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Hiram Monserrate made history in 2001 when he became the first Latino elected to public office in Queens, winning a seat representing the 21st Council District of Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights. Since then, he has brought his unique experience as a Marine, NYPD police officer, and civil rights advocate to the City Council, working to empower and protect all New Yorkers.
Hiram began his life-long career in public service by enlisting in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, where he received the National Defense Ribbon and the Good Conduct Medal. In 1988, Monserrate joined the NYPD, where he served for 12 years protecting the safety and quality of life of Queens' residents. He was a founding member of the Latino Officers Association and served as the first police officer elected to the Board of Directors of the New York Civil Liberties Union.
In the New York City Council, Monserrate serves as the Chair of the Veterans Committee. During his tenure, he stood up to New York legislators who voted for the new federal bankruptcy laws that penalize members of the armed forces who leave businesses and families to defend our nation and fought against budget cuts to destroy our promise to take care of our veterans' health, especially while our country continues to ask American families to make sacrifices in the Middle East. Monserrate spearheaded a million-dollar initiative to open veterans' resource centers in all five boroughs.
From 2002 to 2005, Monserrate served as the Co-Chair of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus. In this leadership position, he led his colleagues to ensure passage of living wage legislation for hard-working residents and families and successfully fought back attempts to cut funding for programs working to combat infant mortality and HIV/AIDS.
As a consumer advocate, Monserrate introduced and worked to pass a new law requiring truth-in-pricing in retail stores and battled the Mayor to successfully rollback Sunday parking meter regulations, ensuring that parking meters everywhere in New York are free on Sundays. As a former union member - SEIU Local 32BJ and the PBA - he has fought for fair contracts for workers city-wide. And as a civil rights advocate, he led the successful fight to secure immigrants' rights and protect residents' confidentiality by working with the Mayor to create a "don't ask, don't tell" policy, Executive Order 41, regarding sensitive information in city agencies. This historic policy ensures the city's safety by allowing all residents access to necessary city services, including emergency health care and fire prevention.
Education has been at the forefront of Hiram's agenda since his inauguration. Within the past years, he has allocated funding for two schools, a new elementary and high school to alleviate the overcrowding that has plagued the Corona public school system. Considering the overwhelming number of immigrant parents, Monserrate has also made sure translation services are provided at each and every school in New York City by law, enabling every parent to become fully involved in their children's education.
Raised and educated in Queens and a product of the City University of New York, Hiram has provided millions of dollars in necessary funding to ensure the quality of life in the borough, helping to expand libraries, provide quality playgrounds and greenspace and support language and job training programs.
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