in Slavic languages and literature from Princeton University in 1978 after completing a 99-page long senior thesis titled "Leisure Time and Its Functions in the Upbringing of New Soviet Men.

[2] She worked as an administrator at Syracuse University for fifteen years, first as the Director of the Office of Environment and Society and later as the Coordinator of Sustainability Education until her election to the New York State Senate.

[5] Following the election of Donald Trump, voters became more aware of the Independent Democratic Conference, where state Senators elected as Democrats formed an alliance with Republicans to provide them with the Senate majority in return for better committee assignments and larger office budgets, among other benefits.

[9] With the district leaning Democratic, she defeated Republican Janet Burman in the general election.

[11] May and Senator Robert Jackson received criticism in March 2022 after attending a rally organized by NY Renews, where they posed with a sign that compared climate change to the September 11 attacks.