Rosie Méndez

Rosie Mendez
Mendez in 2011.
Member of the New York City Council from the 2nd District
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2006
Preceded by	Margarita Lopez
Constituency	Manhattan: Lower East Side, East Village, Gramercy Park, Rosehill, Kips Bay; southern part of Murray Hill
Personal details
Born	February 28, 1963 (1963-02-28) New York
Political party	Democratic
Residence	New York City, United States
Alma mater	New York University Rutgers School of Law—Newark
Website	NYC Council: District 2

Rosie Mendez (born February 28, 1963 in New York) is an American Democratic Party politician in New York. She is a member of the New York City Council from Manhattan, representing the 2nd council district, which includes the Lower East Side, Alphabet City and the East Village. She is currently Chair of the New York City Council's Public Housing Committee.

Life and career

A lifelong New Yorker, Rosie Mendez grew up in Williamsburg Houses, a New York City Housing Authority development. She is the child of Puerto Rican parents, and she attended New York City public schools from elementary through high school. She graduated from New York University and Rutgers School of Law—Newark.

Rosie Mendez's working and volunteer life has predominantly focused on community service. She began as a tenant organizer in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She then worked on citywide housing issues as a housing specialist at the Parodneck Foundation. In 1995, Rosie Mendez graduated from law school and went to work as an IOLA Legal Services Fellow at Brooklyn Legal Services. As a legal staff worker she became a member of the United Auto Workers Union.

Prior to her election to the Council, Rosie Mendez was the Democratic District Leader for her community for four terms. She served for three years as the Chief of Staff and Legislative Aide to her predecessor City Councilwoman Margarita Lopez.

In 2005, Rosie Mendez won the heavily contested Democratic primary for New York City Council's 2nd district. Her opponents in the primary included Brian Kavanagh, Gur Tsabar, Darren Bloch, Joan Brightharp, and Chris Papajohn. In the heavily Democratic district the primary victory was considered tantamount to election. After a landslide victory in the general election in November 2005, Rosie Mendez took office as the 2nd district's Councilwoman in January 2006. She was re-elected with 83.9% of the vote in November 2009.

Mendez is one of four openly LGBT members of the New York City Council.

External links

• Official website
• Official campaign website
• Information on the 2005 primary campaign in District 2

Political offices
Preceded by Margarita Lopez	New York City Council, 2nd District 2006–present	Incumbent