5 thoughts on “In these changing times, who will best represent El Barrio: Olga Mendez, Nelson Denis or Jose Serra”
The problem with redistricting
I don’t see how a Bronx councilman can represent the interest of El Barrio. How did this happen and on whose watch?
What Changing Times
In these changing times ‘eh. Guess what: they times, they are ALWAYS changing.
I will add that as long as we perpetuate these silly artificial boundaries, separating Bronx pols & community from E Harlem; from LES Latinos, etcetera…we will always remain behind, as the times change.
Now, if you want to address changing times seriously, which one of those candidates are either Dominican or Mexican or Black American. That is, if you want to get serious about our future.
It cuts both ways
How relevant is a candidate’s ethnicity? As it is, El Barrio has had African American representation and leadership for more than twenty years: Rangel, Reed, Givens, etc. Dominicans, who have only been here one generations, are only now producing voters–remember they are not citizens when they arrive. And Mexicans, more recently, are an emerging political force. All of these politicians appeal to a Latino base that includes also Central and South Americans when they are within their districts, as well as other nonLatino voters: African Americans, Asians and Whites. In fact, El Barrio has a fair number of Asians as well who go unrecognized.
In fact, isn’t this one of the real challenges facing the Puerto Rican politician? After being here for several generations, Puerto Ricans must necessarily see themselves as representing a larger constituency beyond their barrios in order to strengthen and broaden their agenda and keep from becoming irrelevant.
RE: The problem with redistricting
Simple; Olga Mendez didn’t want Washington Heights and its Dominican population replacing her with one of their own. Most likely, it was the key negotiation point that swayed her to the Republican Party.
That’s power
Can one single person, a woman at that, wield that much power. You must be distorting the facts.
It was Olga Mendez and the interests she represents who were preserving their power base. Now who are those folks? I don’t know.
Redistricting the Dominican community out of the district is one thing, becoming Republican is another.
I think she may have been trying to neutralize the Bronx Democrats by the move right. But it’s really important, I think, to identify the interests she represents.
The problem with redistricting
I don’t see how a Bronx councilman can represent the interest of El Barrio. How did this happen and on whose watch?
What Changing Times
In these changing times ‘eh. Guess what: they times, they are ALWAYS changing.
I will add that as long as we perpetuate these silly artificial boundaries, separating Bronx pols & community from E Harlem; from LES Latinos, etcetera…we will always remain behind, as the times change.
Now, if you want to address changing times seriously, which one of those candidates are either Dominican or Mexican or Black American. That is, if you want to get serious about our future.
It cuts both ways
How relevant is a candidate’s ethnicity? As it is, El Barrio has had African American representation and leadership for more than twenty years: Rangel, Reed, Givens, etc. Dominicans, who have only been here one generations, are only now producing voters–remember they are not citizens when they arrive. And Mexicans, more recently, are an emerging political force. All of these politicians appeal to a Latino base that includes also Central and South Americans when they are within their districts, as well as other nonLatino voters: African Americans, Asians and Whites. In fact, El Barrio has a fair number of Asians as well who go unrecognized.
In fact, isn’t this one of the real challenges facing the Puerto Rican politician? After being here for several generations, Puerto Ricans must necessarily see themselves as representing a larger constituency beyond their barrios in order to strengthen and broaden their agenda and keep from becoming irrelevant.
RE: The problem with redistricting
Simple; Olga Mendez didn’t want Washington Heights and its Dominican population replacing her with one of their own. Most likely, it was the key negotiation point that swayed her to the Republican Party.
That’s power
Can one single person, a woman at that, wield that much power. You must be distorting the facts.
It was Olga Mendez and the interests she represents who were preserving their power base. Now who are those folks? I don’t know.
Redistricting the Dominican community out of the district is one thing, becoming Republican is another.
I think she may have been trying to neutralize the Bronx Democrats by the move right. But it’s really important, I think, to identify the interests she represents.