LATINO 12
CityAndStateNY.com
August 24, 2020
THE POWER OF DIVERSITY
100 FROM THE MAJOR influx of Puerto Ri-
cans to New York City in the 1940s to the more recent migration of Central Americans to the five boroughs, Latinos have steadily broken barriers across all sectors of city life, including politics. In New York City, Rep. José E. Serrano bids farewell to Congress after 30 years serving the South Bronx as the longest-serving Puerto Rican legislator,
while on the other side of the Bronx (and Queens), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has taken the progressive baton, amplifying the concerns of a demographic whose poverty rate – currently at 29% in New York City – ranks the highest of any ethnic group in the five boroughs. Latinos are also being disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 outbreak in New York City – a statistic
that has been linked to poverty – further evidence that while gains have been made, the work for equity continues. Within these pages, we spotlight the leaders helping to carve a path for greater visibility and a seat at the table, the many men and women who wield power in telling the story of Latinos while demonstrating the impressive strides made.