Olga A. Méndez

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Early years

Olga Aran Méndez was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.<ref name=Chan2009NYT>Template:Cite news</ref> One of eight children, she was raised on the island in a middle class and highly educated family. Her mother, Ursula Garcia Fernández (b. 1894), was heir to a substantial family fortune along with her three sisters; she died when Olga was nine years old. Olga's father, Gonzalo Aran Soler (d. 1948), was a Clerk of the Court. His family, the Arans, were among the first French families to immigrate to Puerto Rico in the 19th century.

In 1950, Méndez received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Puerto Rico, afterwards teaching high school chemistry on the island. In 1960, she earned her Master's Degree in Psychology from the Teacher's College at Columbia University. In 1975, she defended her Doctoral Dissertation in Educational Psychology and received her Ph.D. from Yeshiva University.<ref name="NYT">New York Times report on Olga Méndez</ref>

Méndez married into a respected East Harlem political family. Her father-in-law, Antonio "Tony" Méndez was the first Puerto Rican district leader in Manhattan. She became involved in the fight for better government through her family members and became an active leader in the area of voter registration drives throughout the nation.<ref name="NYT"/>

Political career

In 1972, Méndez was elected as a New York Delegate, committed to Senator George McGovern at the Democratic National Convention. In 1974, she was elected to the "National Conference of Women" in Houston, Texas.<ref name="NYT"/>

On April 11, 1978, she was elected to the New York State Senate, to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Robert García to the U.S. Congress.<ref>BRONX UPSET VICTORY BUOYS LIBERAL PARTY;...Mendez, a Democrat, Wins Senate Spot in the New York Times on April 13, 1978 (subscription required)</ref> She was re-elected several times, and remained in the State Senate until 2004, sitting in the 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, 187th, 188th, 189th, 190th, 191st, 192nd, 193rd, 194th and 195th New York State Legislatures. Méndez was a delegate to the 1980, 1984 and 1988 Democratic National Conventions.. Méndez was a delegate to the 1980, 1984 and 1988 Democratic National Conventions. In 1984, she was chosen as Secretary of the Senate Minority Conference. In 1993, Méndez became the first Puerto Rican woman to be chosen Chairperson of the Senate Minority Conference. At times, Méndez offered her political support to Republicans when doing so would have been beneficial to her district. She was often criticized by her peers for this bi-partisanship.

In December 2002, Méndez left the Democratic Party and joined the Republican Party, as she felt that "she and the voters had been taken for granted by the Democrats."<ref name=NYT2002>Template:Cite news</ref> Switching parties made re-election very tenuous in her heavily Democratic and majority-Hispanic district. On November 4, 2004, Méndez was heavily defeated by José M. Serrano, son of U.S. Congressman José E. Serrano, taking only 18 percent of the vote. During her final six months in office she served as the Chairwoman of the Senate Labor Committee.

Death and legacy

Méndez was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent surgery. She said that she shared her story in order to educate others. She died after a 16-year battle at her East Harlem apartment on July 29, 2009, aged 84.<ref name=ObitNYT>Template:Cite news</ref>

New York City's Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, an Independent, who was both a former Democrat and a former Republican, credited Méndez with impressing upon him the "importance of reaching across partisan lines to do what's right for your constituents." Bloomberg stated the following:<ref>New York Daily News - "Bloomberg remembers Olga Méndez" Template:Webarchive</ref>

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She was also named to the Civil Liberties Honor Roll. A public housing building which bears her name was constructed in Spanish Harlem in Manhattan.<ref>Corbnell Pace, Inc.</ref>

Legacy

Among the many awards and recognitions which Méndez was awarded were the following:

the Operation Push National Citizenship Award,
Effective Leadership Golden Age Award
Hunter College Presidential Medal of Honor

She was also named to the Civil Liberties Honor Roll. A public housing building which bears her name was constructed in Spanish Harlem in Manhattan.<ref>Corbnell Pace, Inc.</ref>

References

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External links

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Olga A. Méndez

Contents

Early years

Political career

Death and legacy

Legacy

See also

References

Further reading

External links

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Olga A. Méndez

Early years

Political career

Death and legacy

Legacy

See also

References

Further reading

External links

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