Rubén Díaz Jr. (born April 26,1973) is an American politician who served as the 13th borough president of The Bronx in New York City from 2009 to 2021. He was elected in April 2009 and reelected in 2013 and 2017. He previously served in the New York State Assembly.
Díaz's parents moved from Puerto Rico to New York,where he was born and received his primary and secondary education in the Bronx. He graduated first from LaGuardia Community College,then Lehman College with a bachelor's degree in political theory. [1] Díaz's father,Rubén Díaz,is a former New York City Councilman [2] [3] [4] and a former member of the New York State Senate. [5]
Díaz was elected to the New York State Assembly at the age of twenty-three,which made him the youngest person elected to the legislative body since Theodore Roosevelt. [6]
While in the Assembly,Díaz sponsored,co-sponsored and passed legislation addressing health care, [7] public records access, [8] [9] minimum wage and overtime pay, [10] environmental protection, [11] [12] [13] equitable labor standards, [14] insurance fraud, [15] tenants rights, [16] transparency and disclosure in all environmental impact statements, [17] pedestrian safety, [15] [18] school bus safety, [19] [20] [21] protection from tax preparers, [22] [23] [24] Senior Citizens rights, [25] wider access to the Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) Program, [26] and the regulation and accountability of gas and electric companies. [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32]
A member of the Assembly Education Committee,Díaz has been outspoken on educational issues. He has addressed the International Democratic Education Conference (IDEC) [33] and praised the Campaign for Fiscal Equity's (CFE) efforts to protect the constitutional right to a basic education. [7] [34] [35] In 2003,when Governor George Pataki sought to cut the State's higher education budget,Díaz was a vocal critic of this plan and,together with other state legislators,was able to restore funding for some of the Governor's proposed cuts. [36] [37]
Díaz has legislated on behalf of Brownfield Cleanup and Green Roof Tax Abatement, [38] [39] worked to restore the Bronx River which runs through the 85th Assembly District,and opposed environmental racism. [11] [12] [13] [40]
In September 2007,he was named one of City Hall's "40 under 40" for being a young influential member of New York City politics. [41]
On February 4,1999,Amadou Diallo,a young African immigrant,was killed by four New York City police officers who fired 41 unanswered rounds at him. [42] Since the shooting occurred in his South Bronx district,Díaz became an advocate and organizer for the Diallo family. [43] Through a series of public appearances,hearings,press conferences and massive public demonstrations, [44] Díaz led a citywide protest which drew national media attention. [45] [46] Díaz marched together with Rev. Al Sharpton,the Rev. Jesse Jackson,actress Susan Sarandon,dozens of rabbis and other clergy,and was arrested for his peaceful protest. [47] [48] As a result,Díaz became known for his support of civil and human rights. [44] [49] [50] [51] [52]
In summer 2008,Díaz became a founding member of a progressive civic and political group known as the "Rainbow Rebels",who achieved sudden and widespread popularity throughout the Bronx County of New York. [53]
On August 22,2008,the Rainbow Rebels made their first official announcement:Díaz joined with two of his Assembly colleagues Carl Heastie and Michael Benjamin,both Democratic African Americans,and with Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz of Riverdale and his powerful Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club,to promote the candidacy of Elizabeth Taylor for a Civil Court judgeship. [54] On September 9,2008,Taylor won the Democratic primary for the judgeship,despite opposition from the Bronx County Leader,Jose Rivera,and the Bronx political machine known as "County". [55]
On September 28,2008,at the Bronx County Committee meeting,the Rainbow Rebels won another significant victory by replacing the Bronx County Leader JoséRivera with Assemblyman Carl Heastie.
On February 18,2009,U.S. President Barack Obama appointed Bronx Borough president Adolfo Carrión Jr. to the position of Director of the White House Office on Urban Affairs. [56] When Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared a special election to choose his successor, [56] Díaz was considered the leading candidate for the position. [56] [57]
The special election was held on April 21,2009. Díaz defeated the Republican Party candidate Anthony Ribustello with an overwhelming 87% of the vote,to become the 13th borough president of the Bronx. [58]
On July 1,2009,Díaz appointed Delores Fernandez to the reconstituted New York City Board of Education. Fernandez is anticipated to be the sole member of the Board who will have a perspective independent of the mayor,Michael Bloomberg. [59] [60] Díaz ended his first summer as borough president by recommending that the New York City Council reject Related Companies' proposal to turn the Kingsbridge Armory into a shopping mall. In an editorial in the New York Daily News ,Díaz wrote that he is "fighting to make sure that this development includes 'living wage' jobs that offer health insurance". Related's proposal is still[ when? ] going through the city's review process. [61]
In 2017,Díaz won the Democratic primary for borough president with 86% of the vote. [62] On the same day,his father won the Democratic primary to return to the City Council from the Senate. [62]
In January 2020,Díaz announced that he would not seek re-election in 2021. [63]
In 2018,Diaz was the first candidate to file to run in the 2021 New York City mayoral election. [64] Diaz dropped out in January 2020,saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. [64]
Díaz lives in the southeast Bronx. [65] He and his wife Hilda have two adult sons. [66]
Rubén Díaz Sr is a Puerto Rican politician from New York City and an ordained Pentecostal minister. He represented the 18th district of the New York City Council from 2018 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party,Díaz represented the 32nd district in the New York State Senate from 2003 to 2017;his Senate district included parts of the Bronx neighborhoods of Castle Hill,Parkchester,Morrisania,Hunts Point,Melrose,Longwood,and Soundview.
Jeffrey Dinowitz is an American politician who represents District 81 in the New York State Assembly,which comprises Kingsbridge,Marble Hill,Norwood,Riverdale,Van Cortlandt Village,Wakefield,and Woodlawn Heights. Dinowitz has served in the New York State Assembly since 1994.
Aurelia Greene represented District 77 in the New York State Assembly,which comprises the Highbridge,Morrisania,and Morris Heights sections of The Bronx. She had been representing her district since 1982. She resigned in April 2009 to become Deputy Bronx Borough President. She retired in December 2017. Her death was announced on May 10,2021. Greene died on May 8. 2021.
The Kingsbridge Armory,also known as the Eighth Regiment Armory,is a decommissioned armory at Jerome Avenue and West Kingsbridge Road in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City. It was built in the 1910s,from a design by the firm of then-state architect Lewis Pilcher to house the New York National Guard's Eighth Coast Defense Command,a regiment-sized unit which relocated from Manhattan in 1917. It is possibly the largest armory in the world.
Vanessa L. Gibson is an American politician who has served as the Borough President of The Bronx since 2022. She served as a member of the New York City Council,representing the 16th district from 2014 to 2021. A Democrat,she was elected Bronx Borough President in November 2021 to a four-year term beginning January 2022,running on a platform focused on recovery from COVID-19 impact,food insecurity and housing instability. She is the first female and first African American Bronx Borough President.
Marcos A. Crespo is a former Democratic member of the New York State Assembly representing the 85th Assembly District,which includes the Soundview,Clason Point,Longwood,and Hunts Point sections of the South Bronx.
The 2013 New York City mayoral election occurred on November 5,2013,along with elections for Comptroller,Public Advocate,Borough President,and members of the New York City Council. The incumbent mayor of New York City,Michael Bloomberg,a Republican-turned-Independent,was term-limited and thus unable to seek re-election to a fourth term in office.
Luis R. Sepúlveda is an American attorney and politician who currently serves as the New York State Senator from the 32nd Senate District,which includes parts of the Bronx. Prior to being in the state senate Sepúlveda was a member of the New York State Assembly from 2013 to 2018.
The 2013 elections for borough presidents were held on November 5,2013,and coincided with elections for Mayor,Public Advocate,Comptroller,and members of the New York City Council. Primary elections were held on September 10,2013.
An election for Mayor of New York City was held on November 7,2017. Incumbent Democrat Bill de Blasio won re-election to a second term with 66.2% of the vote against Republican Nicole Malliotakis.
Ronald "Bee-Stinger" Savage is an American entrepreneur,hip hop artist,author,and activist. He was a "crate boy" for Jazzy Jay,who was the DJ for Lance Taylor,better known as Afrika Bambaataa. In 2016,Savage publicly accused Bambaataa of sexually molesting him when he was 15. In 2022,Savage recanted his story. He said he had a fake I.D. and pretended to be older to an unsuspecting Bambaataa. His recantation was not reported until 2024.
Kalman Yeger is an American politician who serves in the New York City Council for the 44th district. He is a conservative member of the Democratic Party. The district includes all or parts of the Bensonhurst,Borough Park,Gravesend,Kensington,and Midwood neighborhoods in Brooklyn. On Nov 5,2024,Yeger won an uncontested election for New York State's 41st Assembly District. The assembly district,located in Brooklyn,includes the neighborhoods of Flatlands &Sheepshead Bay,as well as parts of East Flatbush,Midwood,and Canarsie.
The 198th New York State Legislature,consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly,met from January 7,2009,to December 31,2010,during the later part of David Paterson's governorship,in Albany.
The 2017 New York City borough president elections were held on November 7,2017,to elect the presidents of each of the five boroughs in New York City. They coincided with other city elections,including for mayor,public advocate,and city council.
The 2022 New York gubernatorial election took place on November 8,2022,to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of New York. Kathy Hochul ascended to the governorship in August 2021,upon Andrew Cuomo's resignation following allegations of sexual harassment. She sought a full term as governor. She appointed Brian Benjamin to the position of lieutenant governor and planned to run alongside him until he too resigned in April 2022. Congressman Antonio Delgado was appointed to replace Benjamin as lieutenant governor. Hochul defeated Jumaane Williams and Tom Suozzi in the Democratic primary for governor,while Delgado defeated Ana Maria Archila and Diana Reyna in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.
The 2021 New York City mayoral election was held on November 2,2021. Incumbent Mayor Bill de Blasio was term-limited and ineligible to run for re-election.
The 2021 New York City borough president elections were held on November 2,2021. Four of the five incumbent borough presidents were unable to run for reelection due to term limits. Only the Queens borough president was eligible to seek re-election after winning a special election in 2020.
The 2021 New York City Comptroller election consisted of Democratic and Republican primaries for New York City Comptroller on June 22,2021,followed by a general election on November 2,2021. The primaries were the first NYC Comptroller election primaries to use ranked-choice voting. The primary and general election were held alongside concurrent primaries and elections for mayor,Public Advocate,Borough Presidents,and City Council.
The Democratic Party primary for the 2021 New York City mayoral election took place on June 22,2021. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams defeated 12 other candidates,including Kathryn Garcia,Maya Wiley and Andrew Yang. Adams went on to defeat Republican Curtis Sliwa and other candidates in the November 2,2021 general election.
Amanda C. Farías is an American politician from New York City. She is the Democratic City Council Member for the 18th district of the New York City Council,which covers Soundview,Parkchester,and Castle Hill in the Bronx. She was elected Majority Leader of the New York City Council on January 3,2024. She is Chair of the Committee on Economic Development,and sit as a member on the following committees transportation,finance,sanitation,consumer and worker protection,cultural and intergoup relations,and Co-Chair of the Women’s Caucus,and a member of the Black,Latino and Asian Caucus and Progressive Caucus. In 2024,she became the first Latina to hold the position of majority leader in the city council.