They are 29% of the New York City’s population and growing, but when it comes to representation in the top elected positions, Latinos haven’t been able to make history yet.

“I think we are talking the talk but we are not walking the walk,” New Deal Strategies political consultant Camille Rivera said.

While African Americans are likely to elect their second Black mayor in the history of the city, Hispanics are having a hard time forming strong coalitions that could propel them to citywide office. Among the Democratic field of candidates for mayor this year, two Latinos tried to get the nomination, unsuccessfully: non-profit executive Dianne Morales and Brooklyn City Councilman Carlos Menchaca.

What You Need To Know

  • Hispanics now make up 29% of the population in New York City

  • Latinos have been unable to form strong coalitions to propel them to the offices of mayor, comptroller and public advocate

  • New generations of Latinos are rethinking the cultural bonds that have traditionally tied this diverse community together
  • Puerto Ricans ruled Latino politics for years before making room for Dominicans, who now comprised the largest Hispanic group in New York

“We weren’t able to galvanize, I think ideologies and the split in ideologies, progressive versus non-progressive, very much clouded the ability for many of us to coalesce around a candidate that could lift up the voices of so many across the city,” Rivera said.

In some cases, Latino candidates are finding more success by downplaying the traditional identity politics appeals in favor of a more ideological stance.

“Is that a surprise? Everything is being run right now by ideology. Whether you are far left or far right, ideology is driving politics right now,” Brooklyn Councilman Carlos Menchaca said. 

On top of that, newer generations are rethinking the cultural ties that have historically bound this diverse community together. 

“We think differently, we worship differently, we love differently, we identify differently. There are Afro-Latinos, like there are indigenous Latinos, like there are white Latinos, and everything in between,” Queens State Senator Jessica Ramos said. 

Puerto Ricans ruled New York Latino politics for decades, before making room for Dominicans, who have lately surpassed them in population. In the last few years, other groups have elected their own: Colombian Americans Catalina Cruz in the Assembly and Jessica Ramos in the State Senate are two examples. 

However, the third largest Latino group in New York, Mexicans, with about 320,000 members, will lose its first and only representative at the end of 2021, when term-limited Carlos Menchaca leaves the City Council. 

“We need to ensure we are creating that pipeline and infrastructure for other Latinos, other young Mexicans, to ensure they have the resources that they need to take the next level to run for office,” former candidate for Staten Island Borough President César Vargas said. Vargas, who was born in Mexico, was a DACA recipient before recently becoming a U.S. citizen. 

It’s normally a tall ladder to climb in order to have a shot at being public advocate, comptroller or mayor. 

Some Democrats saw in Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr. an ideal candidate for citywide office this year; but after mulling a candidacy for mayor, he decided against it and will put an end to his political career after 25 years in office. 

“It breaks my heart that after he became borough president, he would have been in a good position to run for Public Advocate,” Bronx State assemblyman José Rivera said. 

First elected in 1982, Rivera remembers how the 80s were called “The Decade of the Hispanics.” Since then, the New York City Latino population has grown from 1.5 to close to 2.5 million. 

Some are asking for a little patience. 

“‘Paciencia,’ we got here a few years ago.” Ramos said. 

“I’m sure those candidacies will be coming in the near future and we must have the political will to come together,” Manhattan and Bronx Congressman Adriano Espaillat added. 

In fact, next year Latinos will likely have the highest number of City Council members ever: 15 out of 51 seats. 

“I would be extremely disappointed if I don’t see a Latina or Latino heading the speakership of the City Council of the city of New York,” Espaillat said. 

By being elected to that role by her peers, Melissa Mark-Viverito made history in 2014 as the first Hispanic speaker. 

Even though there are at least three Latino council members in the running for it next year — Carlina Rivera, Diana Ayala and Francisco Moya — it might be harder this time.