 A Brooklyn native and a graduate of Brooklyn College, Assemblywoman Jacobs was originally elected to the then 43rd District in 1978.Jacobs faced a difficult re-election in 1982 after the Assembly districts were re-apportioned to increase African-American and Hispanic representation in the Legislature.Jacobs ended up in the new 42nd District where she prevailed and remained there until 2014, sitting in the 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, 187th, 188th, 189th, 190th, 191st, 192nd, 193rd, 194th, 195th, 196th, 197th, 198th, 199th and 200th New York State Legislatures.