Guillermo Linares
Encyclopedia
Guillermo Linares is a Democratic
member of the New York State Assembly
, representing the 72nd Assembly District in Manhattan
. He is a former New York City
councilman and a former New York City Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs.
family which lived in the Dominican Republic
town of Cabrera
. He emigrated to the United States in 1966 as a 15-year-old and began to learn the English language
as he struggled to finish high school. Linares took on jobs such as taxi driving to pay for a college education – he became an American citizen during his sophomore year of college, and took up a teaching job after earning B.A.
and M.S.
degrees from City College of New York
. He also earned a degree in administration and supervision from Fordham University
.
He worked as a school teacher in Washington Heights.
He later earned an Ed.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University
. In the 1980s Linares was elected to the local school board in Washington Heights
, and supported the building of public schools. Linares is married to Evelyn, a public school principal.
elected to public office in New York City
. 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. Linares was later appointed the NYC Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs in 2004.
In 2010 Lineras was elected State Assemblyman for the 72nd District, replacing Adriano Espaillat
who was elected to the State Senate.
to a political friend of Linares named Miguel Castaños. He later acquired several residential buildings for ACDP and tried to evict the tenants. The buildings owned by Linares and ACDP showed 316 building violations in the year 2010. In 2009 Linares attempted to enter onto the ballot in the New York City Council
race, using the political petition signatures of a convicted felon.
In 2007 the Dominican Day Parade
declared Linares to be persona non grata demonstrations and rallies were held against him, and dog feces were thrown at his campaign truck when he ran for the State Assembly in 2010.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
, representing the 72nd Assembly District in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. He is a former New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
councilman and a former New York City Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs.
Life and education
Linares was one of nine children from an impoverishedPoverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
family which lived in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
town of Cabrera
Cabrera, Dominican Republic
Cabrera is a town in María Trinidad Sánchez province, Dominican Republic. It is located at the eastern end of the county's north coast, at the western extreme of the Bahía Escocesa, 130 kilometers north of Santo Domingo....
. He emigrated to the United States in 1966 as a 15-year-old and began to learn the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as he struggled to finish high school. Linares took on jobs such as taxi driving to pay for a college education – he became an American citizen during his sophomore year of college, and took up a teaching job after earning B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degrees from City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
. He also earned a degree in administration and supervision from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
.
He worked as a school teacher in Washington Heights.
He later earned an Ed.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University is a graduate school of education located in New York City, New York...
. In the 1980s Linares was elected to the local school board in Washington Heights
Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...
, and supported the building of public schools. Linares is married to Evelyn, a public school principal.
Public office
In 1991, Linares became the first DominicanDominican American
A Dominican American is any American who has origins in the Dominican Republic.Immigration records of Dominicans in the United States date from the late 19th century, and New York City has had a Dominican community since the 1930s...
elected to public office in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He served from 1992 to 2001 in the New York City Council
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
. Linares also served as a member of the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, when President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
appointed him in 1999 as a Commission chair. Linares was later appointed the NYC Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs in 2004.
In 2010 Lineras was elected State Assemblyman for the 72nd District, replacing Adriano Espaillat
Adriano Espaillat
Adriano Espaillat is currently a member of the New York State Senate and formerly of the New York State Assembly.Espaillat graduated from Bishop Dubois High School in 1974 and earned his B.S. degree in political science at Queens College in 1978...
who was elected to the State Senate.
Political corruption
Linares' reputation was tarnished when the Community Association of Progressive Dominicans (ACDP), a non-profit organization founded by him and chaired by his daughter Mayra Linares, was caught giving a no-show jobNo-show job
A no-show job is a paid position that ostensibly requires the holder to perform duties, but for which no work, or even attendance, is actually expected....
to a political friend of Linares named Miguel Castaños. He later acquired several residential buildings for ACDP and tried to evict the tenants. The buildings owned by Linares and ACDP showed 316 building violations in the year 2010. In 2009 Linares attempted to enter onto the ballot in the New York City Council
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
race, using the political petition signatures of a convicted felon.
In 2007 the Dominican Day Parade
Dominican Day Parade
The Dominican Day Parade in New York City started in 1982 as a small celebration with concerts and cultural events in Washington Heights section of Manhattan. Organized by Dominican American community leaders, the parade which is held annually each August on Sixth Avenue, has grown to become a...
declared Linares to be persona non grata demonstrations and rallies were held against him, and dog feces were thrown at his campaign truck when he ran for the State Assembly in 2010.