Clarke, Yvette D. (Yvette Diane), 1964-

Yvette Diane Clarke (born November 21, 1964) is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for New York's 9th congressional district since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, she first entered Congress in 2007, representing New York's 11th congressional district until redistricting. Clarke previously was a member of the New York City Council, representing the 40th district in Brooklyn from 2002 to 2006.

Clarke was born in Flatbush, Brooklyn, on November 21, 1964, to Lesley Clarke and former city councilwoman Una Clarke, both immigrants from Jamaica. She graduated from Edward R. Murrow High School and earned a scholarship to enroll at Oberlin College in Ohio, which she attended from 1982 to 1986. Before entering politics, Clarke worked as a childcare specialist and trained community residents to care for the children of working parents. Later, Clarke served as an assistant to State Senator Velmanette Montgomery and Assemblywoman Barbara Clark, both of Queens. Clarke also worked as director of business development for the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation and was the second director of the Bronx portion of the New York City Empowerment Zone.

Brooklyn's 40th council district elected Clarke to the New York City Council in 2001. She succeeded her mother, former City Council member Una S. T. Clarke. In 2004, Clarke made her first run for Congress for the 11th district against incumbent Major Owens, for whom she had interned in college. Clarke lost the 2004 Democratic primary against Owens, who won 45.4% of the vote to her 28.9% in a multi-candidate race. Following the 2004 election, Owens indicated his desire to retire from Congress, after which Clarke announced her intention to run again in 2006. On September 12, 2006, Clarke won the Democratic nomination for the seat with a plurality of the vote in a four-person primary. In the general election on November 7, Clarke was elected to the House of Representatives with 89% of the vote against Republican Stephen Finger. She has been re-elected seven times.