I was born in Mayaguez, a beautiful city on the western part of Puerto Rico. My parents, José "Pepe" and Hipolita "Pola", were very proud of their Puerto Rican culture and shared it through the music we heard and celebrations of Patron Saint Feasts, "Fiestas Patronales". When my father returned from his tour with the U.S. Army he brought back a set of Frank Sinatra 78 RPM records. They introduced me to the English language, taught me to enunciate English words clearly, and began my life-long appreciation for Mr. Sinatra's singing.

When I was a young child, we -- my parents, my brother Eli Samuel, who is three years younger, and I -- moved to New York City, and settled in The Bronx. This borough has been my home ever since. Eli and I grew up in the projects at Mill Brook Houses, where we learned to play all the urban games that are part of New York. It was in the Bronx that I took up the sport of road running, and I run about a dozen races a year. The Bronx is also home to the most successful franchise in sports history, the New York Yankees. In addition, we are very proud of the New York Botanical Gardens and the Bronx Zoo.

My years in the Bronx have given me the opportunity to work with and in the New York City Schools. Working to better the future of our children has been very satisfying. And, speaking of Bronx children, please visit the students at Community School 47, who have developed their own Home Page. You might also want to visit the Home Pages of some institutions of higher learning in the South Bronx, such as Bronx Community College, Hostos Community College, Lehman College, and Fordham University.

Finally, please take a moment to go read about the important contributions of Hispanic Americans in Congress from the years 1822 to 1995.

Thank you for visiting, and come back soon.