 2009. The 15th Congressional District, the smallest in the country in geographic size, encompasses Upper Manhattan and includes Harlem, Spanish Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, Morningside Heights, and part of the Upper West Side, as well as a small portion of Queens in the neighborhood of Astoria. In 2002, Morgan served as the Campaign Director for Congressman Charles Rangel, the current representative for the 15th District.
Early life
Morgan was born on April 22, 1969, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the only child born to John Ford ((born May 3, 1942-?) and Sharon Morgan (January 30, 1951 - ?). His father had a brief relationship with his mother, before abandoning them and returning to Memphis.[1] Morgan was raised by his single mother in Chicago's tough Bronzeville community. Morgan had a difficult upbringing, and found school challenging. He was often bullied and chased home from school. As a result of these difficulties, he dropped out of high school at age 16. With the support of concerned adults, including his maternal grandmother and his mother, as well as his own sense of determination, he turned his life around.
After obtaining his GED, he went on to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C. Morgan graduated with a bachelor's degree in business management from the University of Illinois at Chicago and earned a Master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University, in New York.
Professional life
Following college, Morgan went into public relations and spent three years in South Africa, working in marketing positions with Lucent Technologies and with a South African cellular phone company. [2]He eventually returned to the United States and moved to New York City. He serves as a vice president and community banking officer for TD Bank. As manager of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) compliance for the State of New York and Northern New Jersey, he is responsible for building partnerships in both corporate and not-for-profit sectors.
In 2001, he volunteered for service in the Harlem office of Congressman Charles B. Rangel. After his volunteer work, he was offered a staff position as special assistant to the Congressman. In 2002, he was appointed campaign director for the Congressman’s successful re-election.
In 2007, Morgan created the Harlem NOW organization, a non-partisan group dedicated to mobilizing people to work together in solving grassroots issues.
On October 12, 2009, Morgan announced his candidacy for Congress to represent the 15th District of New York. He will be challenging incumbent Charles Rangel for office, who is presently facing serious ethics charges including failing to disclose income and underreporting his income.[3]
Morgan currently serves in numerous leadership positions in New York. He is chairman of the 125th Street Business Improvement District and a director of The Riverside Theater. He serves on the advisory boards of the Harlem Biennale, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Alianza Dominicana. He is also a mentor for the Future Giants in Harlem.
Morgan is married to Shola Lynch, a documentary film maker who recently won a Peabody award for her film on Shirley Chisholm, the first female candidate for the office of the President of the United States of America. They are the parents of two infant children, Julian and Violet, and are members of the Mother A.M.E. Zion Church in Harlem.