Mitaynes introduced in Albany as assemblymember

On Monday, Jan. 11, Marcela Mitaynes was officially introduced on the Assembly floor in Albany.

The Democrat now represents the 51st Assembly District, comprising Red Hook, Sunset Park and northern Bay Ridge.

The seat had been held by Felix Ortiz since 1995. Mitaynes defeated Ortiz in the primary and was unopposed in the general election.

“I wanted to take a moment to thank all of those volunteers, the folks that came out and voted,” said Mitaynes before her introduction. “Today is a very special day. This seat does not just belong to me. It belongs to every resident of Assembly District 51.”

When she was a child, Mitaynes immigrated to New York City from Peru. She attended elementary school at P.S. 169 at 4305 Seventh Ave., and then was PTA president for the school as an adult.

She also served as a member of Community 7 for 10 years.

Being evicted from her rent stabilized apartment of 30 years motivated her to empower neighbors to know their rights and fight to stay in their homes. She worked with Neighbors Helping Neighbors and with tenants throughout the state.

“I’m excited to use the resources of my office as a state assemblymember to continue to organize alongside working class people in their struggles in the workplace and for a government that puts people over profit,” she said after her victory last year.