Juan Figueroa
Encyclopedia
Juan Figueroa is president of Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut
and former president and general counsel of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. In 2010, he pursued the Democratic Party nomination for governor
of Connecticut
.
, Figueroa is the grandson of tenant farmer
Don Claudio Figueroa Colon and the son of Juan Figueroa Nazario, a Korean War
veteran, and his wife Josefa Agosto Rosario, a seamstress and chaplain
. He attended Macalester College
on scholarship and earned a law degree from Santa Clara University
. He and his wife, Helene Figueroa, live in Meriden, Connecticut
and have one daughter.
and worked as a community organizer, going door-to-door to organize Latinos regarding employment and educational issues. Following law school, Figueroa moved to Hartford and served as an Assistant Attorneys General, where he litigated day care center abuse cases and violations of environmental laws. Subsequently, he won election to the Connecticut General Assembly
from Hartford's Third District. After three terms, he left the legislature to become the president and general counsel of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (now "LatinoJustice PRLDEF
"), a national civil rights
group based in New York City
.
After nearly a decade in New York City, he returned to Connecticut as head of Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut as what was largely seen as a move to set him up to run for state Atoeny General. At the foundation he oversaw the effort to pass a Connecticut universal health care
bill. The legislative undertaking was successful. Governor Jodi Rell
vetoed the bill; Figueroa's group organized the coalition that successfully lobbied the legislature to override the veto. A nine-member board was established and charged with coming up with a specific plan for a statewide public health insurance plan entitled SustiNet
by January 2011. In January 2010, he took a leave of absence to launch his Connecticut gubernatorial campaign.
Figueroa has appeared on national news programs, including The Today Show
, Crossfire
, The O'Reilly Factor
, Fox
and Telemundo
. He is a former columnist for The Hartford Courant
. He currently serves on the boards of the Progresso Latino Fund, Latinos for National Health Insurance, the Connecticut Public Health Association, and the Partnership for Strong Communities. The Hartford Business Journal, the region’s largest business publication, named him one of its “Health Care Heroes” for his contribution to the advancement of health care in Connecticut.
On May 7, Figueroa dropped out of the governor's race, citing the difficulty of raising money in a potential battle against millionaires.
In July, he returned as president of Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut.
Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut
Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut is an independent, nonprofit organization with offices in Meriden, Connecticut. The foundation supports the mission of its parent organization, CHART...
and former president and general counsel of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. In 2010, he pursued the Democratic Party nomination for governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
Biography
Born and raised in Ciales, Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Figueroa is the grandson of tenant farmer
Tenant farmer
A tenant farmer is one who resides on and farms land owned by a landlord. Tenant farming is an agricultural production system in which landowners contribute their land and often a measure of operating capital and management; while tenant farmers contribute their labor along with at times varying...
Don Claudio Figueroa Colon and the son of Juan Figueroa Nazario, a Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
veteran, and his wife Josefa Agosto Rosario, a seamstress and chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
. He attended Macalester College
Macalester College
Macalester College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was founded in 1874 as a Presbyterian-affiliated but nonsectarian college. Its first class entered September 15, 1885. The college is located on a campus in a historic residential neighborhood...
on scholarship and earned a law degree from Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
. He and his wife, Helene Figueroa, live in Meriden, Connecticut
Meriden, Connecticut
Meriden is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 59,653.-History:...
and have one daughter.
Professional and political careers
After Figueroa's undergraduate studies, he moved to New HampshireNew Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and worked as a community organizer, going door-to-door to organize Latinos regarding employment and educational issues. Following law school, Figueroa moved to Hartford and served as an Assistant Attorneys General, where he litigated day care center abuse cases and violations of environmental laws. Subsequently, he won election to the Connecticut General Assembly
Connecticut General Assembly
The Connecticut General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is a bicameral body composed of the 151-member House of Representatives and the 36-member Senate. It meets in the state capital, Hartford. There are no term limits for either chamber.During...
from Hartford's Third District. After three terms, he left the legislature to become the president and general counsel of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (now "LatinoJustice PRLDEF
LatinoJustice PRLDEF
LatinoJustice PRLDEF, long known by its former name the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, is a New York-based national civil rights organization with the goal of changing discriminatory practices via advocacy and litigation...
"), a national civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
group based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
After nearly a decade in New York City, he returned to Connecticut as head of Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut as what was largely seen as a move to set him up to run for state Atoeny General. At the foundation he oversaw the effort to pass a Connecticut universal health care
Universal health care
Universal health care is a term referring to organized health care systems built around the principle of universal coverage for all members of society, combining mechanisms for health financing and service provision.-History:...
bill. The legislative undertaking was successful. Governor Jodi Rell
Jodi Rell
Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
vetoed the bill; Figueroa's group organized the coalition that successfully lobbied the legislature to override the veto. A nine-member board was established and charged with coming up with a specific plan for a statewide public health insurance plan entitled SustiNet
SustiNet
SustiNet is a Connecticut health care plan passed into law in July, 2009. Its goal is to provide affordable health care coverage to 98% of Connecticut residents by 2014.-Provisions of the legislation:...
by January 2011. In January 2010, he took a leave of absence to launch his Connecticut gubernatorial campaign.
Figueroa has appeared on national news programs, including The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
, Crossfire
Crossfire
A crossfire is a military term for the siting of weapons so that their arcs of fire overlap. This tactic came to prominence in World War I....
, The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
, Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
and Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
. He is a former columnist for The Hartford Courant
The Hartford Courant
The Hartford Courant is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is a morning newspaper for most of the state north of New Haven and east of Waterbury...
. He currently serves on the boards of the Progresso Latino Fund, Latinos for National Health Insurance, the Connecticut Public Health Association, and the Partnership for Strong Communities. The Hartford Business Journal, the region’s largest business publication, named him one of its “Health Care Heroes” for his contribution to the advancement of health care in Connecticut.
2010 Connecticut gubernatorial campaign
Figueroa was attempting to win the Democratic nomination through a direct primary, skipping the traditional nominating convention. This required him to obtain the signature of 15,000 registered Democrats. If he succeeded, he would have been the first statewide candidate to force a direct primary since the option was added to state law.On May 7, Figueroa dropped out of the governor's race, citing the difficulty of raising money in a potential battle against millionaires.
In July, he returned as president of Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut.
See also
- Connecticut gubernatorial election, 2010Connecticut gubernatorial election, 2010The 2010 Connecticut gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010 to elect the 73rd Governor of Connecticut. Incumbent Governor M. Jodi Rell had announced in a press conference in Hartford on November 9, 2009, that she would not seek re-election in 2010...
- SustiNetSustiNetSustiNet is a Connecticut health care plan passed into law in July, 2009. Its goal is to provide affordable health care coverage to 98% of Connecticut residents by 2014.-Provisions of the legislation:...
- Universal Health Care Foundation of ConnecticutUniversal Health Care Foundation of ConnecticutUniversal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut is an independent, nonprofit organization with offices in Meriden, Connecticut. The foundation supports the mission of its parent organization, CHART...