Sonia Chang-Díaz: Difference between revisions
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Sonia Chang-Díaz was born shortly after her father earned his [[Doctor of Science]] degree from [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]]. Growing up in [[Newton, Massachusetts|Newton]], her mother was a [[social worker]] and both her parents were active [[volunteering|volunteers]] in the community.<ref>[http://www.leftahead.com/?p=146 "Chang-Diaz Loaded for 2nd Suffolk"]</ref> |
Sonia Chang-Díaz was born shortly after her father earned his [[Doctor of Science]] degree from [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]]. Growing up in [[Newton, Massachusetts|Newton]], her mother was a [[social worker]] and both her parents were active [[volunteering|volunteers]] in the community.<ref>[http://www.leftahead.com/?p=146 "Chang-Diaz Loaded for 2nd Suffolk"]</ref> |
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Before seeking election Chang-Díaz was a teacher in the [[Lynn, Massachusetts|Lynn]] school system, a teacher in the [[Boston Public Schools]] system, and an outreach director for the [ |
Before seeking election Chang-Díaz was a teacher in the [[Lynn, Massachusetts|Lynn]] school system, a teacher in the [[Boston Public Schools]] system, and an outreach director for the [http://www.massbudget.org/ Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center]. She lives in [[Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts|Jamaica Plain]].<ref name="wbur">[http://www.wbur.org/news/2008/80605_20081010.asp "Race and Class Divide Heated State Senate Race"]</ref> |
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==Massachusetts Senate campaigns== |
==Massachusetts Senate campaigns== |
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Revision as of 03:32, 15 August 2009
Sonia Chang-Díaz | |
|---|---|
 Sonia Chang-Díaz and Mayor Thomas Menino | |
| Member of the Massachusetts Senate from the 2nd Suffolk district | |
| In office 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Dianne Wilkerson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 31, 1978 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Alma mater | University of Virginia |
| Occupation | Teacher |
Sonia Rosa Chang-Díaz (born March 31, 1978[1]) is an American politician who has been elected to the Massachusetts Senate, representing the 2nd Suffolk District in Massachusetts. She is the first Hispanic or Latino woman elected to serve in that body.[2]
Background
Chang-Díaz has both Chinese and Spanish heritage through her father Franklin Chang-Díaz, a Costa Rican-American physicist and former NASA astronaut. When her opponents suggested that she is not a person of color, Chang-Diaz calls it "disingenuous" and asserted "let me say very clearly, I'm proud of my Latina heritage, my father emigrated to this country from Costa Rica."[3] She has also said that race and ethnic identity are unimportant to voters and has described that "In my experience...of talking to voters one on one, everyday, is that's not something that voters are really interested in."[3]
Sonia Chang-Díaz was born shortly after her father earned his Doctor of Science degree from MIT. Growing up in Newton, her mother was a social worker and both her parents were active volunteers in the community.[4]
Before seeking election Chang-Díaz was a teacher in the Lynn school system, a teacher in the Boston Public Schools system, and an outreach director for the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center. She lives in Jamaica Plain.[3]
Massachusetts Senate campaigns
In 2006, the Massachusetts state senator for the Second Suffolk district, Dianne Wilkerson, failed to submit nomination papers with enough signatures for certification on the Democratic primary election ballot, requiring her to run a sticker campaign for the party's nomination. Chang-Díaz then entered the race as a sticker candidate, challenging Wilkerson in a "minority-majority" district covering a number of inner-city neighborhoods of Boston, including the South End, Roxbury, Dorchester, and Jamaica Plain. Wilkerson won the nomination and was re-elected as a state senator.
In 2008, Chang-Díaz challenged Wilkerson again for the party's nomination, with both candidates appearing on the ballot. In the September 2008 primary election, Chang-Díaz won the Democratic nomination.[5] On October 28, 2008, Wilkerson was arrested by the FBI on public corruption charges and a federal criminal complaint was filed against her that alleged she was caught on tape stuffing a cash bribe into her bra and accepted those cash payments in exchange for her official duties and responsibilities.[6][7] The bribes were allegedly accepted in return for her help in obtaining a liquor license for a proposed nightclub and transferring public land to a federal agent posing as a private developer.[8][9] In the wake of the scandal, Chang-Díaz won the general election on November 4, 2008 and was sworn into office in January 2009.[10]
References
- ^ "STS-75 Press Kit". NASA. February 1996.
- ^ Drake, John C. (2008-09-17). "A Senate fixture toppled: Chang-Díaz defeats embattled Wilkerson in primary". The Boston Globe.
- ^ a b c "Race and Class Divide Heated State Senate Race"
- ^ "Chang-Diaz Loaded for 2nd Suffolk"
- ^ Drake, John C. (2008-09-16). "Chang-Diaz beats Wilkerson in state Senate primary". The Boston Globe.
- ^ http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/ma/Press%20Office%20-%20Press%20Release%20Files/Oct2008/WilkersonPressRelease.html
- ^ http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/29/state-senator-accused-accepting-8-bribes/
- ^ Laurel J. Sweet and Hillary Chabot (2008-10-30). "Experts say officials could flip Dianne Wilkerson". Boston Herald. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
- ^ http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081028/democrat-sen-dianne-wilkerson-arrested-corruption-charges.htm
- ^ Slack, Donovan (2008-11-05). "Foe's troubles tinge Chang-Diaz triumph". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
External links
- Sonia Chang-Diaz Campaign web site