Nydia Velázquez
Nydia Velazquez is the Democratic party representative from New York's 7th Congressional District. In 1992 Velazquez was the first Puerto Rican woman elected to the U.S. House. Velazquez is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Dinkins and the DSA
Velasquez received endorsements from Mayor David Dinkins,[1] Democratic Socialists of America,[2] Jesse Jackson, Rep. Jose Serrano and other prominent Progressives.[3] Karen Ackerman ran the effort for Dinkins in Brooklyn for the Central Labor Council in 1989. As Velasquez's campaign manager in 1992, Ackerman ran the successful campaign against incumbent Steven Solarz for the newly created Congressional seat in the 12th District of New York. Moving to Washington, DC after the race, Ackerman served as Chief of Staff for Congresswoman Velazaquez until 1996.[4]
Congressional career
In her speech to the Rainbow Coalition Leadership Summit, February 19, 1993, Velázquez paid tribute to the late Jesus Colon, a Communist Party USA (CPUSA) member and author of A Puerto Rican in New York. The speech was re-printed in full in the CPUSA's official organ, People’s Weekly World of March 6, 1993.
In 1995, Nancy Pelosi, Velasquez, Bernie Sanders, David Bonior, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Cynthia McKinney, Maurice Hinchey, Major Owens, John Conyers, Bob Filner, Alcee Hastings, Lane Evans, Edolphus Towns, Jim McDermott, supported Democratic Socialists of America member rep. Ron Dellums' "Living Wage, Jobs for all Act."
References
- ↑ PWW 1993, page 18
- ↑ Democratic Left, Sep./Oct. 1992, page 20
- ↑ PWW August 29, 1992 page 15
- ↑ http://www.politico.com/arena/bio/karen_ackerman.html