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Naomi
Rivera represents the Bronx neighborhoods of the 80th
Assembly District which include Allerton, Eastchester Gardens, Morris
Park, Norwood, Pelham Bay, Pelham Parkway, Van Cortlandt Village, and
Van Nest neighborhoods.
While Naomi's representation of her district officially
began in January 2005, she already possesses an outstanding record of
service to her community. A strong and passionate advocate for women's
and children's issues, Naomi is the co-chair of the Bronx Domestic Violence
Advisory Council. She helped lead the borough's fight to empower victims
and is the creator of "DiVA" (Domestic Violence Awareness),
a campaign designed to maximize community outreach through special events.
This committed leader is the producer of a live, phone-in television
program "DIVA Talk" on News 12 which has helped raise awareness
county-wide. She also developed the concept of "DiVA SPA",
a hugely successful and innovative project, transforming an ordinary
site into a fully operational salon for a day, where women receive free
spa treatments, D.V. service provider information, counseling, and legal
aid. The assemblywoman is currently working on "DiVA Walk"
a citywide march against domestic violence.
Naomi is strongly committed to utilizing the arts as a means of enriching
children's lives and their educational experience. Naomi collaborated
with the "VH1 Save the Music Foundation" and other organizations
to ensure that Bronx schools where the recipients of musical instruments.
As a result, more than forty – two schools where awarded instruments
between the year of 1999 and 2001. She also served as Founder and Executive
Director of the Children's Traveling Theater Project, a grassroots program
for underprivileged children. This project was a launching pad for young
adults who, as a result of the experience, are now working or pursuing
professional careers in the theatre. Additionally, Naomi at the forefront
of an effort to develop a children's Museum in the Bronx, the only New
York City borough lacking such a resource. She has successfully secured
funding for a feasibility study and will be working with both City and
State legislatures to form an advisory council.
As Director of Special Events for the Bronx Borough President's Office,
Naomi managed the borough's cultural affairs, developing new events
such as the Bronx Food and Art Festival and the Puerto Rican Film Festival.
She also produced the borough's annual ethnic pride celebrations, celebrating
the cultural richness of the Bronx, these included Asian Lunar New Year,
Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage, Jewish Heritage Month, and more.
More recently Naomi served as the Deputy Chief Clerk of the Bronx Board
of Elections, where she distinguished herself by enjoying a productive
relationship with her citywide counterparts from all political parties.
In times of crisis, Naomi has stepped forward. She has led fundraising
efforts for the victims of natural disasters in Columbia, the Dominican
Republic, Honduras, and Puerto Rico. Naomi, in conjunction with the
Hispanic Federation, Hostos Community College and others, have raised
as much as $100,000 for these devastations. Her most recent campaign
is called "Pennies for the Children of Tsunami".
The assemblywoman left a ten year career in accounting with large multinational
corporations, like Sumitomo, the largest company on the Tokyo exchange
to dedicate her career to government.
Naomi grew up in a family devoted to community and public service, where
striving to make a difference in the world was emphasized. Her father,
New York State Assemblyman Jose Rivera, is a forty-five year old veteran
of activist causes and is one of the “Vieques Four”, who
helped stop bombing practices on the small Puerto Rican island. Her
brother, New York City Councilman Joel Rivera, was unanimously selected
by his colleagues to become the Council’s youngest Majority Leader.
Naomi is married to Antonio Rodriguez, an editorial designer for AOL
Time Warner and an adjunct professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology
(FIT). They reside in the Morris Park section of the Bronx. Naomi is
the proud mother of GianCarlo, 21, a student at the John Jay College
of Criminal Justice; and Daniel, 4, an undeclared future candidate for
President of the United States of America.
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