Guillermo Linares
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 72nd district
In office
January 3, 2015 – December 31, 2016
Preceded byGabriela Rosa
Succeeded byCarmen De La Rosa
In office
January 3, 2011 – December 31, 2012
Preceded byAdriano Espaillat
Succeeded byGabriela Rosa
Commissioner of the New York City Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs
In office
2004–2009
Member of the New York City Council
from the 10th district
In office
January 1, 1992 – December 31, 2001
Succeeded byMiguel Martinez
Commissioner of the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
Assumed office
February 1st, 2017
Nominated byAndrew Cuomo
GovernorAndrew Cuomo
Kathy Hochul
Personal details
Born (1951-08-30) August 30, 1951[1]
Cabrera, Dominican Republic[1]
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseEvelyn[2]
Childrentwo[3]
ResidenceMarble Hill, Manhattan
Alma materColumbia University, Ed.D
Professionpolitician
WebsiteOfficial website

Guillermo Linares is a former Democratic member of the New York State Assembly who had represented the 72nd Assembly District in Manhattan from 2015 to 2016, and previously from 2011 to 2012. He is a former New York City Council Member and a former New York City Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs.

Early life

Guillermo Linares was born on August 30, 1951, in the town of Cabrera in the Dominican Republic;[4] he was the oldest of nine children. He shares the experiences and aspirations of immigrant New Yorkers, having left his native Dominican Republic in 1966 and joining his parents who gained residency through the 1965 immigration reform, he arrived in the East Tremont section of the Bronx, at just 14 years old.[5] He began to learn the English language as he finished high school, gaining a General Equivalency Diploma from Theodore Roosevelt High School.[5] Although initially discouraged from going to college by his high school guidance counselor, Linares was encouraged by his parents, who noted that as the eldest child, he had a responsibility to obtain a college degree.[5] Taking on jobs, such as taxi driving, in order to pay for his college education, he became an American citizen during his sophomore year of college.[6] He is currently married to Evelyn Linares, a public school principal. They have two children, Mayra and Guillermo, as well as a granddaughter, Ava and grandson, Dylan. He has often credited his family with being critical to his successes in community activism, public office, and academia.[7]

Public office

In 1991, Linares became the first Dominican elected to public office in New York City and tied for first in the United States with Kay Palacios. He served from 1992 to 2001 in the New York City Council. Linares also served as a member of the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, when President Bill Clinton appointed him in 1999 as a commission chair.[2] Linares was later appointed the NYC Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs in 2004.[8]

In 2010 Linares was elected State Assemblyman for the 72nd District, replacing Adriano Espaillat who was elected to the State Senate. In 2012 he challenged Senator Espaillat in the Democratic Primary for New York's 31st State Senate district and lost 62-38%, after Senator Espaillat was defeated by longtime Congressman Charlie Rangel in the Democratic Primary for New York's 13th congressional district months earlier.[9] He was replaced by former Assembly Member Gabriela Rosa.

In 2014, after Assembly Member Rosa pleaded guilty to marriage fraud and resigned,[10] Linares announced he would run for his old seat in the 2014 election.[11] He won a four-way Democratic Primary with 44.7% of the vote,[12] and went on to win the general election with 91.5% of the vote.[13] Linares was defeated for re-election in 2016 by Carmen De La Rosa after unsuccessfully running for Congress earlier in the year.

References

  1. 1 2 "Legislative Preview: Meet The New Members". The Capitol. Manhattan Media. January 6, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  2. 1 2 Finn, Robin (April 7, 2006), "An Immigrant Success Wants Others to Have a Chance", The New York Times, retrieved February 10, 2010
  3. ↑ "Guillermo Linares: Biography". New York State Assembly. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Biography of Assemblymember Guillermo Linares". New York State Assembly. New York State Assembly. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 Mitter, Siddhartha. "Dreaming Local". TC People. Teachers College of Columbia University. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  6. ↑ "Biography of Assemblymember Guillermo Linares". New York State Assembly. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  7. ↑ New York State Assembly. "Assemblymember Guillermo Linares Biography". New York State Assembly Member Section. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  8. ↑ Hu, Winnie (2004-06-15). "Metro Briefing New York: Manhattan: Immigrant Affairs Post Is Filled". The New York Times. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Espaillat defeats Linares in State Senate primary". The Columbia Spectator. September 14, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Assemblywoman Gabriela Rosa pleads guilty to marriage fraud charges, must resign immediately". The Daily News. June 27, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Former Assemblyman Guillermo Linares will vie for seat vacated by disgraced politician Gabriela Rosa". The Daily News. July 10, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  12. ↑ "New York State Primary Election Results". The New York Times. December 17, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  13. ↑ "New York Election Results". The New York Times. December 17, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
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