In the 43 years since the first serious mayoral candidacy by a Latino, the community’s numbers in New York have only grown. But to break the ethnic barrier in 2013 or beyond, a Latino candidate must confront barriers that doomed past pioneers, shifting demographics and an ideological minefield. This series looks at the past and present of Latino political engagement in New York—and at the prospects for a future politics where identity politics and policy impact meet.
Anyone hoping to become the city’s first Latino mayor will have no choice but to forge a coalition with other communities. The key decision will be what kind of identity to build common cause around.
For all the hope and fear that identity politics can foster, there are plenty of examples of practical politics or ideological differences trumping cultural identity. The debate over the controversial Fresh Direct deal is one such instance.
For decades the hub of local Latino political power has been the Bronx, where a handful of powerful families play a huge role. Part four of our series looks at whether that’s a plus or a problem.
In the third installment of our series on Latino political engagement in New York, we look at the shifting influences of the city’s Puerto Rican, Dominican and Mexican groups.
The mayoral candidacies of Congressman Herman Badillo and Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer saw Latinos come close, but not close enough, to winning City Hall.
To break the ethnic barrier in 2013 or beyond, a Latino candidate must confront barriers that doomed past pioneers, shifting demographics and an ideological minefield.
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