At Your Service
Councilman Hiram Monserrate, the son of Puerto Rican immigrants, discusses housing conditions with Borough President Helen Marshall. Tribune photo by Ira Cohen
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Queens’ Newest Choose To Serve
The most diverse borough in New York City and the most culturally representative population on the planet are both superlatives that Queens can claim. From Long Island City to Corona to Jamaica, the streets and neighborhoods of Queens are represented by a myriad of cultures and peoples from around the globe.
It is only fitting that Queens is represented by a collection of state and city officials who also characterize the values and civilizations with which the borough itself is packed.
The City Council and State Assembly send a handful of representatives to New York’s lawmaking bodies; many members are the children of immigrants or are immigrants themselves.
Assemblyman Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights) is a first-generation Dominican American. Like many of his fellow assemblymen, Peralta was raised and educated in Queens. Peralta also chaired the Commission on the Dignity of Immigrants at the New York City Labor Council, an important factor in keeping the rights of new Americans concordant with the rights of all citizens.
Assemblywoman-elect Ellen Young, who will be sworn in as Flushing’s representative the first week of 2007, will be the first Asian American woman elected to the Assembly. Born in Taiwan, she has spent her career working within the community, deciding earlier this year to run for the seat that Assemblyman Jimmy Meng chose to give up.
During a debate prior to the election, Young classified herself as a “grassroots community activist.” As well, she cited her experience as the first female Asian auxiliary police officer in the NYPD, and her connection to civic organizations as proof of her deep understanding of the community she is about to serve.
Meng, a Chinese-born businessman who chose to leave his seat after just one term for medical reasons, was the first Asian American elected to a state office in New York, representing Flushing. The Assemblyman’s career was brief, but effective, as he worked to establish a strong community in an area of Queens that represents a wide range of races.
“One thing I realized in my community is that regardless of ethnicity, people all have similar concerns,” he said. “Whether your roots are from Italy, Israel or Korea, all families care about living in a safe and clean neighborhood and finding a good job.”
Assemblyman Jimmy Meng (2nd from l.) was born in China’s Shandong Province. Tribune photo by Ira Cohen
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New York City Councilman Hiram Monserrate (D-Corona) has lived a life in the service of both Queens, and the United States. He served both as a U.S. Marine, and a New York City Police Officer, before turning his attention to the legislative branch of public service. Monserrate’s parents came to the United States from Puerto Rico, and the Councilman was raised in Queens.
“I think that the interesting dynamic that exists for me, having parents who came here from somewhere else, provided me with an opportunity to experience, in essence both worlds, the old world and the new world,” Monserrate said. “It gave me an insight and also real life experiences of the challenges that many new Americans face.”
John Liu (D-Flushing) became the first Asian American New York City Councilman when he was elected in November of 2001. Since then, he has become the face of his community, fighting for racial equality and the rights of children and senior citizens.
These legislators are merely a sample of the ethnic and cultural diversity that Queens as a borough represents. With a rich history and a bright future, as the population steadily grows, Queens public servants certainly will as well.
