Ousmane Diallo, legislative director for assemblyman Al Taylor, dies at 24

Political rising star Ousmane Diallo, who served as New York State Assemblymember Al Taylor’s legislative director, died on July 18 at age 24, Taylor’s office confirmed. The Amsterdam News could not yet verify the cause of death.

The young Harlemite joined the National Action Network (NAN) as a teenager through the Youth Huddle program and participated in the organization’s efforts, such as the 2023 commemoration of the March on Washington. During his tenure, he became the field director for National Youth and College. He first met Taylor through this work, leading the state lawmaker to hire him as a legislative intern before later promoting him to legislative director, according to the assemblymember’s office.

“Ousmane was the epitome of what it means to be a servant leader,” Taylor said on social media. “Our team…loved him dearly. His laughter, his presence, his wisdom beyond his years, and his dedication to the people we serve will be deeply missed.”

On July 20, NAN posted its own tribute to Diallo on social media featuring photos of the young man with the Rev. Al Sharpton, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the late Rev. Jesse Jackson.

NAN held a Special Community Huddle honoring Diallo on July 21, attended by dozens of family members, longtime friends from NAN and other organizations, and political figures. Several elected officials—including Council Member Yusef Salaam and Assemblymembers Jordan Wright, Khalil Davis, and Manny De Los Santos—spoke to honor Diallo and share personal stories of how he impacted their lives.

Ashley Sharpton, founder and director of the NAN Youth Huddle, recalled Diallo speaking during their last NAN meeting. “I thought he was the future,” she said, fighting back tears.

“You can ask any staff at the National Action Network who I was rooting for to replace me. It was Ousmane Diallo.”

Aaliyah Nickens, 23, was a longtime friend and colleague of Diallo’s through NAN and Cities United, a national gun violence prevention group. The two met at Countee Cullen Elementary School and shared a bond over similar upbringings surrounded by neighborhood violence. They joined NAN and became leaders in the Youth Huddle, together gathering young people from across the country for the March on Washington.

“You’ll only find one person that’s like Ousmane,” Nickens said. “He has a lot of accomplishments and accolades under his belt. But when you’re in a room with him, he’ll make you feel like you both are like the same people.”

In a statement provided to the AmNews, Mayor Zohran Mamdani recalled originally meeting Diallo, who later canvassed for him in Albany.

“I am heartbroken by the passing of Ousmane Diallo,” Mamdani said. “He was a gifted community leader, a lifelong Harlemite, and an embodiment of compassion, humility, and a commitment to serving others. Yet before all of that, I knew him first as a friendly face in Albany—someone whose greeting and smile was as dependable as the sun rising each morning.”

“I will miss him, as I know anyone who had the good fortune of knowing him will. I extend my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, and to the community he made better each and every day. We mourn him, and we know that his legacy of service and kindness will endure.”

James Inniss of New York Communities for Change also first met Diallo in Albany. The two organizers, who both boasted Harlem roots, quickly hit it off while working together on criminal justice reform legislation. Inniss described Diallo as a cheery presence and a bright political mind.

“I always had conversations about the bills, he’s one of the people that I would come to and be like ‘what’s going on?’” said Inniss. “We became not just friends but [worked] together to try to pass bills.”

Democratic Congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier recounted meeting Diallo when they both canvassed for Mamdani in a social media post. She also recalled how he once defended her from a crowd of hecklers.

“That was the essence of who Ousmane was: showing up for people quietly, in moments where they feel alone or scared, without expecting anything in return,” wrote Chevalier.

An online fundraiser for Diallo’s family, confirmed as official by a family member, had raised more than $10,000 as of press time. An official funeral service was scheduled for July 23 at the Masjid Futa Islamic Center in the Bronx.

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