Jose Peralta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Peralta
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| Member of the New York State Senate from the 13th district |
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| In office March 17, 2010 – November 21, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Hiram Monserrate |
| Succeeded by | Jessica Ramos |
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 39th district |
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| In office January 1, 2003 – March 17, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Frank Seddio |
| Succeeded by | Francisco Moya |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
José Rafael Peralta
November 10, 1971 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | November 21, 2018 (aged 47) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Evelyn |
| Children | 2 |
| Residences | Jackson Heights, Queens, New York |
| Alma mater | Queens College, City University of New York |
| Profession | Politician |
| Website | NY Senate website |
José Rafael Peralta (born November 10, 1971 – died November 21, 2018) was an American politician. He served in both the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate. As a member of the Democratic Party, he represented District 13 in the State Senate. This district included parts of Queens, like Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Woodside. Before that, he represented District 39 in the New York State Assembly. He was first elected to the State Senate in 2010. Peralta was part of a group called the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), which worked with Senate Republicans. He was re-elected several times but lost in the 2018 Democratic primary election. José Peralta passed away at age 47 from leukemia.
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About José Peralta's Life and Family
José Peralta was born in New York City on November 10, 1971. He was a first-generation Dominican-American, meaning his parents came from the Dominican Republic. His father worked as a bank teller, and his mother, Rose Hernandez, was a seamstress. When he was eight, his family moved from Washington Heights, Manhattan to Queens.
Peralta went to public elementary school in New York City and graduated from Flushing High School in 1989. He then attended Queens College, City University of New York. There, he made history by becoming the first Latino Student Body President. He earned a degree in psychology from Queens College in 1996.
After college, Peralta worked as a community liaison for the New York State Assembly. He also worked to support immigrants' rights at the New York City Central Labor Council. He was the Director of the Commission on the Dignity for Immigrants. Peralta also helped with political campaigns for other politicians in New York. He was married to Evelyn and had two sons, Myles and Matthew.
José Peralta's Political Career
Serving in the New York State Assembly
On November 5, 2002, José Peralta won a seat in the New York State Assembly for District 39. He ran as a Democrat and won with 76 percent of the votes. He was the first Hispanic person from Queens to be elected to the New York State Assembly. This district was created in 2002 because many immigrants had moved to the area.
Peralta was sworn into office by Judge Diccia Pineda, who was also of Dominican heritage. The ceremony took place in Corona, New York, at the New York Hall of Science. Important people like U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver attended.
During his time in the Assembly, Peralta worked on many important issues:
- In 2004, he asked Republican leaders to support a law to raise the state's minimum wage.
- In 2007, he introduced a law to create "Gang Free School Zones" around schools.
- In 2007, he voted to support a same-sex marriage bill in New York.
- In 2008, he helped propose $150 million in funding for families at risk of losing their homes due to foreclosure.
- He also worked with Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry to change the Rockefeller drug laws.
- Peralta chaired the Subcommittee on Banking in Underserved Communities. He encouraged banks to open in areas that didn't have many banking services.
Serving in the New York State Senate
In October 2009, Peralta announced he would run for the New York State Senate for District 13. The Queens Democratic Party supported his campaign. An article in The New York Times called him "one of the party’s rising stars." The Senate seat became open after politician Hiram Monserrate was removed from the Senate in February 2010. Peralta ran in the special election on March 16, 2010, to fill the empty seat.
Many groups and people supported Peralta's campaign:
- The Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers supported him.
- Civil rights activist Al Sharpton endorsed him.
- New York City Council member Julissa Ferreras also supported him.
- The Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) endorsed him because he supported LGBT rights.
- Other groups like the New York chapter of the National Organization for Women and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) also gave their support.
On March 16, 2010, Peralta was elected to the New York State Senate and was sworn in the next day.
In January 2017, Peralta joined the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC). This was a group of Democratic senators who worked with the Senate Republicans, which helped the Republicans stay in control of the Senate. After joining this group, Peralta became the vice chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Telecommunications. He received extra pay for this role.
In April 2018, Peralta and the other IDC members rejoined the main Senate Democratic group. However, in the September 2018 Democratic primary election, Peralta was defeated by Jessica Ramos. Many people believed this loss was due to anger about the IDC's alliance with Republicans. Even though he lost the primary, Peralta's name still appeared on the ballot for the general election in November 2018 under other political parties. However, he accepted his loss and promised to support Jessica Ramos.
See also
- List of Queens College people
