Yume Kitasei
 | This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (September 2026) |
Yume Kitasei | |
|---|---|
北清夢 | |
| Born | October 14, 1987 |
| Education | Princeton University (BA) |
| Occupations | Novelist and public servant |
| Website | https://www.yumekitasei.com |
Yume Kitasei (Japanese: 北清夢, born October 14, 1987) is a speculative fiction author and public servant in New York City government, currently serving as the commissioner of the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) for the Mamdani administration.[1] Her books include The Deep Sky, The Stardust Grail, and Saltcrop, with a fourth, Envoy, expected in 2027.[2]
Early life
[edit]Kitasei was born in New York City on October 14, 1987[3] to a Japanese father and American mother.[4] Her first name, Yume, means "dream" in Japanese.[5]
She spent her childhood in New York and Tokyo[3] and attended Stuyvesant High School and Princeton University.[3] Kitasei currently lives in Brooklyn.[6]
Political career
[edit]While a student at Stuyvesant High School, Kitasei started interning for the New York City government, where she became interested in a career in public service.[4]
Since then, Kitasei has been a New York City government official for many years, working with three different mayoral administrations. Under the De Blasio administration, Kitasei was the chief of staff to the deputy mayor for operations. In 2021, Kitasei took a break to work on her career as an author, but returned to public service in 2022 to work as chief of staff to the first deputy mayor for Sheena Wright under the Adams administration. In 2026, she was appointed to the role of the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) commissioner by Zohran Mamdani.[4][7]
As Commissioner of DCAS, Kitasei oversees the civil service system, the city fleet, citywide procurement, real estate, energy management, and the management of 56 office buildings. She opened the Manhattan Municipal Building to the public for tours.[8] In July 2026, Kitasei announced that civil service exams will now be free for high schoolers and those who have not taken the examination before.[9] In the fall of 2026, the agency opened the first free childcare center for city employees.[4]
Writing
[edit]Kitasei has published multiple speculative fiction novels that focus on humanity's interaction with the environment, climate fiction, and space operas.[10] Her books have been published in half a dozen languages and shortlisted for the Libby and Goodreads Choice Awards.[11]
Works
[edit]- The Deep Sky (2023)[12]
- The Stardust Grail (2024)[13]
- Saltcrop (2025)[14]
References
[edit]- ↑ Brenzel, Kathryn (January 28, 2026). "Mamdani taps new DCAS head after rough year for agency". The Real Deal. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Yume Kitasei | Authors | Macmillan". Macmillan Publishers. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Myman, Francesca (September 15, 2025). "Yume Kitasei: Show the Journey". Locus. Retrieved September 14, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Tanaka, Kyota; Nakamitsu, Alexandra (September 13, 2026). "INTERVIEW/ Yume Kitasei: NYC official talks about policy measures of Mayor Mamdani". THE ASAHI SHIMBUN.
- ↑ Dumpleton, Elise (September 30, 2025). "Q&A: Yume Kitasei, Author of 'Saltcrop'". The Nerd Daily. Retrieved September 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Yume Kitasei | Authors | Macmillan". Macmillan Publishers. Retrieved September 14, 2026.
- ↑ "NYC Agency Directory - List of Agency Websites - nyc.gov". www.nyc.gov. Retrieved September 14, 2026.
- ↑ McDonough, Annie; Allison, Alisha (April 21, 2026). "Getting 'jazzed' telling New Yorkers about city jobs on social media". City & State NY. Retrieved September 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Mayor Mamdani Announces Free Civil Service Exams for High School Students and First-Time Test Takers". The official website of the City of New York. July 9, 2026. Retrieved September 14, 2026.
- ↑ "SFE: Kitasei, Yume". sf-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved September 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Yume Kitasei | Authors | Macmillan". Macmillan Publishers. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
- ↑ "The Deep Sky". Kirkus Reviews. Vol. XCI, no. 11. June 1, 2023. ISSN 1948-7428. ProQuest 2819964335.
- ↑ "The Stardust Grail". Publishers Weekly. Vol. 272, no. 27. July 14, 2025. ISSN 0000-0019. ProQuest 3228841732.
- ↑ "Saltcrop". Kirkus Reviews. Vol. XCIII, no. 18. September 15, 2025. ISSN 1948-7428. ProQuest 3248825674.