State Senator Bill Perkins

The two-term City Council member grew up in East Harlem with two brothers, a cousin and a mother who was on public assistance. He won scholarships to attend the prestigious Collegiate School on the Upper West Side and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. But rather than go elsewhere, Perkins returned home to Harlem and dedicated himself to political activism.

"I wanted to create for others the opportunities that were created for me," the 56-year-old father of five said.

Perkins worked for years as a tenant organizer and community activist before being elected to the City Council in 1997. Often called a "historic" council seat, it was previously held by Adam Clayton Powell and C. Virginia Fields. The current boundaries of the district have it covering Central Harlem, parts of Morningside Heights, the Upper West Side and East Harlem.

Since he entered the council in 1998, Perkins has built a strong record, supporting legislation to protect children from lead paint poisoning, extending protection to trans-gendered individuals and working to improve schools and reduce unemployment. Though term limits barred him from running for reelection last year and his Manhattan borough presidency bid this year was unsuccessful, Perkins' profile has been raised nationally.

This leaves many wondering what the future holds for him. "He is one of a handful of examples of why term limits are not a good thing," said Leslie Cagen, the national leader of United for Peace and Justice. She first became acquainted with Perkins prior to the war in Iraq and has found Perkins a steadfast supporter of the right to protest.

Growing up during the civil rights movement had a lasting effect on Perkins, who has been a staunch supporter of human rights and civil liberties. Many of his political role models are the risk takers of that era, including Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy, both of whom were assassinated during Perkins' senior year of high school.

When Perkins is not at City Hall, he is often out on the street.

"That's my thing," Perkins said. "I like to consider myself a street politician."

Three years ago he took to the street for a non-political cause: promoting colon cancer awareness. Perkins is himself a survivor. Today, he said, some of his proudest moments come when men tell him that they have been tested.

"Success saves lives," he said.

An avid reader and a marathon runner, Perkins places a high value on libraries and parks and knows how important they are to neighborhoods.

Thanks to Perkins' support, LeClerc said, some city libraries are open six days a week, and record-setting amounts of money have been dedicated for renovation and restoration projects. Over the past eight years, the council member's efforts have resulted in the allocation of over $16 million for the capital funds of the six libraries in his district.

The city's parks have also flourished with Perkins' help. Between fiscal years 2003 and 2006, he secured more than $5.5 million for Harlem's parks. There are refurbished stairs in Morningside Park, a new dog run in Riverside Park and playgrounds scheduled to be built.

He was also instrumental in the installation of a statue of Malcolm X in the plaza named after the assassinated Nation of Islam leader.

Now that his time in the council has come to an end, Perkins says he is not sure what comes next. He wants to stay in public service, ideally through another elected office. But he has not decided which one fits best. He also has plans to run another marathon.

So though his council office is closing, he is expecting to be very busy in the months ahead. "I hope 2006 will be a marathon year in more ways than one," he said.

By Courtney McLeod