Adriano Espaillat

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Adriano Espaillat was born in the Dominican Republic and emigrated to New York City. In 1996, he became the first Dominican to be elected to the New York State Assembly, representing the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. This also made him the first Dominican American elected to any state legislature in U.S. history. Espaillat founded and lead with future New York City Council member Miguel Martinez the Northern Manhattan Democrats for Change political club. This base launched both politicians on careers highlighted by Dominicans and Dominican-Americans wresting political power from the Irish, Irish-American politicians, and their political clubs.

Mr. Espaillat rose up the ranks of the New York State Assembly and in 2003 was elected as Chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, and Hispanic Caucus, making him the first Latino Chairman in 20 years. In 2005, Mr. Espaillat announced his candidacy for Manhattan Borough President, to replace C. Virginia Fields, however he was defeated by Assemblyman Scott Stringer.

The Assembly member favored recently the issuance of New York State driver's licenses to illegal aliens, and debated the question on local cable network New York 1.