Carmen Yulín Cruz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carmen Yulín Cruz
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Cruz in 2013
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| Mayor of San Juan | |
| In office January 14, 2013 – December 31, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Jorge Santini |
| Succeeded by | Miguel Romero |
| Member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives from the at-large district |
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| In office January 2, 2009 – January 1, 2013 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto
February 25, 1963 San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | Popular Democratic (before 2023) Independent (2023–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | |
Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto (born February 25, 1963) is a Puerto Rican politician. She served as the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, from 2013 to 2020. Before that, from 2009 to 2013, Cruz was a member of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto was born on February 25, 1963, in San Juan. Her parents were Carmen Irene Soto Molina and Pedro Cruz Vega. She has one brother, Pedro José Cruz. The name "Yulín" comes from her grandmother.
Cruz was a great student. She graduated with honors from Julio Sellés Solá Elementary School. At the University of Puerto Rico Secondary School, she was president of the student council. She also represented her school at a special youth summit.
She went on to college and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Boston University in 1984. She graduated with honors. In 1986, she earned a Master of Science degree in Public Management and Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. There, she was the first student to receive a special award for her service to the college and community.
Political Career
First Steps in Politics
In 1992, Cruz returned to Puerto Rico. She became an adviser to San Juan mayor Sila María Calderón. Later, she ran for a seat in the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico in 2000, but she did not win that election.
Serving as a Representative (2009–2013)
Eight years later, Cruz ran for the Puerto Rico House of Representatives again. This time, she ran for an "at-large" seat, which means she represented the entire island, not just one small area. She won in the 2008 elections.
As a representative, Cruz became an important member of the Women Affairs Committee for her party. She also worked with groups supporting Dominican immigrants in San Juan.
When she ran for re-election in 2011, she showed strong support. She gathered more than 4,000 endorsements, which was twice the number needed. In the 2012 primary elections for her party, Cruz received the most votes among all candidates for the House of Representatives.
Running for Mayor of San Juan (2012)
In early 2011, Carmen Yulín Cruz showed interest in running for mayor of San Juan. After some changes in her party, she decided to run. On March 26, 2012, she announced her plan to challenge the current mayor, Jorge Santini.
People on social media like Facebook and Twitter showed a lot of support for Cruz. News publications also held unofficial polls, and she was favored in those as well.
Cruz was promoted to a leadership role in her party in the House of Representatives. She also became the new president of her party's San Juan committee. Unlike many politicians, she believes that eight years is enough time to be in office to complete a development plan. She also supported LGBT and women's rights.
Mayor of San Juan (2013–2020)
On November 6, 2012, Cruz was elected as the next mayor of San Juan. She won against Mayor Jorge Santini. She became the third woman to hold this important position in San Juan.
As mayor, Cruz continued plans to improve the Río Piedras area. This included restoring old buildings and creating plans to help new businesses open. She worked closely with the local community and the University of Puerto Rico to achieve these goals.
She was re-elected as mayor in 2016. She did not run for mayor again in the 2020 elections.
Hurricane Maria
In September 2017, Hurricane Maria caused a lot of damage in Puerto Rico. Mayor Cruz spoke out often on TV. She said that the help from the federal government was not reaching people fast enough. She asked for more support and help in many interviews.
During a press conference, Cruz explained how serious the situation was. She said that people were suffering and needed food and water urgently. She asked the media to send a "mayday" call to the world for help.
Some officials responded to her comments. The head of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggested she work more closely with the relief efforts. President Donald Trump also commented on her statements.
Many lawmakers in the United States supported Cruz. They said that Puerto Rico was in a crisis and needed more help. They urged the President to focus on the aid efforts.
Running for Governor (2020)
In March 2019, Cruz announced she would run for governor of Puerto Rico. She competed in her party's primary elections for the 2020 elections. She finished third and did not win her party's nomination for governor.
Other Activities
In 2019, Carmen Yulín Cruz joined Senator Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. She was one of its four national co-chairs.
In 2021, she became a special fellow in leadership at Mount Holyoke College.
Awards and Recognition
Carmen Yulín Cruz has received many awards for her work. These include:
- The Martin Luther King Centre Justice, Peace and Freedom Award (2018)
- The Humanitarian Leadership Award (2018)
- The Antonio Villaraigosa Leadership Award (2018)
- The AIDS Healthcare Foundation Humanitarian Award (2017)
- The Puerto Rico Arts Alliance Felisa Rincón Legacy Public Service Award
She was also recognized by magazines. People en Español named her one of the 50 most Powerful Women in 2017. Time magazine considered her for Person of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Time also included her on their list of the 100 most Influential People in the World. This was for her strong leadership after Hurricane Maria.
She also received the prestigious Ridenhour Truth-Telling Award in 2018. Other awards include Casa de Esperanza's Award for Inspirational Leadership and the Hank Aaron Champion of Justice Award.
Personal Life
Cruz has a daughter named Marina Yulín Paul Cruz.
She married psychologist Alfredo Carrasquillo in 2010. They divorced a year later. They remarried in 2013 but divorced again in 2017.
See also
In Spanish: Carmen Yulín Cruz para niños
- List of Puerto Ricans
- History of women in Puerto Rico
