About 1,000 people gathered at Schuetzen Park’s banquet hall in North Bergen last Sunday for the Hispanic-American Association for Political Awareness (HAAPA) breakfast, which brought out many major political figures, but in turn, became a celebration of just how truly involved Hispanic-Americans have become in politics, especially in Hudson County.
United States Senator-Elect Jon Corzine was in attendance, as was featured speaker Congressman Robert Menendez (D-13th Dist.) Several state senators and assemblymen also appeared, as did Hudson County Executive Robert Janiszewski and several other representatives from local municipal government.
Needless to say, it was a well-attended event.
“It was a great day,” Menendez said. “I was honored by the comments that were made in my behalf.”
But the day was more than just a bunch of politicians enjoying their recent election victories, which both Corzine and Menendez earned three weeks ago. It was a celebration of how people of many different ethnic backgrounds could get together, as well as a look at just how far Hispanic-Americans have come in their involvement in government.
“We had members of all different ethnic backgrounds there,” Menendez said last week. “There were Haitians, Asians, Indians. While HAAPA ran the event and it was focused on Hispanic awareness, I enjoyed the diversity. I think this was a celebration of community.”
It was also a celebration of just how much the fourth highest-ranking member of the U.S. Congress has meant to the Hispanic-American community in his 13th Congressional District, as well of all Hudson County.
Before Bob Menendez first ran for the Union City Board of Education 26 years ago, Hispanic-Americans were considered outsiders to the political forum. Menendez opened the doors for many Hispanic and Latinos to get involved, to seek public office, to have their voices heard. Menendez became the first Latino to be elected to the school board, then later, the first Latino mayor of a major New Jersey city (Union City), and the first Latino to both the state Senate and then to the U.S. Congress.
“In that case, I’m glad to see what I’ve done,” Menendez said. “I’ve been able to break open some doors, been able to break some barriers and open new chapters. I think I’ve also been able to build bridges between the Hispanic community and the general public, because I’ve never been elected to office where the majority of the registered voters were Hispanic. That’s been our greatest success, the thing I’m most proud of, that we’ve been able to build bridges.”
Added Menendez, “If you have the capacity and the ability, and people place their heart and trust in you, then it speaks well for the overall community.”
And the overall community is accepting Latin and Hispanic-American candidates more and more. In the 26 years since Menendez first sought public office, the Hispanic community has made gigantic strides in the political field.
For example, almost every Hudson County community has at least one Hispanic member of the local government, either as mayor or on the township council. Albio Sires of West New York and Albert Santos of Kearny are two local leaders of Hispanic descent.
Sires also serves on the state assembly, along with former Union City Mayor Rudy Garcia. Silverio “Sal” Vega is a member of the West New York Board of Commissioners, as well as serving as a Hudson County Freeholder. “A lot of the members now in public service, I’ve helped to nurture,” Menendez said. “I’m happy to see their successes. We’ve made it more easily accessible and acceptable for Latinos to become elected into public office. I think that comes from the maturity of the community and the willingness to accept. I hope I set a standard of public service for other Latinos to follow.”
Guttenberg Councilman Javier Inclan, one of two Hispanic members of the Guttenberg council, strongly believes that Menendez was indeed the standard bearer.
“He’s gained the respect of everyone,” Inclan said last week. “Just to be considered to be a vice presidential candidate is a great honor. I think he’s been able to break down a lot of barriers to the point where most municipalities see having a Hispanic member as a necessity now. He’s helped to change a lot of people’s thinking, not just in Hudson County, but in the state and in the country. I think Hispanic-Americans are finally getting the recognition and respect as individuals and we all have to thank Congressman Menendez for that.” Inclan said that he was impressed with the turnout, which numbered in the hundreds, and which, like Menendez said, “bridged the gap.”
“For the simple fact that Bob Menendez unites everyone,” Inclan said. “This was not strictly a Latino function. Having all people from all different groups says a lot about Bob Menendez. And through his rise in politics, Bob has never forgotten about Hudson County. He still feels for the people here.”