LINDA MAYO

 

When she came to Jersey City from her native Philippines in 1969, LINDA MAYO was intent on starting a new life in her adopted country. She got a job as an international distribution specialist, married, had a son and kept a low civic profile. In 1986, thought, a whole New World opened for Mayo.

"There was a rash of muggings in the area where I lived on Montgomery Street, and I organized the community so we could better protect ourselves and our families." Mayo recalled. "It was the first time I became involved in the community."

For Mayo is was the beginning of a civic awakening that has led her to champion diverse causes, including service on the Jersey City Planning Board, Billboard Action Coalition, Parish of the Resurrection liaison to the Women's Commission of the Archdiocese of Newark and Jersey Toastmasters' District 46.

She is also the president of Philippine-American Concerned Citizen Action League, President of the Bayanihan Center for human services, consultant to the Philippine-American Veterans Organization and overall vice chairwoman for government relations of the Philippine-American Friendship Committee.

Since last September, Mayo has worked as a mayoral aide in the Office of Constituent Services.

 

Tonight, in recognition of her commitment to the Jersey City community, Mayor Bret Shundler will swear in Mayo as the city's newest honorary deputy mayor.

"I thank ADOR EQUIPADO for paving the way for leaders in the Asian Community to serve their local government in this important capacity." Mayo said.

-------From JERSEY CITY JOURNAL, Monday, March 9, 1998 JOURNAL ENTRIES BY RONALD LEIR.--------

  Rosalinda "Linda" Mayo is running for the Jersey Board of Education and also to become the first elective Filipino in the Jersey City area.

Sabi niya ay:

Kababayan, Panahon na!

Ito ay hamon sa lahing Pilipino sa Jersey City!

My very frist job after graduating from college was as a high school and college instructor.

The love for our youth and given them the best possible education is deeply ingrained in my heart. For indeed, ous youth is the hope of tomorrow!"

update...

Pinay wins seat in the JERSEY CITY's Board of Education.
JERSEY JOURNAL...Thursday, April 23, 1998.
Mayor's Team Sweeps Ed Board
(Posted in part.)
Although it appeared Tuesday night that current board President Ray
O'Brien had won one of three full terms, results released yesterday by
the City Clerk's Office confirmed that Honorary Deputy Mayor Linda Mayo
won by about 100 votes.  Officially certified results will not be
available until at least Friday.
    Mayo who pulled in 2,630 votes to O'Brien's 2,526 is the first
Filipino to win elected office in Hudson County.
     "I will be working on a broad base of issues and, of course you
don't favor one ethnic community over the other.  It will be for the good
of all the children," said Mayo, 54. "But my winning is very significant
for the Filipino community."
      All four candidates running on a slated chosen and supported by
Schundler beat their nearest competitors, a slate endorsed by the city
teachers union.  The union vehemently opposes Schundler's favorite
educational causes--charter schools and school vouchers. (cut)

   Note: Linda Mayo's slogan and "hamon" to the Filipino community
"Kababayan, panahon na."
School voucher is one the pet projects of the current Mayor Schundler
(who seems to have a political romance with the local Filipino community)
should sit well with us since most us send our kids to private school.
There appears to be a parody here but even the candidate who garnered
most votes is a Hispanic who also sent her kids to Catholic school.

My turn...This might be the beginning of Filipino involvement in political aspiration but we have a long way to go yet. Even on issues that we have heavy stake, we at times remain silent. The school voucher program where most of the Filipinos could strongly support because we send our kids to private school. The financial benefit it could provide to the families and the private school system did not galvanize the Pinoy community to go all out and show a very strong and vocal support to the initiative by Mayor Shundler. This is one type of power empowerment that whether you agree or not we should demand or at least get ourselves involved.

Nestor Palugod Enriquez,
Please E-mail me at phix7@yahoo.com

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