Meet the Latina Running for New York City Mayor: Nicole Malliotakis

The primaries are over and now the countdown to the New York City mayoral race is on. In that fierce race, there is one assemblywoman running, hoping to make history as New York’s first woman mayor, Nicole Malliotakis.

The daughter of Cuban/ Greek immigrants, Nicole not only makes history as potentially the first woman mayor, but also as the first Latina candidate ever running for this important office.

At a time when politics has been infiltrated by partisan attacks and polarizing rhetoric, Nicole seeks to break stereotypes demonstrating that it may take a woman to potentially rise above political divisiveness to build alliances and work successfully across party lines.

But who is Nicole Malliotakis? Her story is not only impressive but also serves as a great example of what it means to work hard to achieve the American Dreams. Here are some fun facts that gets deeper into the human and passionate woman behind the candidate.

Why did you decide to go into politics?

As the daughter of a Cuban refugee, I learned at a young age the importance of democracy and the freedom to elect our representatives in government. When I was in high school, my mother brought me to our local congressman's campaign office to volunteer. I loved making a difference in my community and have stayed involved ever since.

Why does NYC need Nicole for Mayor?

For seven years I have fought for those I represent against high taxes, wasteful spending and for ethics reform, transparency and better services like transportation and education. I led my district through recovery and rebuilding following Hurricane Sandy.

I believe New York City government hay strayed away from its basic responsibilities and as a result our quality of life has deteriorated while we are asked to pay more taxes.

I will be a common sense mayor who will focus on creating a positive perception of government that effectively serves its people and does so efficiently.

What makes you ready to be the next NYC mayor?

I am a homeowner. I am a caregiver to my parents. I was a manager for one of the largest utilities in the nation. I am a legislator who won my seat by challenging and defeating an entrenched incumbent who was better funded and running in a district where enrollment was 3:1 against me. I sued the Port Authority and won. I took on the MTA and got bus service restored for my district. I helped hundreds of families navigate red tape to rebuild their lives following Hurricane Sandy. I am a Republican member of a Democrat controlled Assembly who has reached across the aisle to get things done. Unlike our Mayor who can't seem to work with neither the Republicans in Washington nor the Governor of his own party, I am ready to extend my hand for the benefit of our city. Some might say that in and of itself makes me better prepared to be mayor than any Democrat who has served in the majority.

What would you tell people that may misjudge or discount your candidacy simply because of the “Republican” label, especially in a city as liberal as NYC?

New Yorkers are savvy. We do not vote based on labels – we vote for the person who we believe will do the better job as evidenced by the elections of Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg. We are open minded and accepting so I don’t believe that people will discount my candidacy simply because of my party registration. Most importantly, I am open minded and am willing to work with anyone and everyone who has ideas to improve our great city. As Ed Koch said, “If you agree with me on 9 out of 12 issues, vote for me. If you agree with me on 12 out of 12 issues, see a psychiatrist.”

Dispel 3 potential myths about Nicole:

1) That I am too young to be Mayor – I have served in the private, public and nonprofit sectors. Having served in the legislature, I understand the intricacies of the budget and legislative process. I am roughly the same age as the new leaders of Ireland and France and mayor of Rome. It's our generation's time to lead and bring a fresh perspective to governing.

2) That I want to deport all undocumented residents – I very much want Washington to provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who are here, working hard and desire to provide a better life for their families. However, I disagree with Mayor de Blasio whose sanctuary policy that protects individuals who commit crimes such as grand larceny, sex abuse and patronizing a child for prostitution from deportation.

3) That I'm like Donald Trump – Everyone should be judged by what they themselves say or do, not by what anyone else in their political party. I can only be responsible for my own actions and proposals.

Tell us 3 thing you would do a mayor in the first 100 days.

1) Reach out to Governor Cuomo and work in partnership to fund and fix our transit crisis.

2) Audit the Department of Education's contracts with high priced consultants and vendors which have little accountability.

3) Stop city government's pay to play mentality that has allowed playgrounds, open spaces and healthcare facilities and to be turned into luxury condos.

You are the daughter of immigrants and New York is a very diverse city with over 3 million immigrants, what are your plans in support of this community?

The best thing I can do is to preserve the American dream and ensure that New York City continues to be the beacon of hope for immigrants, who like my parents, came to our city to provide a better life for themselves and their families. I will do this by providing an environment where people can open small businesses, access to career and technical education, as well as improve affordability in our city and stop policies that are forcing out working middle class to move out of our city.

Tell us a bit more about your upbringing.

Where did you go to high-school and college?

I am a product of the New York City public school system. I graduated New Dorp High School and received by Bachelor degree in Communications from Seton Hall University. I attended graduate school in the evenings while working full-time and I received my Master in Business Administration from Wagner College in 2010.

What about your family or background have prepare you to be in politics?

My mother was a Cuban refugee who fled Castro's communist regime in 1959. My father is from Greece, the birthplace of democracy. Both my parents have a very deep appreciation of democracy which influenced me at a very early age.

What is your definition of a SHEROE?

A woman who fights hard to get to where she wants to go then reaches down to help others.

Best advice to other women who may want to run for office

Don’t let anyone discourage or bully you out of it. If you are passionate and willing to work hard for your community, you will be a great representative of the people. Politics is very much a man's world, so you can't wait for someone to offer you an opportunity to run for office. You must step up and take it.

Who or what has influenced you most to do what you do today.

My parent’s love for this country, their sacrifices to achieve the American Dream and the work ethic they instilled in me.

What is something about you (or a hobby, talent) that most people don’t know?

I love nature and the outdoors—hiking, biking, kayaking, I’m a huge Cher fan and I'm pretty talented at sketching portraits.

A typical Malliotakis family get together is….

Great food (my dad is an amazing cook) and Musica Latina.

Favorite place in New York City and why

The Imagine Circle in Central Park. I am a big Beatles fan and if you go there at the right time on the right day there be other Beatles fans playing their music.

Favorite Book

This is a tough one. I read a lot of philosophy but my favorite novels are The Art of Racing in the Rain and The Time Keeper.

Favorite cartoon

Family Guy

What's in your iTunes

A little bit of everything but mostly Cher, Beatles, Celia Cruz.

What is your superpower?

Tenacity

What makes you laugh at loud?

I Love Lucy.

Ropa Vieja or Spanakopita?

Tough decision but I have to go with Ropa Vieja.

Pink or blue?

Blue

Nicole proudly celebrates her Latino heritage and has participated in various cultural parades this summer, like the Dominican Day Parade, celebrating New York’s largest Hispanic population group. She has also been spotted enjoying some good music and food with her fellow Latino supporters throughout the city.

Demonstrating her ability to build partnerships across party lines, this summer Nicole has been part of the bipartisan campaign Sheroes of NY, a campaign championed by the National Women’s Political Caucus of New York City. The campaign brought together both Democratic and Republican women candidates to promote a summer of collaboration leading up to the Primary elections in New York City. The Sheroes of NY, as well as Nicole, hope their stories inspire more people to run for office to make an impact rather than just a name.

You can learn more about Nicole at nicolemalliotakis.com.

Lili Gil Valletta is an award-winning entrepreneur, cultural intelligence thought-leader and independent television contributor. She is the CEO and co-founder of CIEN+ and CulturIntel, a big data analytics, consulting and marketing firm helping corporate leaders successfully launch business and growth strategies to turn cultural trends into profits. She is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, member of the Harvard Kennedy School Women’s Leadership Board, Member of the New York State Council on Women and Girls and the Women’s Forum of New York.