Margarita Lopez
Encyclopedia
Margarita López is an openly lesbian
former New York City Council
Member who represented New York City Council's 2nd district
from 1998 to 2005. The 2nd district comprises the Lower East Side
, Alphabet City
, and the East Village
. López was elected to the Council in 1997. Born in Puerto Rico
, she relocated to New York City
in 1978. A Democrat
representing District 2 in the city council, she was the only openly gay Puerto Rican politician in that organization for some time. During her years of political service, she has particularly emphasized increasing city services, renovating neighborhood libraries, and championing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.
In 2005, López entered the race to succeed C. Virginia Fields as Manhattan Borough President. Due to a series of articles published in the New York Post
, she came under fire for connections to the controversial Church of Scientology
, whose members donated sizeable amounts of money to her campaign for Manhattan Borough president
. Due at least in part to the bad press generated by these stories and the Church of Scientology's views on homosexuality
, she lost the Democratic primary election to win her party's endorsement for the general election in November of that year. Democratic candidate Scott Stringer
won both the primary and later the general election.
In 2006, Mayor Michael Bloomberg
appointed López to a seat on the board of the New York City Housing Authority
. López, who once was a critic of Bloomberg, endorsed the mayor in his re-election campaign against Fernando Ferrer
, the first Puerto Rican candidate to run for mayor of the city. She was succeeded in her previous councilmember position by Rosie Méndez
.
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
former 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...
Member who represented New York City Council's 2nd district
New York City Council's 2nd district
New York City Council's 2nd district covers the East Village, Alphabet City, Peter Cooper Village, Rose Hill, Kips Bay, Gramercy Park and parts of the Lower East Side...
from 1998 to 2005. The 2nd district comprises the Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
, Alphabet City
Alphabet City, Manhattan
Alphabet City is a neighborhood located within the Lower East Side and East Village in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is also known as Loisaida, a Spanglish adaptation of 'Lower East Side'. Its name comes from Avenues A, B, C, and D, the only avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter...
, and the East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
. López was elected to the Council in 1997. Born in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, she relocated to 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...
in 1978. A Democrat
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...
representing District 2 in the city council, she was the only openly gay Puerto Rican politician in that organization for some time. During her years of political service, she has particularly emphasized increasing city services, renovating neighborhood libraries, and championing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.
In 2005, López entered the race to succeed C. Virginia Fields as Manhattan Borough President. Due to a series of articles published in the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, she came under fire for connections to the controversial Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
, whose members donated sizeable amounts of money to her campaign for Manhattan Borough president
Borough president
Borough President is an elective office in each of the five boroughs of New York City.-Reasons for establishment:...
. Due at least in part to the bad press generated by these stories and the Church of Scientology's views on homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, she lost the Democratic primary election to win her party's endorsement for the general election in November of that year. Democratic candidate Scott Stringer
Scott Stringer
Scott M. Stringer is a New York Democratic politician and currently the 26th Borough President of Manhattan.-Life and career:...
won both the primary and later the general election.
In 2006, Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
appointed López to a seat on the board of the New York City Housing Authority
New York City Housing Authority
The New York City Housing Authority provides public housing for low- and moderate-income residents throughout the five boroughs of New York City. NYCHA also administers a citywide Section 8 Leased Housing Program in rental apartments...
. López, who once was a critic of Bloomberg, endorsed the mayor in his re-election campaign against Fernando Ferrer
Fernando Ferrer
Fernando James "Freddy" Ferrer was the Borough President of The Bronx from 1987 to 2001, and was a candidate for Mayor of New York in 2001 and the Democratic Party nominee for Mayor in 2005.- Background :...
, the first Puerto Rican candidate to run for mayor of the city. She was succeeded in her previous councilmember position by Rosie Méndez
Rosie Mendez
Rosie Mendez is an American Democratic Party politician in New York. She is a member of the New York City Council from Manhattan, representing the 2nd council district, which includes the Lower East Side, Alphabet City and the East Village...
.