Ari Espinal
Ari Espinal | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 39th district | |
| In office April 24, 2018 – December 31, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Francisco Moya |
| Succeeded by | Catalina Cruz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Aridia Espinal 1988 (age 37–38)[citation needed] New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
Other party | Working Families Party |
| Relatives | Rafael Espinal (cousin) |
| Education | St. Francis College (BA) |
Aridia Espinal (born 1988)[citation needed] is an American politician who served as a member of the New York State Assembly from April to December 2018. A Democrat, she replaced Francisco Moya, who she was an aide to, in a special election after he was elected to the New York City Council.[1] She lost re-nomination to Catalina Cruz in the regularly scheduled primary election.[2]
Early life and education
[edit]Espinal was born in Queens, the daughter of immigrants from the Dominican Republic. She is a cousin of former Assembly member and former New York City councilman Rafael Espinal.[3] Espinal received a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Francis College.[4]
Career
[edit]Espinal worked as an aide to Assemblyman Francisco Moya. After Moya's election to the New York City Council, Espinal was nominated to run in a special election to fill the vacancy. She was elected on April 24, 2018,[1] and took her seat in the 202nd New York State Legislature. On September 11, 2018, Espinal lost the Democratic primary to Catalina Cruz.[2] In the general election on November 6, 2018, Espinal ran on the Working Families Party and the Women's Equality Party lines for re-election, but was again defeated by Cruz.[5]
Following her term in the Assembly, Espinal served as New York City Political Coordinator to the Mason Tenders' District Council PAC.[6] City & State named her #94 on its 2026 Queens Power 100 list for her work championing the Construction Justice Act, which requires developers to pay workers a minimum package of $40 per hour.[7]
Personal life
[edit]Espinal became the legal guardian of an elderly man with developmental disabilities who is almost twice her age in 2013. Espinal had met him in 2011 when his mother worked at the front desk of the building of Moya's former office; his mother died of cancer in 2013, leaving him with no relatives until Espinal legally adopted him.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Espinal wins special election for Moya’s Assembly seat by Bill Parry, at qns.com on April 26, 2018
- ^ a b Cruz defeats Espinal, Sosa in primary race by Carlotta Mohamed, at qns.com on September 13, 2018
- ^ Khurshid, Samar (July 17, 2018). "Assembly Race Poses Another Test for Queens Machine". Gotham Gazette. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- ^ "Citizens Union Preferred Candidates – 2018 Primary Elections" (PDF). Citizens Union. 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- ^ Assembly election results at NYS Board of elections
- ^ "About". Mason Tenders' District Council PAC.
- ^ "The 2026 Queens Power 100". City & State. March 16, 2026. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- ^ Lewis, Rebecca C. (August 22, 2018). "Assemblywoman Ari Espinal adopted someone twice her age". City & State. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- 1980s births
- American politicians of Dominican Republic descent
- Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in New York (state)
- Hispanic and Latino American women in politics
- Living people
- Politicians from Queens, New York
- Women state legislators in New York (state)
- Working Families Party politicians
- Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly
- 21st-century American women politicians
- 21st-century members of the New York State Legislature
- St. Francis College alumni