Nelson Merced facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nelson Merced
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| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 5th Suffolk District | |
| In office 1989–1993 |
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| Preceded by | Richard J. Rouse |
| Succeeded by | Althea Garrison |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 17, 1947 New York City |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residences | Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Alma mater | University of Connecticut Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Occupation | Urban Planner Politician |
Nelson Merced (born August 17, 1947) is an important activist and politician from Massachusetts. He made history by becoming the first Hispanic person elected to the Massachusetts General Court. This is like the state's main law-making group. He served as a representative for Boston from 1989 to 1993. His district included the Roxbury and North Dorchester neighborhoods.
Nelson Merced's Early Life and Education
Nelson Merced was born in New York City in 1947. He spent his childhood moving between the northeastern United States and Puerto Rico. In 1965, he joined the United States Navy.
After leaving the Navy, Nelson lived in Puerto Rico with his parents. He became involved in a movement to help people get rights to land they were living on. This is called the squatters’ rights movement.
In 1971, he returned to the United States. By 1976, Merced had settled in Massachusetts. He worked for the Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare. In 1981, he became the director of La Alianza Hispana, a community organization.
Merced earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut. He also did advanced studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Nelson Merced's Political Career
In 1988, Nelson Merced made history. He became the first Latino person to serve in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. This also made him the first Hispanic person to hold a state office in Massachusetts.
He served in this role until 1992. He was successfully re-elected in 1990. During his time in the House, Merced worked hard on several important issues:
- He supported and protected bilingual education in Massachusetts. This helps students learn in two languages.
- He worked for immigrants’ rights. These are the rights of people who move to a new country.
- He helped reform the Boston Public Schools. This means making improvements to the city's public education system.
Merced also wrote a law to create an Urban Initiative Fund. This fund helps cities with special projects. He was also a key leader for a bill that aimed to make insurance companies invest more in local communities. This is called community reinvestment.
In 1994, Merced became the CEO of Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción. This is a non-profit group that helps the community. He left the organization in 1996.
In 2005, Merced took a job as Director of National Initiatives and Applied Research. This was with NeighborWorks America. This is a non-profit group supported by the US Congress.
Merced was also a member of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform. The US Senate appointed him to this group. It was sometimes called the Jordan Commission. This commission was formed in 1990. Its goal was to suggest changes to United States immigration policies. The commission released several reports between 1994 and 1997.
Other Community Activities
Nelson Merced helped start the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative. He was also its first president. This is a special community development group that is known across the country.
For over 15 years, Merced has given lectures at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He teaches about topics like:
- Community planning
- Managing people
- Finding money for projects
- How laws are made
