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Norma has been a resident of New Haven since the age of 5. Although having very humble beginnings her family always believed that education and hard work is the key to success. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Connecticut with a major in Spanish and a minor in Biology. She has 3 sons: Tomás, a UCONN graduate, Andre a Quinnipiac University graduate, and Juan Carlos, who is in the U.S. Air force stationed in New Mexico. For the past 7 years she has owned La Voz Hispana de Connecticut, Connecticut’s largest Spanish-language newsweekly circulating throughout the 9 cities with the highest concentration of Latinos. This Spanish newspaper speaks to over 125,000 consumers per publication. She has extensive experience in working with senior citizens as she was the Director of the Atwater Senior Center of the City of New Haven for approximately 25 years where she planned, organized, directed, and controlled programs and services for over 1,200 senior citizens in the Fair Haven area of the City of New Haven. She is a Vice-Chair of the New Haven Democratic Committee and was the first Hispanic to become State Central Committee Member from 1984-1988. She is also a certified moderator and a former Assistant Registrar for the 4th Ward. Norma’s community involvement is tremendously widespread. From 1995-1997 she served as a member of the Board of Directors for LULAC Headstart, a program that focuses on the educational needs of infants to 4 year olds. She also served as a Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Latino Youth Development, an organization with programs geared toward Latino youth and their families. She has coordinated fund raising events to give scholarships to students entering colleges and universities through the Star of Jacob Scholarship Fund. Presently, Norma mentors an 8th grader from Saint Rose School at Yale New Haven Hospital and serves as a board member for SAMA the Spanish American Merchants Association.
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Norma
Rodriguez-Reyes|
State of Connecticut
Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission 03/27/2008 |
