The first Asian-American elected to the Jersey City City Council will be sworn-in today, in an historic ceremony that will include a flag-raising and playing of the national anthem of the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Rolando Lavarro, 41, a New Jersey City University administrator, was the second-place finisher in the November 8 special election to fill two at-large vacancies on the council. Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson, Lavarro’s running mate, was the top vote-getter, and will be sworn in this afternoon as well.<\/p>\n
Lavarro’s victory elated the city’s Filipino population, which for years saw Filipino candidates unsuccessfully run for council seats, including former deputy mayor Linda Mayo in 2001 and real-estate agent Greg Raceli in 2005.<\/p>\n
Mayo, executive director of Jersey City-based Pan American Concerned Citizens Action League, said the Filipino community for various reasons had divided allegiances, and were never able to unite behind one candidate.<\/p>\n
That changed in 2009, she said, when community leaders gathered to take a straw poll on who they wanted to see on the council.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was kind of like a little election within us,\u201d Mayo said. \u201cAnd we kind of like made a promise that whoever wins will be supported, and only one candidate will run.\u201d<\/p>\n
That candidate was Lavarro, and he almost made it in 2009, when he forced Ward A Councilman Michael Sottolano into a run-off. Lavarro lost, but he came close enough that the Filipino community decided to back him again in this year’s special election.<\/p>\n
Two days after this year’s election, Lavarro said his near-win in 2009 helped the community overcome \u201cskepticism\u201d that a Filipino candidate would ever win a council seat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think folks, after they saw the results in 2009 and saw that we came close to winning in that, it gave people a sense of hope \u2026 that it is possibility,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The swearing-in ceremony begins today at 4 p.m. at City Hall, 280 Grove St.<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.nj.com\/hudson\/index.ssf\/2011\/11\/lavarro_richardson_to_be_sworn.html<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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