New York City Council Member Carlos Menchaca Dismayed by Dream Act Defeat, But Inspired by Cesar Chavez Biopic
He's the first Mexican-American New York City Council member, and he's the first openly gay politician from Brooklyn -- and like many Latino leaders, Carlos Menchaca (Democrat for the 38th District) is inspired by the mission behind Cesar Chavez, a powerful biopic directed by Diego Luna, which hits theaters on March 28.
He attended the New York City premiere of Cesar Chavez at the AMC Empire 25, on March 17, which resonated with Menchaca, as well as the Kennedy family and many other Latino leaders in attendance.
"The movie was inspirational; it allowed me to remember why we're doing what we're doing. Someone that's in public service always needs to get rooted back into the reason why we are here," Menchaca told the Latin Post.
"Cesar Chavez's story is one that transcends being Mexican, it transcends being a worker; it's about human dignity, and we need to be reminded why we're doing this work. This is what this film is going to do for all of us and I am hoping that all the Americans, all the New Yorkers, everybody comes out and watches it."
Menchaca, who also comes from humble beginnings like Chavez, pointed out the obstacles that he faced.
"When I think about where he started, he was starting with almost nothing behind him, the workers' rights that he ended up bringing to the fight. So, today we have to keep that fight going. We just lost the Dreamers Act in the State Senate today (March 17).
"While we were watching the film, I just kept on thinking about the crisis of leadership that we have in New York State. We're looking at passing the Municipal ID program in New York City to really engage our immigrants, our homeless, our seniors, and our LGBT homeless youth. We're really trying to connect the dots...we can rise together again. Thirty, forty years later after Cesar Chavez did his thing, we can continue to do it again."
The proposed NY DREAM Act would allocate funds (financial aid and scholarships) to undocumented students who meet in-state tuition requirements, so that more could access higher education.
There are more than 4,500 undocumented students who graduate from high school on a yearly basis; yet, only 5-10 percent of those students pursue a college degree, due to the extreme financial obstacles.
"I don't think I've ever seen the community as angry as I've seen it over the last week," Jose Calderon, the president of the Hispanic Federation, who also attended the NYC premiere of Cesar Chavez, told The New York Times. "There's a real sense of 'enough is enough.'"
New York City Council Member Carlos Menchaca's Role & His Rise to the Top
What is the role of the City Council?
According to its official website, the Council monitors the operation and performance of city agencies, makes land use decisions and has sole responsibility for approving the city's budget. It also legislates on a wide range of other subjects. The Council is an equal partner with the Mayor in the governing of New York City.
Menchaca was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. He received his bachelor's degree in politics, performing arts, and social justice from the University of San Francisco in 2004, where he was student body president and co-founded the Peace and Justice Coalition. according to Decide NYC. In 2010 he received his master's in urban planning from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at NYU. Outside of class, he worked for Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz as a capital budget and policy coordinator. In 2011, he became Quinn's LGBT and HIV/AIDS Liaison.
"When Menchaca decided to run for the council, supporters helped him build a grassroots campaign. Neil Dick, 68, said that of the dozens of candidates for whom he's volunteered, Menchaca was 'the most exceptionally appealing candidate.' Dick traveled from the Bronx every weekend for several months to make phone calls for Menchaca."
In the 2013 election for members of the New York City Council, Menchaca defeated incumbent Sara M. Gonzalez in the Democratic primary for the District 38 in the City Council, which includes a portion of Brooklyn. He won the seat in the general election on November 5, 2013. Menchaca thus became the only 2013 New York City candidate who won by ousting an incumbent.
Shortly after being elected, Menchaca, along with then-Councilman-Elect Mark Treyer, called for the creation of a new committee to oversee Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts. In January 2014, the City Council announced the formation of a new Recovery and Resiliency Committee tasked with overseeing Hurricane Sandy relief funds, rebuilding communities affected by the storm, and increasing infrastructure resiliency across New York City.
Menchaca currently chairs the Immigration Committee in the City Council and serves on the following committees: Recovery & Resiliency, Small Business, Standards & Ethics, General Welfare, and Transportation.
The 33-year-old, who has a sweet, boyish charm and appears much younger than his years, recognizes that there's much more to be done -- a task not to be taken on by just one single politcian.
"Together, we all have a lot of work to do," he said.
Check out the Latin Post's Cesar Chavez coverage:
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