Olga A. Méndez
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Olga A. Méndez (born (1926) is the first Puerto Rican woman elected to a state legislature in the United States mainland.
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[edit] Early years
Mendez was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. In 1950, Mendez graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from the Universidad de Puerto Rico (University of Puerto Rico) and in 1960, Mendez 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.
Mendez had married into a respected East Harlem political family. Her father-in-law, Tony Mendez was the first Puerto Rican district leader in Manhattan. She became involved in the fight for better government through her family members. Mendez also became an active leader in the area of voter registration drives throughout the nation.
[edit] Political career
In 1972, Mendez was elected 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.
In 1978, Mendez was elected Senator to the New York State Legislature, thus becoming the first Puerto Rican woman New York Senator. She represents the 28th Senate District and has held this position for the past 26 years.
Mendez was elected Delegate for the Democratic Conventions of 1980, 1984 and 1988. In 1984, she was elected Secretary of the Minority Conference. In 1993, Mendez became the first Puerto Rican woman to be chosen Chairperson of the Minority Conference.
At times Mendez offered her political support to members of the opposing Republican Party whom she believed would be more beneficial to her district. She was often criticized by her peers for her actions. On December 2002, Mendez left the Democratic Party and joined the Republican Party.
On November 4, 2004, Mendez was defeated by an upstart Democrat, Jose M. Serrano. Serrano is the son of U.S. Congressman Jose Serrano. During her final six months in office she served as the Chairwoman of the Senate Labor Committee.
State Senator Mendez was stricken with breast cancer in 1993 and has since then had surgery to deal with the problem. She did not let cancer get her down. Instead, she shares her story, to educate all women.
Among the awards and recognitions that the former Senator has received are: being named to the "Civil Liberties Honor Roll", she was bestowed with the "Operation Push National Citizenship Award", the "Effective Leadership Golden Age Award" and in 1994 she received the "Hunter College Presidential Medal of Honor".
A public housing building, which will bear her name, is currently being constructed in Spanish Harlem, also known as El Barrio, which is located on Manhattan's upper east side.
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| Preceded by Robert Garcia |
New York State Senate, 30th District 1978–1992 |
Succeeded by Franz Leichter |
| Preceded by Franz Leichter |
New York State Senate, 28th District 1993–2004 |
Succeeded by Jose M. Serrano |
| Preceded by Guy Velella |
Chairwoman of the New York State Senate Labor Committee June 2004 – January 2005 |
Succeeded by George D. Maziarz |
