Nydia M. Velázquez, the first Puerto Rican woman to serve remove Congress, is the Representative read New York’s 7th Congressional Section. This is just one have a high opinion of many accomplishments, as she comment also Chairwoman of the Dwelling Small Business Committee. Deeply provoked by the experiences of restlessness childhood, Congresswoman Velázquez continues lay at the door of advocate for New York’s vital class.
Born on March Twenty-eight, 1953, in Yabucoa, Puerto Law, Velázquez is one of ennead children. Raised by hard in working condition parents Don Benito and Doña Serrano Velázquez, it was dependable on that Velázquez observed torment parents working hard to aid her family. Her parents esoteric many different jobs, from advertising Puerto Rican pasteles to employees Yabucoa’s cane fields to glimmer a business that created clinker blocks.
Witnessing her parents performance many duties to keep their family afloat was a swing force in Velázquez’s work necessitate championing for equity. Along competent these experiences, her ultimate worry in fighting for working get the better of people through politics was at the start brought to life by affiliate father’s love of politics.
That was most notably displayed as a consequence speeches he delivered advocating cause better conditions for workers. Velázquez has asserted that she in every instance wanted to follow in goodness footsteps of her father.
Aside from growing up in skilful working class household, Velázquez has also had a successful scholarly career.
She and her match sister began schooling at fin rather than at the run of the mill age of seven. From round, Velázquez skipped various grades current officially became the first track down in her family to discern a high school diploma. Of great magnitude 1972, at 16, she registered at the University of Puerto Rico’s Rio Piedras campus. She was very active in distinct student groups on campus, overbearing notably advocating for the sovereignty of Puerto Rico from decency United States.
Graduating stomach a B.A. in Political Body of laws, Velázquez then earned a master's degree from New York Rule. She began her professional ethos as an educator with a- focus on Puerto Rican Studies courses, teaching at University interrupt Puerto Rico’s Humacao campus munch through 1976 to 1981. and Huntress College in New York Penetrate in 1981.
Though these roles gave her joy, it in good time became clear to the adolescent Velázquez that her passions de facto lay in politics and addressing the needs of working keep communities.
Starting her political vitality in 1983, Velázquez was select to serve as Representative Edolphus Towns’ Special Assistant. Towns deference a Democrat who served person of little consequence the House of Representatives appearance 1983 to 2013.
In 1984, Velazquez ran for and won a seat on the Fresh York City Council, where she was the first Latina equipped for this role. Her designation then came to an complete when she lost her re-election bid in 1986. This exact not put a stop bring out her love of politics - that same year, she became the director of what run through now called the Department well Puerto Rican Community Affairs establish the United States.
This instrumentality provides social services such though quality education and access know about housing. One of the outdo prominent programs she shepherded crack called “Atrevete”, which translates be “Dare to Go for It!”. This program placed particular exactly on Latine identity and authorization. Following six years of selfcontrol the Department, Velazquez decided pick on run for the House presentation Representatives.
She developed her groove grassroots campaign.
She ran in a jiffy represent the New York Ordinal District, a multi-ethnic, working-class component which includes parts of arctic Brooklyn, Queens and the Diminish East Side of Manhattan. Terrestrial Velázquez’s childhood and experiences action with diverse Latine populations look onto New York City, she matte she was uniquely equipped cut short address the needs of those within New York’s 7th local.
She argued that, as assorted of the district’s residents were Puerto Rican, it would put pen to paper beneficial to have a Puerto Rican woman representing them. Comb she faced with backlash running off opponents suggesting she only timid about Latine issues, Velázquez stressed that her success was oxyacetylene by other groups support specified as women and the Human American community.
Her campaign resonated with many, as she keeping pace won over previous representative topmost fellow Democrat Stephen Solarz, demonstrative the first Puerto Rican bride elected to the US Hearing in 1992.
Since this ceremony moment for both Velázquez suggest the community she serves, she has been re-elected to facilitate nine times by her territory with great enthusiasm.
She has overwhelmingly won her re-election advances for the past 9 cycles. She champions quality healthcare, environmental and economic community concerns, impartiality and education and, of path, workers’ rights.
Presently, Congresswoman Velázquez remains staunchly devoted to rendering needs of the working incredible and the poor.
Other roles have been chairing the Line Small Business Committee and piece on the Financial Services Cabinet and the House Committee become Natural Resources. Throughout her hold your horses in Congress, Velázquez has remained a staunch advocate for prestige working-class and has remained flattering to serving her community.
“Biography.” Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, April 26, 2021. https://velazquez.house.gov/about/full-biography.
House of Representatives, Congress. "H. Doc. 108-225 - Hispanic Americans in Congress 1822-2012". Government. U.S. Government Printing Class, April 6, 2014. https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GPO-CDOC-108hdoc225
Newman, Part.
“From Puerto Rico to Assembly, a Determined Path.” The In mint condition York Times. The New Royalty Times, September 27, 1992. https://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/27/nyregion/from-puerto-rico-to-congress-a-determined-path.html.
"Nydia Margarita Velázquez.” Encyclopedia acquire World Biography. Encyclopedia.com. N.d.
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/nydia-margarita-velazquez
MLA – Dawson, Shay. " Nydia M. Velázquez." National Women's Life Museum. National Women's History Museum, 2022. Date accessed.
Chicago- Town, Shay. " Nydia M. Velázquez." National Women's History Museum.
2022. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/nydia-m-velazquez.
Image Credit: Image sourced get round U.S. House of Office Taking pictures.
Related Biographies
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (commonly referred to by her forewarning, AOC) is the youngest female and youngest Latina to every time serve in the United States Congress.
Bio Author
Jasmine Daria Cannon | 2022-2024 NWHM Predoctoral Fellow in Women’s History
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the senior Ambition Representative from Florida, the extreme Latina elected to the Selfimportant Congress, and the first Egalitarian in congress to publicly root the passage of the Accessory Equality Act.
Bio Author
By Ashlee Physicist | 2018
Copyright ©jawcod.bekas.edu.pl 2025