Rubén Díaz Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rubén Díaz
Díaz in 2019
13th Borough President of The Bronx
In office April 22, 2009 – December 31, 2021
Preceded by	Adolfo Carrión Jr.
Succeeded by	Vanessa Gibson
Member of the New York State Assembly
In office January 1, 1997 – April 22, 2009
Preceded by	Pedro Espada
Succeeded by	Marcos Crespo
Constituency	75th district (1997–2002) 85th district (2003–2009)
Personal details
Born	(1973-04-26) April 26, 1973 (age 52) New York City, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Relatives	Rubén Díaz (father)
Residences	Southeast Bronx, New York, U.S.
Education	LaGuardia Community College City University of New York, Lehman (BA)

Rubén Díaz Jr. (born April 26, 1973) is an American politician. He served as the 13th borough president of The Bronx in New York City. He held this important role from 2009 to 2021. Before that, he was a member of the New York State Assembly.

Early Life and Education

Rubén Díaz Jr.'s parents moved to New York from Puerto Rico. He was born in the Bronx and grew up there. He went to school in the Bronx for his early education.

He later attended LaGuardia Community College. After that, he studied at Lehman College. He earned a bachelor's degree in political theory. This means he studied how governments work and how people think about politics. His father, Rubén Díaz Sr., is also a well-known politician. He was a New York City Councilman and a New York State Senate member.

Political Career

Serving in the New York State Assembly

Díaz was elected to the New York State Assembly when he was just 23 years old. This made him one of the youngest people ever elected to this group. The Assembly is part of the New York State government that makes laws.

While in the Assembly, Díaz worked on many important laws. He helped create rules about:

• Health care for people.
• Access to public records.
• Minimum wage and overtime pay for workers.
• Protecting the environment.
• Fair rules for jobs.
• Stopping insurance fraud.
• Rights for people who rent homes.
• Making sure environmental plans are clear.
• Safety for people walking and for school buses.
• Protecting people from bad tax preparers.
• Rights for Senior Citizens.
• Helping more seniors get rent help (SCRIE Program).
• Making gas and electric companies more responsible.

Díaz was also part of the Assembly Education Committee. He cared a lot about schools and learning. He spoke at a big meeting called the International Democratic Education Conference. He also supported groups that worked to make sure everyone had a right to a good education. In 2003, when the Governor wanted to cut money for colleges, Díaz spoke out. He helped get some of that money back for schools.

He also worked to clean up polluted areas called Brownfields. He supported Green Roof Tax Abatement, which helps buildings have plants on their roofs. He helped restore the Bronx River and fought against unfair environmental practices. In 2007, he was named one of City Hall's "40 under 40." This award recognized him as an important young leader in New York City politics.

Standing Up for Justice

In 1999, a young man named Amadou Diallo was killed by police officers in the Bronx. This happened in Díaz's district. Díaz became a strong supporter of the Diallo family. He helped organize protests and spoke out about what happened. He marched with other leaders like Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson. He was even arrested during a peaceful protest. Because of his actions, Díaz became known for fighting for civil and human rights.

The Rainbow Rebels Group

In 2008, Díaz helped start a new political group called the "Rainbow Rebels." This group quickly became popular in the Bronx. They wanted to bring new ideas and changes to local politics.

One of their first big actions was supporting Elizabeth Taylor for a judge position. She won the election, even though some powerful local politicians were against her. The Rainbow Rebels also helped change the leader of the Bronx County Committee. They replaced the old leader, Jose Rivera, with Assemblyman Carl Heastie. These actions showed that the Rainbow Rebels were a strong new force in Bronx politics.

Becoming Bronx Borough President

In 2009, the Bronx Borough president, Adolfo Carrión Jr., was appointed to a job in the White House. This meant there was an open spot for a new borough president. Mayor Michael Bloomberg called for a special election. Díaz was seen as the top choice for the job.

The election happened on April 21, 2009. Díaz won by a large amount, getting 87% of the votes. He became the 13th borough president of the Bronx. A borough president is like a mayor for one of New York City's five boroughs. They help manage the borough and speak up for its residents.

As borough president, Díaz made important decisions. He appointed Delores Fernandez to the New York City Board of Education. He also recommended that the New York City Council reject a plan to turn the Kingsbridge Armory into a shopping mall. He wanted to make sure that any new development would create good jobs with health insurance for people.

In 2017, Díaz was re-elected as borough president with a large majority of votes. His father also won an election to return to the City Council that same day. In January 2020, Díaz announced that he would not run for re-election in 2021.

Running for New York City Mayor

In 2018, Díaz was the first person to announce he would run for mayor of New York City in the 2021 New York City mayoral election. However, in January 2020, he decided to drop out of the race. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Personal Life

Rubén Díaz Jr. lives in the southeast part of the Bronx. He is married to Hilda, and they have two adult sons.

See also

• Timeline of the Bronx, 21st c.
• Paterson, David "Black, Blind, & In Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity."Skyhorse Publishing. New York, New York, 2020