Carlina Rivera, a member of the Democratic Party, currently represents the 2nd Council District of New York City. She assumed office on January 1, 2018, at age 34, and her tenure ends on January 1, 2024. She is a Democratic candidate in the upcoming New York primary elections, which are scheduled for August 23, 2022.

She announced her bid for the US Congress and said she would contest the primaries in New York’s 10th Congressional district.

Who is Carlina Rivera? 

Born in 1984 in New York, Carlina Rivera was raised in the 2nd District of Lower Manhattan by a single mother who emigrated from Puerto Rico. She graduated from the Notre Dame School and Marist College in New York with a major in journalism. 

Carlina worked in afterschool programming, helping children in high need schools and later, as director of programs and services at a non-profit organisation called Good Old Lower East Side, she served seniors and the homeless. She was also a member of the Manhattan Community Board and served as the legislative director for Rosie Mendez, a former member of the New York City Council.

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She launched her first official campaign for New York City Council in 2016 and also participated in public financing by raising $176,000 through the City’s matching funds program. Rivera was a member of the Democratic Socialists of America till 2017 and has served as a Manhattan councilwoman since 2018.

Carlina Rivera won the Democratic primary elections for New York City’s 2nd City Council district in 2017 with 60.54% of the votes. She also won the general election with 82.86% of the vote against Republican candidate Jimmy McMillan and several third-party candidates involved in the election. 

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In 2019, Carlina Rivera served as the co-chairperson of the Women’s Caucus, and she was involved in raising $250,000 for the New York Abortion Access Fund which provides abortions for women that are not covered by insurance.