Adriano Espaillat
Encyclopedia
Adriano Espaillat is currently a member of the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...

 and formerly of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...

.

Espaillat graduated from Bishop Dubois High School in 1974 and earned his B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...

 degree in political science at Queens College in 1978. In addition to serving in the New York State Assembly, he is an Adjunct Professor in political science in the City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...

 (CUNY).

Public office

Together with Miguel Martinez, Espaillat formed a political club named the Northern Manhattan Democrats for Change.

In 1996, Espaillat became the first Dominican-American elected to the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...

, by defeating 16 year Irish incumbent John Brian Murtaugh – he represents the 72nd District which covers the Washington Heights
Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...

, Inwood, and Marble Hill regions of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

. Between May 2003 and January 2007, he chaired the Black, Puerto Rican, and Hispanic caucus.

In 2005 Espaillat ran unsuccessfully for Manhattan Borough President.

In March, 2010, Espaillat was named Chair of the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Small Business by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. The Committee on Small Business works closely with a number of State agencies and public authorities to ensure that they are serving the needs of the small business community, including the Department of Economic Development, the New York Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research, (formerly known as the Science and Technology Foundation), the Job Development Authority, the Empire State Development Corporation, and the Urban Development Corporation, which are the State’s chief economic development entities. The committee also oversees the work of the State University of New York in administering the Small Business Development Centers Program.
With Senator Eric Schneiderman
Eric Schneiderman
Eric T. Schneiderman is the 65th and current New York Attorney General.-Early life, education, and early career:Schneiderman graduated from Amherst College in 1977 with a B.A...

 winning the spot for Attorney General, Espaillat defeated several challengers to become the new State Senator for the 31st Senate District, which includes Washington Heights, Inwood, Riverdale
Riverdale, Bronx
Riverdale is an affluent residential neighborhood in the northwest portion of the Bronx in New York City. Riverdale contains the northernmost point in New York City.-History:...

, and the Upper West Side
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...

.

Espaillat resides in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

. He has two children.

Nepotism

On July 18, 2010 an article ran in the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...

 alleging nepotism in the non-profit Northern Manhattan Coalition for Economic Development, largely supported by public grant money secured by Assemblyman Espaillat. Many close to Espaillat, including his sister-in-law and former chief of staff, were salaried employees of the organization.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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