I was born in Mayaguez, a beautiful city on the western part
of Puerto Rico. My parents, José "Pepe" and Hipolita "Pola", were
very proud of their Puerto Rican culture and shared it through the
music we heard and celebrations of Patron Saint Feasts, "Fiestas
Patronales". When my father returned from his tour with the U.S.
Army he brought back a set of Frank Sinatra 78 RPM records. They
introduced me to the English language, taught me to enunciate
English words clearly, and began my life-long appreciation for Mr.
Sinatra's singing.
When I was a young child, we -- my parents, my brother Eli
Samuel, who is three years younger, and I -- moved to New York
City, and settled in The Bronx. This borough has been my home ever
since. Eli and I grew up in the projects at Mill Brook Houses,
where we learned to play all the urban games that are part of New
York. It was in the Bronx that I took up the sport of road
running, and I run about a dozen races a year. The Bronx is also
home to the most successful franchise in sports history, the New York Yankees. In addition, we are very proud of the New York Botanical Gardens and the Bronx Zoo.
My years in the Bronx have given me the opportunity to work with and in the
New
York City Schools. Working to better the future of our children has
been very satisfying. You might want to visit the websites of some institutions of higher
learning in the South Bronx, such as Bronx
Community College, Hostos
Community College, Lehman
College, and Fordham
University.
Finally, please take a moment to go read about the important contributions of Hispanic Americans in Congress from the years 1822 to 1995.
Thank you for visiting, and come back soon.
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